<div align="center"><div align="left">(Sorry, but due to lack of time during these holidays I have to keep this preview extra short) </div> <font color="DarkRed"><font color="Black">@</font> The Cleveland Cavaliers</font> (16-9) @ <font color="Blue">The New Jersey Nets</font> (14-12) Time: Tuesday, December 27th Location: <font color="Blue">Continental Airlines Arena <font color="Black">TV: Yes Network Radio: WFAN 660 AM </font> </font></div> [table=0][tr][td]Cleveland is playing very well. It has won five straight games (not counting Chicago). Lebron James has been scoring, Ilgauskas and Marshall have been rebounding, and when ever those guys have not had good games, Gooden and Hughes have stepped in and put up thier share of numbers. Cleveland's streak is not against weak teams either. Thier victims include, the Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, and Indiana Pacers. <font color="DarkRed">Keys to the game:</font> 1) <font color="Black">Get Hughes to play the lanes on defense so that Carter, Kidd and Jefferson have to hesitate before passing the ball to each other.</font> 2) Can the Nets stop Lebron James? I highly doubt it. Therefore the Cavs need him to have a tremendous offensive game (that includes finding open teammates. 3) The Nets are without Collins. So the Cavs might want to dominate the boards and Krstic.[/td] [td][div=border]The Nets are also on a winning streak of five games (not including the New York game). They have also been playing against much more noteable competition. They beat the Denver Nuggets who are not a shabby team with Martin and Camby as the bigmen. They have beat the Clippers who unlike in previous seasons are actually a team to beat considering how well they have started this season. Finally the Nets beat Miami, and not by just a small margin. <font color="Blue">Keys to the Game:</font> <font color="Black">1) If Jefferson can stop Lebron James, or simply prevent the guy from going all-out, the Nets are in good shape. 2) Keep turnovers to a minimum. The last time I saw the Cavs play, they were very strong in the fast break. As we know, fast breaks being with turnovers. The Nets need to be aware of where Hughes is. 3) Collins is out, so who ever is in the game at the PF or C needs to boxout and prevent the Cavs from dominating the boards.</font>[/div][/td][/tr][/table] Overall, this should be a very competative game. Both teams think that they can win, and both teams want to keep thier streaks going. We know, however, that one team has to lose and I am too chicken to make a prediction on this one.
