Playoffs Round 1, Game 1 @ Arena:Contential Airlines Arena Time/Date April 17,2004 at 4:30pm Head Coaches <font color="DarkOrange">New York Knicks</font> <font color="DarkOrange">Lenny Wilkens </font>. Wilkens took over the struggling Knicks with half a season left to play. And coached the Knicks back to the playoffs after a 3 year absence. Wilkens coaching style was under alot of negative media pressure when he first to over the Knicks job. But his willingness to win quickly won over the garden faithful. Now Lenny is looking to coach the Knicks to their 1st long playoff run since 99'. The Knicks made the NBA finals that season. <font color="Navy">New Jersey Nets</font> <font color="Navy">Lawrence Frank</font>. Frank also enter his current head coaching job with half a season. After reaching back to back Nba Finals, Nets gm felt that the team was at a stand still earlier this season.And felt that a coaching change was needed. There was rumors of a fued between star player & then head coach Byron Scott. The team had started to lose faith in Scott's coaching methods. So a coaching change was needed. Franks took over as coach & provided the Nets with a new voice & source of motivation. Franks had a major impact right away. Franks led the Nets to a season high 14 game win streak in late january- feb. And coached the Nets to there 3rd straight Alantic Division title. But the true test for Fanks will come in the playoffs. It will be interesting to see some of the decisions Franks makes compared to some of the decisions coach Scott made while taking the Nets to the finals the 2 past seasons. Starting Five (and their possible impact on the game & series) Small Forward <font color="DarkOrange">Tim Thomas (knicks)</font>/<font color="Navy">Richard Jefferson (Nets)</font> Tim Thomas has a size advantage on Jefferson. Expect the Knicks to try to isolate Jefferson in post ups, so Thomas can have a chance to take adavatage of the size difference. But thomas most be careful, sometimes despite his size, he looks uncomfortable on the low block. Thomas most not try to force the act when it isnt there. Jefferson is a solid defender, who can get steal & sometime force bad shots. Wild shots & turnovers by Thomas will start the Nets fast break. The Nets on the other hand with try to take advantage of this matchup on the perimeter. Richard Jefferson is one of the quickest players when it comes to off the dribble first steps going toward the basket. With Kidd & Martin not 100%, expect to see the ball in Jefferson's hands alot in the half court set to make plays driving toward the basket. Power Forward <font color="DarkOrange">kurt Thomas (NYK)</font>/<font color="Navy">Kenyon Martin (NJN)</font> Kurt Thomas is the Knicks X-Factor . It is possible that he could have a very big series. Expect the Knicks to run alot of Pick & pop with Marbury & thomas. This is a play where Thomas sets a pick to crate driving lanes for Marbury.But after setting the pick, Thomas sets up to take a 10-15 foot jumper. With Martin playing on a gimpy leg it might be hard for Martin to recover on Thomas after helping to stop Marbury's penetration. The pick & Pop may lead to wide open 15 footers for Thomas all day. The 10-15 foot mid range jumper is Thomas most effective shot. This may spell a nightmare for the Nets. Also expect to see Thomas crashing the baords as the Knicks leading rebounder. The gimpy leg will play a factor in how effective Kenyon Martin is but it will not stop his effort. Expect to see Kenyon being aggressive as usual. K-Mart most give the Nets a low post option in the half court set. Martin will look to get his normal scrappy points of the offensive board. And even with the bad leg expect to see K-mart putting the effort to contain the Knicks best low post options(Kurt Thomas, Vin Baker, & maybe even Tim Thomas depending on player rotation). Martin will also look to provide the Nets with energy points in the open court. Center <font color="DarkOrange">Nazr Mohammod </font> (Knicks)/<font color="Navy">Jason Collins(Nets)</font> Dont expect alot of scoring from this position from either team. Thses to will be battling on the boards trying to make the scrappy hustle plays to help their team win. The one thing Collins can do to have an effect on the offensive end for the Nets is play out of the high post. Collins is a solid passing bigman. He will use this ablity to feed the Nets backdoor cutters like Kittles & Harris. And when the Knicks play off Collins on the High post to limit the Nets back door cuts, expect Collins to take the 12 foot jump shot, which he can make from time to time. Shooting Guard <font color="DarkOrange">Allan Houston (NYK)</font>/<font color="Navy">Kerry Kittles (NJN)</font> Allan Houston has suffered thru an injured filled season. He has heard the local NY Media calling for his head. This is the type of series where a guy like him might look to do serious damage. If Houston is locked & loaded, He is one of the best shooters in basketball. The main thing with Houston is, he hardly ever puts the ball on the floor.And goes to the baskets. So expect Kittles to force Houston off his sweet shooting spots. Kittles will look to force Houston toward the basket. On the offensive end, look for Kittles to get his jumper off when the Nets push the ball in the open court. Expect Kittles to come off alot of screens to free him self up in the half court. And I think Kittles should have an easy time beating Houston off the dribble, so loook for Kittles to go to the basket more in this series. The main knock on Kittles would be that he isnt that agressive in his shot selection. The Nets will need him to be extremely aggressive. The Nets are a truely unbeatable Eastern Conference team when they combine their fast break game with Kittles shooting ablity. Point Guard<font color="Red">(**SPOTLIGHT MATCHUP**)</font> <font color="DarkOrange">Stephon Marbury(NYK)</font>/<font color="Navy">Jason Kidd(NJN)</font> Matchup History: Before the 01/02 season Jason Kidd & Steph Marbury were traded in a block buster deal. A trade that many feel has changed the Nets franchise forever. The tri-state local, kid Marbury was trade to the Suns for Jason Kidd. Marbury didnt part well with the Nets organization. There was rumor in the local newpaper of players(kenyon Martin, ex- Net Kieth Van Horn) & then Nets coach B.Scott bashing Marbury for taking to many shots. Things got even worse for Marbury as Kidd lead the Nets to the NBA finals in his 1st season as the Nets pg. While Marbury & the Suns missed the playoffs in the o1'/02. At one point people were acting like it was the most lopside trade in NBA history. But as you look back on the trade it was probably the trade of the 2 best overall point guards in the NBA. Marbury, who was traded back to the home town area this time with the Knicks, has had some what of a rebrth. No one on the Knicks are complaining about Marbury's play at the point. Marbury has led the Knicks from the bottom of the east into the playoffs. The Matchup Expect Marbury to try & make the rebirth complate by out playing kidd. And lead the Knicks past rivial Nets. The point guard that controls tempo thru series, their team will come out the victor. Marbury wants to play the game at a slower pace. He knows that his team cant beat the Nets in an up & down game. Marbury wants to run alot of pick & rolls. And half court isolations. Marbury pentration is crucial to getting players like Houston & Kurt Thomas easy shots. Steph must run a smart offense. He cant have a bunch of turnovers. They lead to fast break point. The Nets want to try & limit Marbury's assist. The Nets can live with Marbury going for big offensive #, if he isnt getting others involved. With Kidd not 100% expect to see the long armed Kittles take his shots at chasing Marbury around. Kidd of course with look to get the Nets fast break game going at every opportunity. Kidd's Knee & jumpshot will both be tested this series. Expect the knicks to playoff Kidd early in the game. They will give him the jumpshot in the half court. But the Knicks better be careful not to give him to many good looks late in the game. Kidd jumper gets stronger as the game goes on.It will be interesting to see if Kidd is able to put up his normal rebounding # with an injured knee. Kidd tracking down those long rebounds are a big part of the Nets fast break game. Key bench players <font color="DarkOrange">New York Knicks </font> Penny Hardaway will be extemely important. Hardaway may spend time backing up starters at all three perimeter positions. Penny has also been on the court during crunch time for the Knicks alot this season. Penny might not be the player he was in 96. But he is still versatile. And can create plays for himself as well as his teammates. Dikembe Mutombo may be another former Nets player with a chip on his shoulder. Dikembe left on good terms with the players. But Dikembe made it prefectly clear that he wasnt happy with his role during the finals last year. He felt he should have been in the game trying to contain Duncan instead of JC. And he was also smacked in the face right before the season when the Nets released him after signing Zo during the offseason. Mutombo can still block shots(as he proved earlier this season blocking 10 shots against the Nets). And with the Nets having a small front line Muutombo could control the backboards for the Kninks. <font color="Navy">Nets Key Bench Players</font> Lucious Harris will be pulling double duty in the Nets back court. Harris in this season playoffs will not only have to be the Nets key perimter shooter off the bench. But He will as have to handle the ball some as the Nets backup point guard. Harris will be in charge of making sure that the Nets offsense stays crisp while kidd rests his injured knee on the bench. Rodney Rogers is the Nets X-Factor . Rodney could be that big 4th scorer that the Nets so desperately need. Rogers jump shoot forces oposing teams power forards to have to play him at the three point land. If Rodney can stretch the defense of the Knicks, then it will open up the flood gates for Nets pentration. And back door plays. Henacy 2 things the Knicks can do to win 1) Limit the Nets Fast break points They do this by smart shot selection, limiting foolish turnovers, & getting back on defense. 2) Control the rebounding edge The Knicks have alot of size to attack the boards with Baker, DK, Nazr, Kurt Thomas. They should be able to control the boards. Henacy 2 thing the Nets can do to win 1)Team rebound The Knicks come with to much size up front for the Nets bigs to control the boards by themselves. The guards & forwards most rebound as well. Kidd, Kittles, Jefferson must go to the boards. 2) Early subsitutions Get Rodney Roger & Lucious Harris in the game early. They seem to be most effective when they get early minutes. Henacy's Game 1 Prediction The Continential Airlines arena will be filled to the top of the Arena. The is alot of the people there will be knicks fans. I think that going to get under the skin of the Nets. And they are going to try to establish that the continentail Airlines is their home court. I expect the Nets to be filled with energy after taking the final week of the regular season off basically. The fastbreak game will be flowing early. The Nets will jump out to an early double digt lead off of momentum. But the Knicks will slowly cut into the lead as the game heads into the 2nd half. But The Nets will still keep them at bay.And win by 8-12 pts.
Excellent preview Henacy. I think that the Nets have a better chance of winning this series. It's going to be a great matchup between Marbury and Kidd both of them are one of the best pg in the league. The Knicks and Nets have had some similar problems in the season.Both teams changed coaches in the middle of the season but has played very well after that. I see the Nets winning the series in 6 games and wins in the first game by 8.
Thanks just-magic, This has the possiblity to be a classic point guard matchup like Magic/Isiah in 88'. You have the best pure point guard in the league vs the best scoring point guard. This is going be a strange matchup for the casual basketball fan to watch. Stats will not tell which point won the matchup at the end of the series. The winner of the matchup will be the point guard who best controls tempo in his teams favor. Steph made put up crazy indiviual # but Kidd may be the one making the little plays to create tempo to lead his team to victory. So its goint to be intersting who style will be more effective.
nice preview hen the only way i see the knicks coming close to winning this series is if kidd and kmart miss a few games(meaning they dont suit up). this is basically the same team that has been to the finals two years in a row. with the addition of zoran. we know what it takes to win i dont think this is the knicks time. they did have a bunch of new players come in. they all won't be on the same page when there is a pressure moment in the playoffs. wait till next yr when they get the 4th seed and play a team they could have a better chance of beating. maybe with them losing 1st rd rasheed will feel that he really is needed/wanted in NY for next year. should be fun, hopefully kidd is healthier than we expect him to be. nets step up their defense and don't let marbury get easy layups is key. make him shoot, he is a good perimeter player but better at getting to the rim. if the nets make it difficult for marbury to get to the rim, i dont see any other knick to step up and help carry the load for a 7game series. of course im counting out that houston is going to miss at least half the games b/c he could carry them w/marbury for 7. nets in 5. game 1 nets by 10 or more btw. the word 'rivalry' is being thrown around too much in this nets/knicks talk. iknow people want it to be one. but usually a rivalry is a time frame were two teams win and lose to each other. the nets have dominated ever since the kidd-era began. so this isnt a rivalry, just could semi-start one. knicks need to win reg season games. maybe if they won 3-1reg season games vs nets it would be one. but isnt.
As a Nets and Knicks fan, it doesn't really matter who wins to me. Although I would love for the Knicks to win. They've come so far. But... Nets in 6.
As a Kidd fan since 1992 (Frosh year at Cal, I think I was 5), this matchup is one that I'm particularly hyped for. A lot of analysts on ESPN have been saying that Marbury is better than Kidd, or that the Knicks should win this one. Ignorance. The Nets record against the Knicks since they got Jason Kidd has been 9-1. Impressive, eh? If over three years and ten games they only lose one time, what makes anyone think they'll lose four in the span of seven games coming up? Also, you have to look at their playoff records. Marbury is 0-3 in the playoffs and is almost known as a cancer after leading the Nets and Suns straight to the gutter of the league. Jason Kidd is 7-7 and is known as a team savior. Kidd can score, there's no doubt about that. It just gets overshadowed by his passing (best in the league), his rebounding (top 5 for PG's), and his defense (among the best in the league). Legends are not made in the regular season, they are made in the postseason. So far, Marbury is about as great as Garnett has been in the postseason. If he ever wants to be mentioned in the same breath as Kidd in the future, he's got to put on a hell of a show during this series. I am favoring the Nets. People talk about the East being the Pacers, Pistons, and "the lesser teams", but I think that the Nets are BETTER than the Pacers and the Pistons when they are 100% healthy. They are like the Lakers. They are postseason giants, and they have been bothered by injuries all season but are now 100%. I am taking the Eastern Lakers (nets) in 4 or 5.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Wave:</div><div class="quote_post">As a Kidd fan since 1992 (Frosh year at Cal, I think I was 5), this matchup is one that I'm particularly hyped for. A lot of analysts on ESPN have been saying that Marbury is better than Kidd, or that the Knicks should win this one. Ignorance. The Nets record against the Knicks since they got Jason Kidd has been 9-1. Impressive, eh? If over three years and ten games they only lose one time, what makes anyone think they'll lose four in the span of seven games coming up? Also, you have to look at their playoff records. Marbury is 0-3 in the playoffs and is almost known as a cancer after leading the Nets and Suns straight to the gutter of the league. Jason Kidd is 7-7 and is known as a team savior. Kidd can score, there's no doubt about that. It just gets overshadowed by his passing (best in the league), his rebounding (top 5 for PG's), and his defense (among the best in the league). Legends are not made in the regular season, they are made in the postseason. So far, Marbury is about as great as Garnett has been in the postseason. If he ever wants to be mentioned in the same breath as Kidd in the future, he's got to put on a hell of a show during this series. I am favoring the Nets. People talk about the East being the Pacers, Pistons, and "the lesser teams", but I think that the Nets are BETTER than the Pacers and the Pistons when they are 100% healthy. They are like the Lakers. They are postseason giants, and they have been bothered by injuries all season but are now 100%. I am taking the Eastern Lakers (nets) in 4 or 5.</div> Hear! Hear! Nets get no respect even out here in the East. It seems as if they've forgotten that the Nets still own the playoffs.
