@ <font color="Red">Portland Trailblazers</font> (2-1) @ <font color="Navy">New Jersey Nets</font> (1-2) Time: Nov.9,2004; 7:30pm Arena: <font color="Navy">Continential Airlines Arena</font> TV: Yes Network Preview: Both teams are coming off of devastating weekend losses. The Blazers lost to a late 3 pointer by Vince Carter and the Raptors. The 101-97 loss dropped the Blazers to 2-1 on the short season. The Nets also suffered a tuff loss, but unlike the Blazers, they were never in their matchup with the high powered Pheonix Suns. The 112-80 loss at home to Phoenix, dropped the Nets to 1-2. And they are still looking for their 1st home win of the season.Both teams look to get one a winning track tonight. <u>The Starting 5 </u> Backcourt: PG: Damon Stoudamire (Blazers)/ Jacque Vaughn (Nets) SG: Derek Anderson (Blazers)/ Ron Mercer (Nets) Frontcourt: SF: Shareef Abdur Rahim (Blazers)/ Richard Jefferson (Nets) PF: Zach Randolph (Blazers)/ Eric Williams (Nets) C: Theo Ratliff (Blazers)/ Jason Collins (Nets) --------------------- <div align="center"><u>Players To Watch</u> <font color="Red">Zach Randolph</font> /<font color="Navy">Richard Jefferson</font></div> Portland's Zach Randolph got off to somewhat of a slow start in his 1st couple of games, only averaging 13.5 pts per game. But Randolph had a breakout game, last time out vs the Raptors, recording 33pts & 15 rebounds. The trend should continue for Randolph against New Jersey's small frontline. A matchup against Eric Williams should allow Randolph to get any shot he wants around the basket. New Jersey's Richard Jefferson will once again have to shoulder most of the load for the Nets on the offensive end. Expect another big offensive game for Jefferson, who is averaging 23.0ppg, 10rpg, & 6.0apg, but the same question remains is who on New Jersey will step up to give him some quality help? On the defensive end, Richard Jefferson will have his hands full trying to contain with the verstile Shareef Abdur Rahim, who can score out on the perimter and around the basket in the post. It should be interesting to see, if trying to guard Rahim has a huge affect on Jefferson's offensive game. One thing Jefferson & the Nets cant afford his for him to get into early foul trouble. ------------------ <div align="center"><u>Key Bench Players</u></div> <font color="Red">Nick Van Exel</font> is Portland's instanst offense off the bench. If the game is close in the 4th quarter you can fully expect to see Nick the Quick and his ablity yo hit big shots in the lineup for the Blazers come crunch time <font color="Navy">Alonzo Mourning</font> will look to be New Jersey's frontline savior once again off the bench. Despite playing only 4 games since a kidney transplant, Mourning has already established himself as the heart of New Jersey's bench as well as their bigman rotation. Mourning is averaging a solid 12.0pts & 5.7rebs per game off the bench for Jersey. ------------------------- Something Interesting: Tonight is the return of Sebastain Telfair, to the tri-state area. Telfair, who was a star at New York's Lincoln High, will be playing in the tri-state area for the 1st time as a pro. It should be interesting to see how much he plays, there will be alot of people in attendance to see the rookie. ----------------------- Injury report: New Jersey's Rodney Buford (foot problem) and Travis Best (ankle Injury) are both questionable for tonight's matchup. Portland's Joel Przybilla is also questionable for the matchup with foot complications. ------------------------ <div align="center"><font color="Navy"><u> Keys To the Game New Jersey</u></font></div> Create Easy Baskets. The Nets must use their defense to create easy baskets on offense. They do this by putting pressure on Portland's perimeter defensively. And then pushing the ball in the open court, not allowing Portland's D to setup in the half-court where theo Ratliff can block & change alot of shots. Must Get Production from the Shooting Guard Position. The Nets have not gotten enuff production from that 2-guard postion so far this season as Ron Mercer and Rodney Buford are only averaging 16 ppg combined. With the Nets being so thin in the frontcourt, production from the shooting guard postion becomes extremely important for New Jersey to be competive in games. New Jersey needs at least 20+ points from that two guard postion, for them to stay competive. Containing Portland's Big Frontline. Containing Portland's frontline wont be easy, there is alot of size with the combination of Rahim, Ratliff & Randolph. But the best way to attack a frontline like that is to make them work on defense. Richard Jefferson has a quickness advantage on Rahim, he must continously attack him off the dribble and get to the hoop. Aaron Williams, Alonzo Mourning, Jason Collins all can step away from the basket. And knock down the mid-range J. they must use that to draw Ratliff and Randolph away from the basket. And the Nets must group rebound against Portland's frontline. -------------------- <div align="center"><u><font color="Red">Keys to the Game for Portland </font></u></div> Smart Shot Selection . With Randolph & Portland's advantage in the post area, their is no need for Portland to take a bunch of long jumpshots all night. Establish Randolph in the post early and then let the rest of Portland's offense gel around Randolph inside. He will create easier opportunites for Damon, Nick, & DA out on the perimeter. Bench Play. It is important that Portland gets solid contributions from guys like Darius Miles, Ruben Patterson etc off that Portland bench. In the loss to Toronto the difference in the game was the contribution the Raptors got off their bench compared to the Blazers. Portland got out scored 40-21 in bench points. Portland is going with a short bench rotation, so its important that they get solid minutes and production form those who get the PT. Controlling the Backboards. With the frontline advantage Portland has they must establish a pressence on the backboards early. Let the Nets no that they will be no 2nd chance points available to them. With the Nets beiing such a poor shooting team from the field, 2nd chance pts is important to them staying competive. --------------------- <u>Closing Statements </u> Another extremely difficult game for Jersey. They are giving up alot of size once again. But most importantly they must give a much better effort then they gave vs Pheonix. In the Suns game they stopped competing after the 1st quarter. The Nets must come out early establish some energy in the building and carry that energy for all 4 quarter, easier said then done. But the Nets can only win these type of games by out working, out hustling the Blazers. Enjoy the game
I am shocked that the Nets won. Mourning had a great game. I thought all his good games passed him by. Other than Mourning not very much action took place. They broke the record for least amount of combined field goals. A W is a W no matter how it looks the Nets will take it. If they keep on playing like this I think they <u>might</u> just sneak into the playoffs. To tell you the truth I thought the Nets will be winless at 0-4 but maybe they're not as bad as I thought.
Good game..I guess everyone, has jumped off the Jersey ban wagon. Anyway we got to take every win anyway possible and this was a nice scrappy victory for us against a talented Blazers team. Neither squad was 100% as both teams had guys out. But I really like the starting lineup Coach Frank decided to roll out tonight with Zo starting in the middle and JC moving over to the power forward it gave us alot more size along the frontline. RJ struggled at the 2. But that was more because of foul trouble more then anything. I think its time for Coach Frank to make the decision to move Eric Williams to the 6th man role, maybe he will be more comfortable because he is looking terrible. Move Buford into the starting lineup at the two guard, give him a chance to show what he can do with Mercer suffering from the ankle problems. And Rj goes back to his normal spot at the 3. I think Zoran handle the starting duties real well at the point but I dont know how we are going to get by with Allen Iverson coming up tommorrow, we dont have anyone close to quick enuff to stay in front of him. Best sat out tonight with the foot problems. But maybe he might be ready to go tommorrow. Anyway, good win. Zo is playing like a beast in limited minutes.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Henacy:</div><div class="quote_post">Good game..I guess everyone, has jumped off the Jersey ban wagon. </div> ill admit it...my love for the nets has fallen off a bit. the trio of k-mart, deff jeff and kidd were a lot of fun to watch. without the three of them playing together its kinda hard to take interest when its not your home team. kidd still is and always will be one of my all time fav players, so ill continue to support him and the nets...but i sure will miss the days of him throwin oops to k-mart and jeff. plus nets games are never on tv up here on the subject of the game...wtf happend? lol. thats one ugly score
^I feel you but I have been following the Nets since the Kenny Anderson Derrick Coleman days in the early 90's. I seen some of my all-time favorite players leave the team like Sammy, The Hammer, Sherman Douglas, so every time I see somebody leave it just reminds me of the business of basketball. And in this modern day of free Angency and rapid trade change,no groups lasts forever in the NBA. And teams are continuosly changing, so you just got to roll with the punches.
yea, your totally right. for me ill be honest i wasnt a nets fan untill kidd got traded there. obviously nobody knew that the nets would become as good as they did including me...i just wanted to follow kidd. So i dont have that long standing loyalty, and you live in the nyc...they are just accross the river from you, so the whole home team thing seems to be really there. dont get me wrong, i still got a place in my heart for the nets...i wouldnt even say im "off the bandwagon" its just hard when kidd isnt even playing right now. thankfully jeff is still there...i still got mad love for him. good to see alonzo playing so well too. jesus did you see his bicep when he was flexing after that fast break dunk last night?
