<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>NBA.com released it’s annual GM Survey today and 70 percent of general managers around the league like the Celtics to win the Atlantic Division. The GMs also call Jason Kidd the best player in the open court and the second best point guard, passer and leader. Meanwhile, NBA scouts think that the age of Jason Kidd and Vince Carter could become an issue this season, but that Nenad Krstic’s return should provide a lift and that the team is very well coached.</div></p> 2007-08 NBA.com GM Survey Enemy Lines: New Jersey Nets</p>
Boston won't win the Atlantic, they aren't ready for the Raptors. Boston will make a run and it will come down to Toronto and Boston, but I think Toronto has a better bench, so they can pull away.</p>
Why do you assume it's going to be between Toronto and Boston? Have the Raptors magically became better than the Nets? NJ proved to be the better team last season, despite majority of people over-hyping the Raptors when it came down to the playoff matchup against the Nets. Sure they made some key moves in the offseason, but it's not like the NJ got any worse, if not better.</p>
boston's the hot pick now, given their star power....problem is they have a 2 year window, no bench and speaking of age, Allen has had a history of injuries........if we get off to a nice start the first 20-30 games, say 20-10 to start the season we'll be in good shape, but if run off to our annual (in recent history) slump, we're in trouble.....confidence is a snowball, look at how it carried Toronto.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> Its between Boston and New Jersey. Sorry Master Shake. </p> </div></p> I didn't forget NJ, but did hey get a lot better? Not really. Magliore, he isn't a big number guy, and Armstrong won't be playing huge minutes. So, I think NJ will be third in the Atlantic, with Toronto just pulling ahead of Boston. The Raptors small moves could prove to be something bigger then what it is. We have a very deep bench, and our chemistry is solid.</p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Master Shake)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> Its between Boston and New Jersey. Sorry Master Shake. </p> </div></p> I didn't forget NJ, but did hey get a lot better? Not really. Magliore, he isn't a big number guy, and Armstrong won't be playing huge minutes. So, I think NJ will be third in the Atlantic, with Toronto just pulling ahead of Boston. The Raptors small moves could prove to be something bigger then what it is. We have a very deep bench, and our chemistry is solid.</p> </p> </div></p> </p> But yet acquiring Kapono and Delfino is considered big? Raptors have strong chemistry, I agree, but it's not like they had a better offseason than the Nets, and since they weren't on the same level last season, how does that change now? And like CK said, you have totake into account that we were missing Krstic, and RJ wasn't at full strength all season.</p> </p>
agreed. plus, I think Kidd can bring Maglorie back to his all-star status. Let's not forget, Maglorie's best game I believe was the all star game with Kidd on the team!
How is age a factor? I believe the Celts' three average age is more than the Nets' three average age, right? If not, they're not too far off.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kidd)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Master Shake)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> Its between Boston and New Jersey. Sorry Master Shake. </p> </div></p> I didn't forget NJ, but did hey get a lot better? Not really. Magliore, he isn't a big number guy, and Armstrong won't be playing huge minutes. So, I think NJ will be third in the Atlantic, with Toronto just pulling ahead of Boston. The Raptors small moves could prove to be something bigger then what it is. We have a very deep bench, and our chemistry is solid.</p> </p> </div></p> </p> But yet acquiring Kapono and Delfino is considered big? Raptors have strong chemistry, I agree, but it's not like they had a better offseason than the Nets, and since they weren't on the same level last season, how does that change now? And like CK said, you have totake into account that we were missing Krstic, and RJ wasn't at full strength all season.</p> </p> </div></p> Every team has injuries, you can never play the injury card because every fan can pull that out....Bosh, Bargnani, Garbajosa, Parker and Ford all missed games last season and the Raptors still managed to win games. Not trying to turn this into a debate just wondering if anyone else hates the injury argument?</p> </p>
The way the Nets were built last season, there was no way the Nets could have overcome the loss of 1/2 their starting core for more than 25+ games each (Krstic for FIFTY-FOUR) to win the division. Thats just a fact.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kidd Karma)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> Pierce 30</p> Allen 32</p> KG 32</p> </p> Kidd 34</p> VC 30</p> RJ 27</p> </div></p> </p> Boston's core is statistically older. More importantly, the Nets most important player, Kidd, is the only one of the six whose game doesnt rely on any form of great athleticsm. This is seen in the fact that he hasnt been declining even at 34. Basically, if he continues to maintain healthy knees along with proper conditioning, his career can outlast KG, Allen, and even that of Pierce.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MosDefinitely)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> </p> Every team has injuries, you can never play the injury card because every fan can pull that out....Bosh, Bargnani, Garbajosa, Parker and Ford all missed games last season and the Raptors still managed to win games. Not trying to turn this into a debate just wondering if anyone else hates the injury argument?</p> </div></p> It's not an "excuse," we're trying to rationally analyze the Nets' prospects for THIS year. The truth of the matter is that the Nets were a four-player team, surrounded by mediocre and/or inexperienced players, and that they could ill afford to lose any of them. [They got very lucky with the development of Nachbar and Mikki Moore, without which they would not have reached the playoffs). Instead, two players in their core missed about a half-season each. Even if that happens again, which is unlikely (it's more likely that a team loses one of their core players, and for probably about a quarter of a season), we believe that the Nets are better balanced this year, and can better weather the storm.</p>
[quote name='MosDefinitely'] [quote name='Kidd']</p> [quote name='Master Shake']</p> [quote name='CelticKing']</p> Its between Boston and New Jersey. Sorry Master Shake. </p> [/QUOTE]</p> I didn't forget NJ, but did hey get a lot better? Not really. Magliore, he isn't a big number guy, and Armstrong won't be playing huge minutes. So, I think NJ will be third in the Atlantic, with Toronto just pulling ahead of Boston. The Raptors small moves could prove to be something bigger then what it is. We have a very deep bench, and our chemistry is solid.</p> </p> [/QUOTE]</p> </p> But yet acquiring Kapono and Delfino is considered big? Raptors have strong chemistry, I agree, but it's not like they had a better offseason than the Nets, and since they weren't on the same level last season, how does that change now? And like CK said, you have totake into account that we were missing Krstic, and RJ wasn't at full strength all season.</p> </p> [/QUOTE]</p> Every team has injuries, you can never play the injury card because every fan can pull that out....Bosh, Bargnani, Garbajosa, Parker and Ford all missed games last season and the Raptors still managed to win games. Not trying to turn this into a debate just wondering if anyone else hates the injury argument?</p> </p>[/QUOTE] </p> No, there's really no debate here, you are comparing apples to oranges. Playing the injury card? LOL.
