<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> December 20, 2006 - 8:00 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game on ESPN</span></div> <span style="color:#990000">Cleveland Cavaliers</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">(14-9)</span><span style="color:#CC9933">PG</span> <span style="color:#990000">Eric Snow</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">SG</span> <span style="color:#990000">Larry Hughes</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">SF</span> <span style="color:#990000">LeBron James</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PF</span> <span style="color:#990000">Drew Gooden</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">C</span> <span style="color:#990000">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#990000">Donyell Marshall, Anderson Varajoe, Damon Jones, Daniel Gibson</span><span style="color:#000099">New Jersey Nets</span> <span style="color:#999999">(9-14)</span><span style="color:#999999">PG</span> <span style="color:#000099">Jason Kidd</span> <span style="color:#999999">SG</span> <span style="color:#000099">Vince Carter</span> <span style="color:#999999">SF</span> <span style="color:#000099">Richard Jefferson</span> <span style="color:#999999">PF</span> <span style="color:#000099">Jason Collins</span> <span style="color:#999999">C</span> <span style="color:#000099">Nenad Krstic</span> <span style="color:#999999">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Antoine Wright, Marcus Williams, Bostjan Nachbar, Mikki Moore, Eddie House</span> Injury Report<span style="color:#999999">NJ:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Cliff Robinson will not play (recovering from left knee surgery)</span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#990000">LeBron James</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 26.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 6.8 apg, 1.6 spg</span><span style="color:#990000">Larry Hughes</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 14.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.2 spg</span><span style="color:#000099">Jason Kidd</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 13.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 9.5 apg, 1.6 spg</span><span style="color:#000099">Vince Carter</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 27.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.8 apg</span><span style="color:#000099">Richard Jefferson</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 16.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.8 apg</span><span style="color:#000099">Nenad Krstic</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 16.0 ppg, 6.9 rpg</span> Rookie Watch <span style="color:#CC9933">CLE:</span> <span style="color:#990000">Shannon Brown</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 25</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#990000">2.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.7 apg</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">CLE:</span> <span style="color:#990000">Daniel Gibson</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 42</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#990000">6.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.8 apg</span> <span style="color:#999999">NJ:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Marcus Williams</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 22</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#000099">7.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 2.9 apg</span> <span style="color:#999999">NJ:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Josh Boone</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 23</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#000099">0.2 rpg</span> <span style="color:#999999">NJ:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Hassan Adams</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 54</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#000099">3.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg</span> <span style="color:#999999">NJ:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Mile Ilic</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: Undrafted</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#000099">0.3 rpg</span> <span style="color:#990000">Cleveland's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#990000">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 10.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg</span><span style="color:#990000">Big Z has a chance to have a great game tonight against New Jersey's weak frontline. I understand he's getting older, and I understand he's having his ups and downs this season, but he really needs to have a good game tonight. If he can't take advantage of this frontcourt, I don't know what to tell you.</span><span style="color:#000099">New Jersey's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#000099">Jason Collins</span><span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 2.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg</span><span style="color:#000099">Collins needs to really elevate his game defensively, and especially on the boards. Gooden, Big Z, and LeBron will kill you on the boards if you aren't tough down there. Collins needs to rebound the ball at a high level and he needs to play good defense.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#990000">LeBron James</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000099">Vince Carter</span></div><span style="color:#000000">LeBron, as we all know, is an absolute monster. He does everything, and he is already ARGUABLY the best player in the league right now (I don't think he is, but you could make a strong case). Vince, when he's on, is unguardable as well. This is could be a potential shootout between these two stars.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesNew Jersey really needs wins. Their start to this season has been pathetic. Cleveland needs to pick it up a bit too. Neither one of these teams are playing to the best of their abilities. CelticBalla's PredictionI see Cleveland taking this one on the road. New Jersey just isn't playing well right now, and I have a feeling LeBron is going to go for 35+ tonight.
Gonna need to get Zeek going right off the bat.If Zeek can starting off great and keep it up threw the whole game, this one is in the bag.I don't see the Cavaliers getting a easy win tho.I look to see Snow on Kidd, Hughes on Carter, James on Jefferson.Go Cavaliers. :dribble:
4 min left I believe.Nets will take this one.Very unhappy with how we are playing the last few games. I know where not getting calls and the refs just love **** with us. But comon.Now to face Pistons, can we get some calls? We are at home.
We won. Big win for the Nets. Carter had a great all around game. Had 30 something points, 6 rebounds and 5 assits I think. Jason Kidd again just a amazing game, almost a triple double. Jefferson did a great job on defense with LeBron, even though he scored 30 something too. Biggest stat of the night though, Jason Collins had a season high 9 points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good win for New Jersey, they really needed that one. They need to get some confidence here. They need to start getting it done in their own building, and beating Cleveland in it was a good way to start. I was only able to watch the 4th quarter and some of the 2nd (flipping back and forth with the Celtics game), but from what I did see, Vince Carter was phenominal and so was Jason Kidd. LeBron did alright in the 4th, but apparently didn't do so hot the rest of the game.Also, did anyone catch Jay-Z's conversation with Jim Grey? Jim asked him something like "what does this team need to do to get it going" or something like that. Jay-Z said that they need to find a rhythm, and Jefferson was hurt, but ended it with "Even in the overtime loss, WE WAS BALLIN."Then before that, he talked about the Nets signing something that approves the move to Brooklyn, and Jay-Z went "Brooooklyyyyyn!"... but he said it like he was an elderly man that didn't take his meds that morning. Jim Grey had a look on his face like "what the F*ck?!"
