<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>NBA.com’s preview of the Nets 2007-08 season starts with the Big Three, but says the “Man on the Spot” is Jamaal Magloire. While everyone knows what Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson can do, and wonders if Nenad Krstic can return to form, the big question is whether Magloire can get back to double-double form in New Jersey. The preview also has a scout’s take on where to give Carter the ball if you want him to move toward the basket.</div></p> Source</p>
Schuhmann does a pretty good job for an abbreviated web preview. He leaves out a couple of things, but he doesn't underrate the team based on a couple of odd circumstances last season: the twin divorce proceedings, and the unexpected rash of injuries. Other previews criticise the Nets' bench, but they're unlikely to have to go as deep for as long again (House, RJ, Krstic, Boone, Cliffy all injured roughly simultaneously). He should also be comended for the following sentence:</p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Jason Kidd and Vince Carter are clearly one of the best backcourts in the NBA, but are they a good fit for each other?</div></p> he gets it. Other columnists call Carter "overrated" and Kidd "on his last legs." Neither is true. The real issue, as he recognizes, is whether they bring out the best in each other based on their respective styles and talents. There's no question, for instance, that Kidd elevated the play--and value--of KMart. I'm not sure the same is true of Carter. Now, let's give Carter credit: the franchise was doomed to failure, sputtering along with a 12-24 record,shortly afterhe was acquired, and he almost single-handedly made the franchise relevant again after just a three-month "rebuilding" period. Now Coach Frank claims that he's trying to add more movement without the ball, which is designed to make better use of Kidd's talents. Will Carter play along this time? That'll be a major sub-theme of the season.</p> He also mentions the possible reverberating effect of the loss of House (although he kind of passes over Mikki Moore without much mention). The team will need shooters and energy off the bench. Mikki, House (when healthy), and Boki provided that, if not much defense. Now, if Krstic or Boki get hurt again, they really don't have a sharpshooting big to step in. They also really, really need Antoine Wright to step up and prove he belongs. That, or a healthy Allan Houston.</p> It's also good to see SOMEONE give Collins some credit.</p> I have no idea what to expect from Magloire. I kind of expect that Magloire and Collins will start in the front court, at least until Krstic is fully healthy. The question is, is Magloire the type of guy who can fit in and produce in a motion offense? I have no idea. It might actually be fascinating to see Boki start at the 4. At least Magloire should grab a ton of rebounds playing next to Collins.</p> Everyone talks about how good the Celtics are with their three 20-point scorers. Well, the Nets could legitimately have seven players average double figures, especially if the motion works and Marcus can run it when he's in the game. what they're missing right now is that high-energy, good shootingbackup center (the Aaron Williams role) and a backup shooting guard that's not afraid to shoot (the Lucious Harris role), and, of course, consistently good defense from their primary reserves. On that last point, I predict that, like Gollum, when all is said and done, Bernard Robinson will have a role to play.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peg182)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> last i checked, he never lost "double-double" form. He only got less minutes.</p> </div></p> </p> over the last two years, he has been significantly worse than he was during his all-star season, although if he could hit 70% of his free throws again the difference wouldn't be nearly as great..</p>
Meanwhile, Hollinger makes a big deal about the age of the Nets backcourt, failing to note that other than Rajon Rondo and Gabe Pruitt, those who will play in the backcourt for the Celts are going to be older...Allen and Pierce, among others. Eddie House, who Hollinger says the Nets should have played more, is also in his 30's.</p> And</p>
Meanwhile, Hollinger makes a big deal about the age of the Nets backcourt, failing to note that other than Rajon Rondo and Gabe Pruitt, those who will play in the backcourt for the Celts are going to be older...Allen and Pierce, among others. Eddie House, who Hollinger says the Nets should have played more, is also in his 30's.</p> And as</p>
Meanwhile, Hollinger makes a big deal about the age of the Nets backcourt, failing to note that other than Rajon Rondo and Gabe Pruitt, those who will play in the backcourt for the Celts are going to be older...Allen and Pierce, among others. Eddie House, who Hollinger says the Nets should have played more, is also in his 30's.</p> And as noted</p>
Meanwhile, Hollinger makes a big deal about the age of the Nets backcourt, failing to note that other than Rajon Rondo and Gabe Pruitt, those who will play in the backcourt for the Celts are going to be older...Allen and Pierce, among others. Eddie House, who Hollinger says the Nets should have played more, is also in his 30's.</p> And as noted here,</p>
Meanwhile, Hollinger makes a big deal about the age of the Nets backcourt, failing to note that other than Rajon Rondo and Gabe Pruitt, those who will play in the backcourt for the Celts are going to be older...Allen and Pierce, among others. Eddie House, who Hollinger says the Nets should have played more, is also in his 30's.</p> And as noted here by Dumpy, Allen has played more than 56 games exactly twice in the last five years and is coming off surgery to BOTH ankles. Pierce barely played.</p>
Dumpy, most columnists know as much about the Nets as you do about the Nuggets or Warriors.</p> You can have a competent conversation about those teams, but you don't have the knowledge that comes from watching every second of every game.</p> That's why this preview is so different from the usual national fare..</p> Also you call the Nets' rash of injuries "unexpected", but didn't John Hollinger correctly predict that and nail the Nets record exactly before last season?</p>
--I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one with that quadruple-post problem here.</p> --I really suspect that Hollinger is a long-time Net fan and is unnecessarily harsh on the team to convince himself that he is "unbiased." He did, after all, like to visit the other board, and argue. Do you think he visits forums for every team he writes about? Somehow I doubt it.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghoti)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> Dumpy, most columnists know as much about the Nets as you do about the Nuggets or Warriors.</p> You can have a competent conversation about those teams, but you don't have the knowledge that comes from watching every second of every game.</p> That's why this preview is so different from the usual national fare..</p> Also you call the Nets' rash of injuries "unexpected", but didn't John Hollinger correctly predict that and nail the Nets record exactly before last season?</p> </div></p> </p> I know a lot about the Nuggets! They've got that na-nu, na-nu guy, and half the team is former Sixers. Cpaw will fill me in on the rest. What else is there to know?</p> As for the unexpected injuries: it's just like throwing dice.</p> As for the record: I once had a friend--long since passed away--who, in 1987, insisted that six years earlier I declared that the Mets would beat the Red Sox in the World Series in 1986. I have no memory of it, but he could have been right. What does that make me? A sayer of sooth?</p>
I don't think Magloire's the guy to watch. The offense is. If we can get the motion running 75% of the time, we should be fine. The thing with VC's style of just pounding it, you're hit or miss what 25% of that time. You make it easier on the defense and worst for yourself, as you're basically killing your team morale. Players are set in concrete waiting for VC to create, while working as 5, you're setting picks, freeing someone up. Kidd has to stop deferring as long as he's on the court. He's the captain and is respected that way. Maybe when Kidd gets his breaks, you allow VC to be the creator with 2-3 spot up shooters, you're hit or miss for about 12 minutes a game. Frank needs to define their roles NOW.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> he also has to have the courage to yank Carter from the game when he starts to jack up shots.</p> </div></p> True, both he and Kidd has to ride VC when he ain't following the game plan. That's one big fault I have with Kidd is that he defers to often.</p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peg182)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> last i checked, he never lost "double-double" form. He only got less minutes.</p> </div></p> </p> over the last two years, he has been significantly worse than he was during his all-star season, although if he could hit 70% of his free throws again the difference wouldn't be nearly as great..</p> </div></p> </p> Sure, he's not in "All-Star" form. But with the right players, it's been proven he can produce. Look at what he did with Baron Davis...and imagine what he could do with Kidd.</p> The thing about that is, tho, would we really need him to average double-figure points? or would we rather have him concentrate on rebounding, defense, providing toughness, and blocking shots?</p> I'd go with the latter. and I predict that IF he averages more than 30 mpg, he'll get double-digit rebounds. But that's pretty unlikely, Since there are quite a few bigs on the team that we could use.</p>
