<div align="center">[#6] <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> [#2]<span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%">CLE Leads Series 3-1</span>May 16, 2007 - 8:00 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game on TNT</span></div><span style="color:#000099">New Jersey Nets</span> <span style="color:#999999">(1-3)</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">Mikki Moore</span> <span style="color:#999999">C</span> <span style="color:#000099">Jason Collins</span> <span style="color:#999999">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Bostjan Nachbar, Marcus Williams, Eddie House, Cliff Robinson, Josh Boone</span><span style="color:#990000">Cleveland Cavaliers</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">(3-1)</span><span style="color:#CC9933">PG</span> <span style="color:#990000">Larry Hughes</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">SG</span> <span style="color:#990000">Sasha Pavlovic</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">Anderson Varejao, Daniel Gibson, Eric Snow, Donyell Marshall, Scot Pollard</span> Injury Report<span style="color:#999999">NJ:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Nenad Kristic [Knee // Out for Season]</span><span style="color:#999999">NJ:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Eddie House [ Concussion, Hip // Out For Season]</span><span style="color:#999999">NJ:</span> <span style="color:#000099">Mile Ilic [Ankle // Out For Season]</span><span style="color:#CC9933">CLE:</span> <span style="color:#990000">None To Report. </span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#000099">Jason Kidd</span><span style="color:#999999">Playoff Stats: 13.3 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 11.7 APG </span><span style="color:#000099">Vince Carter</span><span style="color:#999999">Playoff Stats: 24.5 PPG, 7.10 RPG, 5.0 APG</span><span style="color:#000099">Richard Jefferson</span><span style="color:#999999">Playoff Stats: 20.5 PPG, 5.10 RPG, 2.3 APG</span><span style="color:#990000">LeBron James</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Playoff Stats: 27.0 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 8.5 APG</span><span style="color:#990000">Larry Hughes</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Series Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.8 APG</span><span style="color:#990000">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Playoff Stats: 15.1 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 0.9 APG </span><span style="color:#990000">Drew Gooden</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Playoff Stats: 12.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.8 APG</span><div align="center">Key Match up vs. <span style="color:#990000">Larry Hughes</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000099">Jason Kidd</span><span style="color:#000000">Edge: Jason Kidd -- J-Kidd is so hot right now. He's close to averaging a triple double. He makes plays and he's the engine that makes the Nets go. Kidd is a Hall of Famer. Hughes will hold his own but Kidd is on top of his game in these playoffs.</span> </div><div align="center">Key Match up vs. <span style="color:#990000">Sasha Pavlovic</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000099">Vince Carter</span><span style="color:#000000">Edge: Vince Carter. -- Carter can do it all. If he comes with his triple threat game where he's shooting 3's, posting up and driving to the basket. That'll mean trouble for the Cavaliers. He's an underrated passer. He also makes plays and he rebounds. Pavlovic's going to have his hands full.</span> </div><div align="center">Key Match up vs. <span style="color:#990000">LeBron James</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000099">Richard Jefferson</span><span style="color:#000000">Edge: LeBron James -- LeBron James is Mr.Everything for Cleveland. He can make plays, get his own points and help everyone else get theirs, too. He's a younger, bigger, faster Jason Kidd. Jefferson won't just sit there, he's going to defend and challenge but his right ankle isn't 100 percent. If he was healthy, it would be a matchup to look forward to. </span> </div><div align="center">Key Match up vs. <span style="color:#990000">Drew Gooden</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000099">Mikki Moore</span> <span style="color:#000000">Edge: Even. -- You know what you're getting in Gooden -- a solid rebounder, someone who'll get his points and someone who will knock down shots. Moore has been the recipient of Kidd, Jefferson and Carter. You don't pay attention to Mikki and he has a double double at halftime. This is key position to the series. Whichever guy plays well out of these two could decide the series. </span> </div><div align="center">Key Match up vs. <span style="color:#990000">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000099">Jason Collins</span><span style="color:#000000">Edge: Zydrunas Ilgauskas. -- Z can score and he can pass but on the other end, if Z is in the pick and roll, he can be liability. Collins is not a scoring threat but he rebounds and he does the dirty work. Z is also coming off a great series and his confidence is high.</span> </div>Game Notes<span style="color:#990000">With a win tonight, the Cavaliers would advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in team history. Cleveland advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1976 and 1992. The Cavaliers are a perfect 4-0 at home in the playoffs and have won seven games in a row at The Q dating back to the regular season. With a win tonight, Cleveland would tie its longest playoff home win streak ever (five straight in 1976 and from 1990-92). Cleveland is 6-1 all-time at home in the playoffs against the Nets. LeBron James has dished out at least seven assists in all eight playoff games and ranks fifth in the playoffs in assists per game (8.5). He is the only Cavalier in team history and the only non-guard in NBA history with eight straight games of at least seven assists in the playoffs. The Cavaliers lead the NBA in opponent field goal percentage (.420) and rank second in opponents points per game (89.5) during the playoffs. Cleveland held the Nets to .360 shooting in Game 4 which was the Cavs best defensive effort since May 15, 2006 vs. Detroit when they held the Pistons to .333 shooting. Zydrunas Ilgauskas has averaged 15.1 points and 10.8 rebounds during the playoffs. He joins Brad Daugherty as the only two players in team history to have eight or more rebounds in at least eight straight playoff games. Daugherty did it in nine straight games from April 23 ? May 13, 1992. LeBron James is currently averaging 27.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game during the playoffs. Oscar Robertson is the only player to average at least those numbers for an entire playoff year (Robertson did it three times from 1962-64)..</span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">Series Info</span></span>Gm 1: <strike>Sun., May 6 @ CLE, 1 ET, ABC</strike> <span style="color:#990000">CLE</span>Gm 2: <strike>Tue., May 8 @ CLE, 8 ET, TNT</strike> <span style="color:#990000">CLE</span>Gm 3: <strike>Sat., May 12 @ NJN, 5 ET, ESPN</strike> <span style="color:#000099">NJ</span>Gm 4: <strike>Mon., May 14 @ NJN, 7 ET, TNT</strike> <span style="color:#990000">CLE</span>Gm 5: Wed., May 16 @ CLE, TBD, TNTGm 6*: Fri., May 18 @ NJN, TBD, ESPNGm 7*: Sun., May 20 @ CLE, TBD, TNTBold-Next Game*-If Necessary<strike>Cross out- Games over</strike>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MVPBaller @ May 16 2007, 10:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If we lose, this would be the 2nd straight time our season ended on May 16th</div>It's too bad that turnover put the Nets in a deep hole. I think NJ will show up tonight and could steal a victory. The Cavs sure did on Monday.
So the Nets have come out hustling, scrappy, and playing hard. Nachbar has come out gunning offensively, and been impressive, including 3 for 4 from the three point line, and 11 points. Everyone out there is sharing the ball offensively. The bench is thouroughly outplaying the Cavaliers bench right now. The pace however, is still getting played to Cleveland's pace right now. It's being played in the half court, slowly, and more methodical. Meanwhile, nobody on the Cavaliers outside of Zydrunas Ilgauskas is playing much offense. Z has the fallaway going, hitting shots, and doing well. Hughes I have not seen attack the rim yet, just settling for jumpers from the outside, that are not falling at all. He has only hit 1 shot in like 10 attempts or something like that. These guys need to start getting it going, they are not playing with alot of aggressiveness, or intensity. Lebron James needs to take over the game now, and I think start trying to get the pick and roll/pop game going with Z since he is playing well offensively. He has one of the perfect big mens to run this with because of Z's shooting ability from 15-18 feet, combined with James passing and attacking ability, the pick and roll/pop game could work well for the Cavaliers here.
This crowd should be booing, the Cavaliers are playing like garbage. They are turning the ball over now, the offense is not flowing smoothly, they are not getting good looks at the basket. Lebron James is not forcing the issue. He did for one or two possessions, and then went back to playing passively. This is where they need him right now, down by 20, he has to step up and force the issue. This crowd does not look happy right now.
Horrible, I don't understand where the Cleveland Cavaliers are but it's not on the court. The Nets aren't missing, Cleveland is missing and it's just horrible. I doubt we make any kinda of run at all. I hope we can beat the Nets in game 6, but if not Game 7 is gonna be a close one.
If I was Mike Brown, I would keep that lineup they had at the end of the third quarter on the floor for just a bit here early in the 4th quarter. Make the starters want to come back in and prove themmselves, as well as that team seemed to be playing with some heart and intensity, and was forcing the issue getting to the rim. They went on a little minnie run, even though they gave up that Jason Kidd 3 point shot. Other than that, I thought they was playing better than the starters were.
Someone needs to call the NBA, because they forgot to give this game some Refs.. Oh wait, their are Refs but just on the other side of the basket.
LeBron didn't show up in the first 3 quarters. Hey J-Kidd, you got what you wanted.. LeBron did some stuff in the 4th but nothing in the first 3. I'd take 30 points over 20 ANY day of the week. We will win game 6.
Man, I love all these teams getting it done with their backs against the wall on the road. It's shaping up to be a good second round.
Nets win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great game for the Nets up until the 4th. If it wasn't for 3 different fourth quarter collapses from the Nets in the 3 Cleveland wins, Nets would be in the ECF...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ May 16 2007, 11:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Great game for the Nets up until the 4th. If it wasn't for 3 different fourth quarter collapses from the Nets in the 3 Cleveland wins, Nets would be in the ECF...</div>Thought it be 7 games also.I am good
