vs Arena: Contential Airlines Arena TV: Yes Network Nets Projected Starting lineup: G: Jason Kidd G: Vince Carter C: Nenad Krstic F: Cliff Robinson F: Richard Jefferson Philly's Projected Starting Lineup: G: Allen Iverson G/F: Andre Iguodala C: Steven Hunter F: Lee Nailon F: Kyle Kover Primetime Matchup: <div align="center"> vs Jason Kidd vs Allen Iverson, Point Guard Matchup</div> The Matchup at the point tonight features two of the leagues best perimeter players. Both known to get the job done as team leaders, but using two totally different methods. Kidd the consistent team player will look to do what he does every night, get every one invloved and look to help new parts (Marc Jackson, Jeff McInnis, Scott Padgett..etc) accustomed to Coach Franks motion offense. Allen Iverson on the other hand will look to carry much of Philly's offensive load. Even though its preseason, make know mistake AI will look for his 15 to 20 shots. But hey, at the end of the day no matter how many shots taken the guy finds away to get the job done. And I expect nothing less then a full effort from AI as usual. He will be looking to shoulder even more of the offsensive load without Chris Webber in the lineup, who is yet to play in the preseason. <u><div align="center">Bench Spotlight's:</div></u> Nets: [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/marc_jackson.jpg[/imgl] Marc Jackson, Center Acquired from the 76ers,after a possible deal for Shareef Abdur Rahim soured, Marc Jackson has been the Nets most impressive bigman so far in preseason and training camp(16.7ppg & 3.7rpg in 26mpg,during preseaon play). Jackson is a hard noise score in the paint and will look to put alot of pressure on Steven Hunter and a relatively small Philly frontcourt without Chris Webber and Sam Dalembert. [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/jeff_mcinnis.jpg[/imgl] Jeff McInnis, Guard Nets fans will be able to get their first look at the free agent acquistion in tongihts matchup vs Philly. McInnis sat out most of the early preseason with a injury suffered during training camp practice, but made his return in a non-televised game vs the Raptors, Wednesday. McInnis' minutes were limited, expect the same again tonight. But at least you will get to see somewhat how Coach Franks will use McInnis this year. 76ers: [imgl]http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/john_salmons.jpg[/imgl] John Salmons, Guard Its judgement year for John Salmons, a nice athletic player. But Salmons has been a dissapointment in this league, so far since arriving in Philly. Salmons needs a breakout year in 05-06 to prove to the 6ers and the rest of the league that he is worth a serious investment when his rookie contract ends at the end of the season. Salmons has had a strong preseason(13.8ppg) but he most continue to show consistency. And then carry it over to the regular season. James Thomas, Power Forward James Thomas is a decent rugged brusier out of the University of Texas, but undersized for a 4. And that is the reason he has found a home in this league. Thomas, trying to make his 3rd team in 2 seasons(released by Portland and Atlanta last year), just needs to continue to do what he does best rebound & dirty work inorder to prove himself. When everyone is healthy, having a dirty work forward to play behind Webber and Nalion is going to be needed, since neither really likes to get dirty. Thomas with continued solid play could find his way onto the 76ers roster. <u><div align="center">Nets' Keys To the Game:</div></u> Finding the Answer to the Answer, Jason Kidd as good of a team defender as he is, isnt quick enough to stay infront of AI on the ball. Expect to see Jacque Vaughn cover AI more minutes then Kidd. Vaughn was asked to return over Travis Best mainly for this reason, his ablity to cover the league's quicker point guards. But at the end of the day there is no one guy who can stop Iverson, it will be the Nets team defensive concept that has to do the job. Guards have to try and shade him more to the perimeter. And the bigs have to make AI feel it everytime he gets into the lane. Dictate Tempo, Sixers are playing a back to back, Nets had a off day, so they should be the fresher of the two squads. The 76ers are not a deep team(especially without Webb & Dalembert), so you want to run their starters because they dont have the quality bodies to replace them with. Strong play from the 2nd Unit All of the Nets key aquistions in the 05 offseason went to improving the bench. But so far in the preseason the bench play has not been consistent. And has been costly in both the Knicks and Raptors games. Wright's turnovers and even Murray's shot selection at times. The bench needs to show consistency that will be expected from them in 05-06. <u><div align="center">76ers' Keys To the Game:</div></u> Quality Minutes from the Bench The fact that guys like Lee Nailon and Steven Huneter have to start chances the look of the 76ers bench alot. It takes away their depth of quality bodies. But that doesnt mean that Mo Cheek's cant expect quality play from the guys he does have on his 2nd unit. Salamon's needs to prove himself, Thomas is trying to make the roster, Louis Williams is trying to prove that he can make the adjustment from High School to the pros, something alot of draft experts said he wouldnt be able to do. And Kevin Ollie, a veteran guard(former Net) who kind got lost in Philly last year with some injuries, but he is the only natural pg on the roster, so he needs to earn Mo's trust as a reliable floor leader for the sixers system off the bench. So Mo is still expecting to see somethings from these guys despite the injuries to some key guys. Defending the Perimeter Carter and Jefferson are looking to get in the lane all night, not only on the break but also in the half-court. They love getting in the lanes and putting fouls on opposing teams bigs, that is how the Nets will substitute for the points in the paint they may not get from their own bigs. So it is the job of the sixers perimeter guys to protect 6ers' big from foul trouble, which they cant afford. Make the effort to keep your man in front of you should be their main goal for the evening. Avoid Nets Tempo, Philly wants to limit the game possesions. They dont really have the team scoring to get into a up and down style with the Nets. Smart shot selection and using the shot lock and then going thru AI late in the 24 will be key. I slower half-court style, Nailon beomes more effective...then you can expose some of the Nets defensive weakness on that frontline with guys like Scott Padgett. Strong games from Kover, Andre Igodala, AI cant be the only guy on the Sixers perimeter doing offsensive damage and being offsensively agressive. The best way to defend offsesive startes like Carter and Jefferson is to make them work on the defensive end of the floor, that rest on the shoulders of Kover and AI2. Anyway, all game predictions and insights go in this thread. Enjoy the game.
Allen isn't playing tonight, he is out with knee swelling. I still think this game still has a chance to be a good one. The 76ers blew out the Knicks without Allen and Webber so in order for them to win this game they are goign to need big games from Iguodala and Salmons again. This could be a break for the Nets though, and htey need to get their three premier players involved early in the game.
The game was close but Jefferson and Carter played really well together. Lets hope they play like that all the time. Kidd no points but 10 rebs and 6 assists.
Jefferson played out of his mind. He is their best weapon at this point. He makes Vince better and Krstic better and he can take it himself if it's there. He brings energy to the whole team. He's such a great player to watch. I'm not hating on Kidd, just Jefferson would be the last guy on that roster I would want to miss a game.
^^^ I wouldn't go that far but he is the X Factor for us. VC played great as well and absolutely put on a slam dunk show with RJ. You know you played a good game when they show pre-season highlights on Sportscenter.
Yeah my bad on the AI thing..he played the night before in Cleveland, so I figured he would play against us as well. Anyway, I still think rebounding is a concern...we were getting stops early in the game but we just werent doing a good job on the defensive boards. And that led to them getting alot of 2nd chance points early. Their bigman Deng Gia had about 3 or 4 offsensive rebounds in that first half that led to 2nd chance points for them. Anyway, Jax is a animal downlow, sometimes he gets stripped because he shows the ball to early when guards are swipping at the rock...but other then that it seems like he either finshes buckets around the hoop or gets to the line every time the guards hit him in the lane cutting toward the hoop. I cant wait until JC returns so Jax can more back into the 2nd unit to sure up that group cause right now I kind of have concerns about them. McInnis can score out on the perimeter so can Murray, but that frontcourt worries me. Padgett and Robinson arent going to produce much offensively at the 4...so they need Jax scoring at the 5 spot in that 2nd unit. I liked our team defense coming down the stretch...Kidd locked up Salmons, who was killing us early in the 4th. And Jefferson had his hand in causing 2 or 3 big turnovers down the stretch. And we team rebounded. Also we were aggressive going to the hoop. We got them in the penalty early in the 4th...and it seems like after that every possession we had someone was attacking off the dribble going toward the hoop and not settling for long jumpers...especially RJ. Carter and Jefferson have to be in attack mode off the dribble for us to win consistently cause truthfully speaking next to nobody in this league can handle either one off the dribble for a full 48.
