<div align="center">@ <font color="navy">The New Jersey Nets (16-26)</font> @ <font color="purple">The Los Angeles Lakers (22-18)</font> Time: 7:30 PM Pacific Place: Staples Center TV: FSN, NBALP</div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="navy">Net's Head Coach</font></font> <font color="navy">Lawrence Frank</font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="navy"> Net's Projected Starting Lineup</font></div></font> <div align="center"> <font color="navy">(Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Rodney Buford, Brian Scalabrine, Nenad Krstic) </font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="purple">Laker's Head Coach</font></font> <font color="purple">Rudy Tomjanovich</font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="purple">Lakers's Projected Starting Lineup</font></font> <font color="purple">(Chucky Atkins, Caron Butler, Jumaine Jones, Lamar Odom, Chris Mihm)</font> </div> <div align="center"><font size="5">Bench Factors</font> (<font color="navy">Travis Best</font>,<font color="purple">Brian Cook</font>) </div> <div align="center"><font size="5">Key matchup</font> (<font color="navy">Vince Carter</font>, <font color="purple">Caron Butler</font>) <font color="navy">Vince Carter:</font> 19.1 ppg, 3.8 apg, and 4.4 rpg <font color="purple">Caron Butler:</font>14.1 ppg, 1.6 apg, and 5.5 rpg</div> <font size="5">Keys to the Game</font> <font color="navy">New Jersey:</font> <ul> [*]Jason Kidd- Over the offseason, rumors where swirling that Kidd would be a Laker, well he isn't. Kidd must come in here and run this offense to perfection. The Lakers are going to be looking to avenge their last two losses and should come out with a fire in their eye on D. It is Kidd's job to put that fire out [*]Get Lamar into Foul Trouble- Lamar can't seem to stay out of foul trouble. If the Nets get him in it early, things will be much easier for them. Scalabrine isn't nearly as quick or as good as Lamar, but he is bigger. Give him the ball early and let him try to get some contact against Lamar. [*]Start Out with Surge- If the Nets come out with a flame in their eye early and score some easy buckets, that could be all they need to shut down the Lakers for the night. The Lakers are sliding, all they need is a horrible team to come in and beat them. [/list] <font color="purple">Los Angeles:</font> <ul> [*]Lamar- Is it that complicated Lamar? Stay out of foul trouble. You do your team no good by getting petty contact calls against you, give up the layup to your man that easily got away from you instead of drawing a foul on yourself and hurting your team. [*]Who Will Step Up Tonight?- What Laker will step up tonight in this game? Will it be Chucky? Caron? Lamar? or someone the Nets don't expect? Whoever it is, please do it. [*]Play with Passion- The Lakers are without Kobe and have lost two in a row. They are in danger of losing their playoff spot if they continue to slide. Come out strong on D and that will lead to some easy buckets on offense. [/list] <font size="5"> Prediction</font> L.A. should come out strong early in this one. They have lost their last two and do not look good right now. I think L.A. will come out to try to prove a point and win this one 101-89.
I think the Nets can take this one, but it'll be tough. I think Butler will tear the Nets up as well as Odom. You might see Kidd on Odom at times, to slow him down. Vince Carter: 31 Points, 7 Assists, 3 Boards: Jason Kidd: 16 Points, 9 Rebounds, 8 Assists, 2 steals Caron Butler: 23 Points Lamar Odom: 20 Points, 14 Rebounds, 4 Assists Score: Nets 92 Lakers 101
It'd really be interesting to see the Scalabrine/Odom match up. I don't think he could hang with Odom, and neither can Kristic. He could take them off the dribble or post them up. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">You might see Kidd on Odom at times, to slow him down</div> I don't think Lawrence Frank will go with this matchup. Rudy will run post up play after post up play for Lamar if Kidd is indeed guarding him for a while, and due to the height difference, the Nets would need to double-up on Odom which leaves one of the LA perimeter guys open and they're deadly from behind the arc.
i think nets will win it, since they dont have kobe, and have the momentum after beating warriors by 15+
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Purple Fever:</div><div class="quote_post">It'd really be interesting to see the Scalabrine/Odom match up. I don't think he could hang with Odom, and neither can Kristic. He could take them off the dribble or post them up. I don't think Lawrence Frank will go with this matchup. Rudy will run post up play after post up play for Lamar if Kidd is indeed guarding him for a while, and due to the height difference, the Nets would need to double-up on Odom which leaves one of the LA perimeter guys open and they're deadly from behind the arc.</div> Kidd is one of the best and most versatile defenders in the league. He doesn't match up with Odom, but he can contain for a few plays, there's no better option on the Nets to guard him. Kidd will hold his ground on Odom if and when Odom posts him up. Kidd contained T-Mac in Houston, he can do the same to Odom despite the height differential. Kidd will only probably guard him if Carter, Buford and co. are being owned by Lamar.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Banks:</div><div class="quote_post">Kidd is one of the best and most versatile defenders in the league. He doesn't match up with Odom, but he can contain for a few plays, there's no better option on the Nets to guard him. Kidd will hold his ground on Odom if and when Odom posts him up. Kidd contained T-Mac in Houston, he can do the same to Odom despite the height differential. Kidd will only probably guard him if Carter, Buford and co. are being owned by Lamar.</div> I agree on Kidd's versatility on the defensive end, but Kidd is not strong enough nor tall enough to hold ground with Odom. I just don't see him containing Odom without a double team, and I really think this would be the last matchup Lawrence Franj would think of.
Vince 18 points in the third. Dunked on Chris, made a twisty-floating left handed lay up, and last but not least, a 360 lay up in traffic. Almost a double double for Vince if Kidd made the 3 at the end of the game.
good game on both sides. good win especially that it is on the road in the west. to me a win is a win
Pretty good game, Vince's 360 was pretty nice, the Nets came out with the win so that's good for them as long as they keep the wins down and don't try to catch up with us in the Atlantic. Keep the wins at a safe pace.
that 360 was nice im so pissed cause i fell asleep at half time anyways the nets are only 3 games behimng boston for 1st which is good but sad at the same time to see how bad the atlantic is
