I hate to say these things, because one injury could mess the whole thing up (KNOCKING ON WOOD RIGHT NOW). But I really believe Carter is about to have the best year of his career in terms of overall basketball and being his best when his team needs him to be. Too many sources have now talked about how much he's been working on his jumper this off season, which is traditionally a time that he just relaxes to let his body recover from the grind of a long NBA season. The fact that he was in the gym only days after the Cleveland series working with Bob Thate and that he's regularly staying late after practice to shoot -- and also shooting BEFORE games with Thate on hand -- indicates he's putting in the kind of hours that great players put in to get to the proverbial "next level".</p> While I've genrally loved his game in Jersey, save some short periods in 06-07 when he seemed to be struggling mentally both on and off the court, the one area that's most disappointed me is that he has yet to shoot the ball in the playoffs as well as he can shoot. He had a terrible drop off in that regard in 04-05, due, I'm sure, to both the tremendous defensive pressure Miami was able to apply without punishment from shooters like Scalibrine, Best, and Kidd, and due to fatigue from what he did to get the Nets into the playoffs in the first place. He shot better in 05-06 but was still relatively impotent from 3-point range, which is an important part of his arsenal as a scorer and even as a playmaker. He shot horribly from outisde throughout most of the 06-07 playoffs, and it clearly limited both his options and effectiveness as a driver as Cleveland was almost GIVING him open shots in order to wall off his lanes to the basket. So better shooting will not only increase his efficiency as an outside scorer but will create higher quality driving opportunities than those he's been presented with in the playoffs thus far as a Net.</p> His on-court demeanor also seems a bit different this year. He seems a bit more sereious and appears to already have a bounce in his step, even though it's preseason. He was actually making some pretty brilliant individual defensive plays in both the Knicks and Celtic games. He twice thwarted Tony Allen drives at the rim and took the ball away from him, deflected numerous passes, took a charge to stop a fast break, made a clean strip of Rondo defending a 2-on-1 to get the turnover. He had two sensationally athletic blocks against the Knicks. Not bad for preseason intensity.</p> The confidence in this interview just makes me think that, health permitting, he and the Nets are going to surprise a lot of people this year who think their ship has sailed.</p>
man its tough for me to hate vince at times because he is such a nice guy and a charismatic guy. i really hope he has no distractions and has more focus knowing that his career is coming to an end plus he really believes, as i do, that we really did upgrade our team all around. hopefully we do stay healthy and everyone plays up to their potential because if that happens then we really can do something special this year. with that said, we better come out smoking hot against chicago wed and win that game and get started on the right foot.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FOMW)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I hate to say these things, because one injury could mess the whole thing up (KNOCKING ON WOOD RIGHT NOW). But I really believe Carter is about to have the best year of his career in terms of overall basketball and being his best when his team needs him to be. Too many sources have now talked about how much he's been working on his jumper this off season, which is traditionally a time that he just relaxes to let his body recover from the grind of a long NBA season. The fact that he was in the gym only days after the Cleveland series working with Bob Thate and that he's regularly staying late after practice to shoot -- and also shooting BEFORE games with Thate on hand -- indicates he's putting in the kind of hours that great players put in to get to the proverbial "next level".</p> While I've genrally loved his game in Jersey, save some short periods in 06-07 when he seemed to be struggling mentally both on and off the court, the one area that's most disappointed me is that he has yet to shoot the ball in the playoffs as well as he can shoot. He had a terrible drop off in that regard in 04-05, due, I'm sure, to both the tremendous defensive pressure Miami was able to apply without punishment from shooters like Scalibrine, Best, and Kidd, and due to fatigue from what he did to get the Nets into the playoffs in the first place. He shot better in 05-06 but was still relatively impotent from 3-point range, which is an important part of his arsenal as a scorer and even as a playmaker. He shot horribly from outisde throughout most of the 06-07 playoffs, and it clearly limited both his options and effectiveness as a driver as Cleveland was almost GIVING him open shots in order to wall off his lanes to the basket. So better shooting will not only increase his efficiency as an outside scorer but will create higher quality driving opportunities than those he's been presented with in the playoffs thus far as a Net.</p> His on-court demeanor also seems a bit different this year. He seems a bit more sereious and appears to already have a bounce in his step, even though it's preseason. He was actually making some pretty brilliant individual defensive plays in both the Knicks and Celtic games. He twice thwarted Tony Allen drives at the rim and took the ball away from him, deflected numerous passes, took a charge to stop a fast break, made a clean strip of Rondo defending a 2-on-1 to get the turnover. He had two sensationally athletic blocks against the Knicks. Not bad for preseason intensity.</p> The confidence in this interview just makes me think that, health permitting, he and the Nets are going to surprise a lot of people this year who think their ship has sailed.</p> </div></p> </p> I love reading each and every one of your posts. Thanks for being a member of this forum.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Master Shake)</div><div class='quotemain'>So what? We mods are talking about conversation and how it is dead in most forums, well this is what leads to it. One liners that make no discussion that just lead to nowhere. If more is added, then we have something to argue about, or discuss.</div></p> ... are you serious? One liners lead to dead forums? You are repeating non-sense that was told to you. Running forums like dictators lead to dead forums. Look... one liner in the Nets forum, most active forum on S2. Among the most active Nets forum on the internet. How did that one liner kill the discussion?</p> If you read carefully, what did Universe say after your comment? He won't take part. Running a forum close minded, wanting to stick to every letter of the law chases away members and kills a forum. We just witnesses that in play right?</p> -Petey</p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FOMW)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I hate to say these things, because one injury could mess the whole thing up (KNOCKING ON WOOD RIGHT NOW). But I really believe Carter is about to have the best year of his career in terms of overall basketball and being his best when his team needs him to be. Too many sources have now talked about how much he's been working on his jumper this off season, which is traditionally a time that he just relaxes to let his body recover from the grind of a long NBA season. The fact that he was in the gym only days after the Cleveland series working with Bob Thate and that he's regularly staying late after practice to shoot -- and also shooting BEFORE games with Thate on hand -- indicates he's putting in the kind of hours that great players put in to get to the proverbial "next level".</p> While I've genrally loved his game in Jersey, save some short periods in 06-07 when he seemed to be struggling mentally both on and off the court, the one area that's most disappointed me is that he has yet to shoot the ball in the playoffs as well as he can shoot. He had a terrible drop off in that regard in 04-05, due, I'm sure, to both the tremendous defensive pressure Miami was able to apply without punishment from shooters like Scalibrine, Best, and Kidd, and due to fatigue from what he did to get the Nets into the playoffs in the first place. He shot better in 05-06 but was still relatively impotent from 3-point range, which is an important part of his arsenal as a scorer and even as a playmaker. He shot horribly from outisde throughout most of the 06-07 playoffs, and it clearly limited both his options and effectiveness as a driver as Cleveland was almost GIVING him open shots in order to wall off his lanes to the basket. So better shooting will not only increase his efficiency as an outside scorer but will create higher quality driving opportunities than those he's been presented with in the playoffs thus far as a Net.</p> His on-court demeanor also seems a bit different this year. He seems a bit more sereious and appears to already have a bounce in his step, even though it's preseason. He was actually making some pretty brilliant individual defensive plays in both the Knicks and Celtic games. He twice thwarted Tony Allen drives at the rim and took the ball away from him, deflected numerous passes, took a charge to stop a fast break, made a clean strip of Rondo defending a 2-on-1 to get the turnover. He had two sensationally athletic blocks against the Knicks. Not bad for preseason intensity.</p> The confidence in this interview just makes me think that, health permitting, he and the Nets are going to surprise a lot of people this year who think their ship has sailed.</p> </div></p> </p> You knock on wood too?? crazy, haha.</p> And a Vince Carter making more shots and playing more defense makes for an unstoppable player. If he tries harder in games where we need him, against a "superpower" such as the Spurs, Suns, Bulls, Mavs or even Celts, there's no saying how good we could do against these teams. I mean, really, can anyone stop Vince when he's on a tear? (Bowen, maybe, but that's only by playing unfairly, and getting him ejected)</p> Let's just hope that while he's trying harder on the court to make even more of a difference on this team, Wright and Boki can spell him enough so that he won't be completely dead by the end of the game, or, in hindsight, the playoffs.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Petey)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Master Shake)</div><div class='quotemain'>So what? We mods are talking about conversation and how it is dead in most forums, well this is what leads to it. One liners that make no discussion that just lead to nowhere. If more is added, then we have something to argue about, or discuss.</div></p> ... are you serious? One liners lead to dead forums? You are repeating non-sense that was told to you. Running forums like dictators lead to dead forums. Look... one liner in the Nets forum, most active forum on S2. Among the most active Nets forum on the internet. How did that one liner kill the discussion?</p> If you read carefully, what did Universe say after your comment? He won't take part. Running a forum close minded, wanting to stick to every letter of the law chases away members and kills a forum. We just witnesses that in play right?</p> -Petey</p> </p> </div></p> "Well spoken."</p> OK. I'll continue. I don't find anything whatsoever wrong with people saying briefly that they agree or disagree with something. After all you get a quick pulse reading. What's the sense of being long-winded? I'd be pretty turned off with the idea that this would somehow be objectionable too.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I love reading each and every one of your posts. Thanks for being a member of this forum.</p> </div></p> </p> Why think you kind sir. The feeling is mutual.</p> Have you got your spreadsheets and databases ready for the season? I expect a report by halftime of the first game telling us which combinations are most effective for the Nets.</p> </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FOMW)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> I love reading each and every one of your posts. Thanks for being a member of this forum.</p> </div></p> </p> Why think you kind sir. The feeling is mutual.</p> Have you got your spreadsheets and databases ready for the season? I expect a report by halftime of the first game telling us which combinations are most effective for the Nets.</p> </p> </div></p> </p> Yoiks.</p>
