<div align="center"> @ <font color="Navy">New Jersey Nets</font>(2-8) @ <font color="Red">Los Angeles Clippers</font>(5-6) Time: Nov. 25,2004; 10:30pm Arena: <font color="Red">Staples Center, LA</font> TV: TNT</div> Preview: Tonight's matchup features two teams of similar luck early in the season. While the Clippers boast a somewhat solid 5-6 record. They have let a few potential big wins slip away in the closing seconds of games. Most notably the Clippers two overtime losses to playoff caliber teams in the Rockets and Pistons. The Nets seem to be sporting a similar streak of bad luck. The Nets enter the game on a 6-game losing streak, most notably a Overtime loss to the 76ers, a game they had won in regulation. But missed the late game close out free throws. And a 90-88 closing seconds lost in their last game against the Denver Nuggets. So both teams are looking for a little Thanksgiving day magic to turn their unlucky late game fortunes around. And pick up a much needed victory for both teams. <u>Projected Starting 5</u> <font color="Navy">Nets:</font> PG: Zoran Planinic SG: Richard Jefferson SF: Eric Williams PF: Jason Collins C: Alonzo Mourning <font color="Red">Clippers</font> PG: Marko Jaric SG: Corey Maggette SF: Bobby Simmons PF: Elton Brand C: Chris Wilcox ---------------- <div align="center"><u>Key Matchups</u> <font color="Red">Corey Maggette (Clippers)</font> / <font color="Navy">Richard Jefferson (Nets)</font></div> Scoring Guards, Better guard up! Whenever you see the name of Richard Jefferson or Corey Maggette on the bill, you can expect to see plenty of points being exchanged between the two. Maggette (19.5ppg) and Jefferson (22.3ppg) are among the top wing players in the league, when it comes to scoring. Both have explosive 1st steps off the dribble. And excel in the open court. If you look at their # & style of play they are almost mirriors of one another. Both are underatted on Defense many because their offensive efforts overshadow what they give on the other end of the court. And both have to shoulder alot of the load of creating opprtunities for their teammates. Bith average about 4 apg Dont expect to see the two match up for the full 48, seeing as both teams will look at times to perserve their stars energy at times. And keep them out of foul trouble at the same time. Look for a bit of cross matching, the Nets at times will use veteran defensive stopper, Eric Williams. While the Clippers will counter by covering Jefferson with athletic wing player Bobby Simmons, who is a good defender in his own right. But when Jefferson and Maggette do matchup look for some fun, exciting exchanges between the two on both ends of the court. <div align="center"> <font color="Red">Elton Brand (Clippers)</font> / <font color="Navy">Jason Collins (Nets)</font></div> Elton looking to put his 'brand' on the Matchup, But the Nets need Collins too as well. Elton Brand will be a tough cover at the 4 spot all night for Jason Collins. Collins struggles against verstile bigs, who can post up, hit the mid-range jumper or put the ball on the floor. Brand is the protyical forward that gets Jason Collins into early foul trouble. Brand will look to exploit Collins' lack of lateral quickness, partly due to his shore foot. The main thing the Nets need from Collins is to keep Brand off the boards. Collins may not be able to cotain Brand's offensive game. But he has to keep Brand off the offensive board, creating 2nd chance points for the Clippers. On Jersey's offensive end they need some type of production from Collins. Collins is coming off a game where he didnt score against. And the Nets got outscored 22-0 at the starting power forward spot. A team just cant compete being outscored like that at a major frontcourt postion. The Nets arent expecting a boat load of baskets from Collins. But if he can be effective, hitting his favorite free throw line area shot, then it will go along way in keeping Brand occupyed on defense. And not just focused on lighting Jersey up on the other end of the floor. ------ <u>Game Side Note</u> Clippers reserve guard Kerry Kittles will be facing his old team for the 1st time. Kittles, played his 1st 8 seasons with the Nets. And was a major contributor to the Nets two Eastern Conference championship (2002, 2003). ------------ <div align="center"><u><font color="Red">Clippers Keys To the Game </font> </u></div> <font color="Red">Point Guard play</font>. With Clippers backup point guard, rookie Shaun Livingston out for 8 weeks, the Clippers are left with Marko Jaric as their only core point guard. It is important that Jaric play a smart game, and get everyone involved. Part of playing a smart game means not picking up silly fouls with the team short handed at the position. Jaric sometimes has a hard time staying with speedy pg. And picks up silly fouls as a result. The Nets have Travis Best, who loves to put pressure on the defender off the dribble. Jaric must be careful. <font color="Red">Shot Selection. </font> Bobby Simmons and Corey Maggette sometimes fall in love with the perimeter shot. But against the Nets their main focus should be either getting the ball in the lane off the dribble or thru Brand in the Post, so they can draw fouls on the Nets interior. Both Zo & Collins have a tendency, to be foul prone. The Clippers must use this to their advantage, not hang around the perimeter shooting jumpers for 48 minutes. <font color="Red">Controlling the Backboards </font> Since going to a big frontcourt line of Eric Williams, Jason Collins, Alonzo Mourning, the Nets have been living off their work on the backboards. The Clippers must stem that tide. And Wilcox & Brand must control the boards for the Clippers. When you look at the Nets you see they stay competive due to their 2nd chance points. If the Clippers want to control the Nets that will be the area they must limit Jersey. <div align="center"><u><font color="Navy">Keys To the Game New Jersey</font></u></div> <font color="Navy">Get Zo involved Early</font>. Zo is coming off a diffcult 2-point game against the Nuggets, mainly due to the Play of Marcus Camby & Kenyon Martin teaming up to block & change many of his shots. But the high altitude of Mile High also played a major factor. So the Nets want to come out ,against a somewhat smaller frontline then that of Denver, & get Mourning some touches, early. Let him establish himself in the post and see if they can get 12-15pts down low from him on the offensive. When Zo feels good on offense, it carries over to the defensive end. And that is where he makes his major impact, as a help defender & shot blocker. <font color="Navy">Bench Production</font>. Last game against Denver the Nets bench finally woke up. And that is why the Nets produce 88 pts, which is alot for a team only averaging 80ppg. The Nets need guys like Travis Best, Brian Scalabrine, Rodney Buford etc to continue to come off the bench and play effectively. The Nets dont have much scoring in their starting lineup outside of Jefferson, maybe Zo & the occasional strong performance form Planinic or Williams(rarely do they play well on the same night). But the Nets need about 30pts off the bench to truely be competive. <font color="Navy">Limit Turnovers </font>. When you are a team like Jersey, who struggles to score, every trip down the floor on offense becomes even more crucial. The Nets cant give away chances at the basket with Silly turnover like they have been doing most of the season. And for that reason Travis Best will be in charge of the Nets offense for most of the game. He did a good job keeping the Nets turnovers limited against Denver. He needs to carry over his effectiveness in running the Nets offense over to the matchup against the Clipps. Happy Thanksgiving, Enjoy the Game.
Anyone else get tired of Steve Kerr, Dick Stockton, and John Thompson talk about last year's Nets? I was ready to put the game on mute. Every other minute it'd be like "A year ago this would've been a Nets fast break" or "Well with Jason Kidd this would've been a fast break with Kenyon and Kittles running the wing". Get over it. Couldn't stand it anymore.
I think Bill Walton is worse. Especially on videogames. But, I know what you mean it can be annoying when they are talking about your team. The Knicks 47 to 30 win season was an example of that for me.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting nextlevelgame:</div><div class="quote_post">Anyone else get tired of Steve Kerr, Dick Stockton, and John Thompson talk about last year's Nets? I was ready to put the game on mute. Every other minute it'd be like "A year ago this would've been a Nets fast break" or "Well with Jason Kidd this would've been a fast break with Kenyon and Kittles running the wing". Get over it. Couldn't stand it anymore.</div> Yeah, I agree, its time for everyone in general to get past "the Nets of the last 3 season". But like they said on Mike & the Mad dog about two weeks ago, from an announcers standpoint, its really hard to find things to talk about while announcing this years Nets. So alot of announcers, even Ian Eagle, seems to be forced in the situation, where they are living in the past and comparing two totally different Nets teams, just to create conversation while they are announcing/calling the games.
