From watching portions of the last three games, it appears that the Nets are undergoing a rough transition to integrate their new players into the remnants of a motion offense system built for Jason Kidd. The Nets look like they are a training camp team playing against regular season teams. This is not surprising because effectively this is what is happening. Because the Nets were heavily dependent on leadership from the PG position, they face serious problems in substituting a relatively inexperienced second year player or a newly acquired player who both likely lack the creativity of the departed player. It is also apparent that Vince Carter, the best player on the team is still affected by an ankle injury. Notice that he plays significantly less well on back to back games. The ankle problem reduces Carter from a great to a good player and makes it very difficult for him to take over games like he has done in the past few seasons. He is trying to compensate by using his underrated play making and positional rebounding skills, but the Nets would really benefit from a healthy Carter. His health may require a long period of rest or even surgery. The team also lacks at least one and possible two shooting specialists needed to help break zone defenses. However, even with the current problems, the Nets will likely improve over the next few games, as the players and the coach become familiar with each other and effective player combinations are established. With the seeming improvement of Krstic (who has been desperately needed), and the better meshing of players that comes through experience, only Carter's health separates the team from being able to strongly compete with the better teams in the league in the near future. In any case, after a summer of rest for Carter, and the implementation of a better system to take advantage of the team's strengths, we can expect this team to be quite competitive again.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DalyCarril @ Mar 6 2008, 02:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>With the seeming improvement of Krstic (who has been desperately needed), and the better meshing of players that comes through experience, only Carter's health separates the team from being able to strongly compete with the better teams in the league in the near future. In any case, after a summer of rest for Carter, and the implementation of a better system to take advantage of the team's strengths, we can expect this team to be quite competitive again.</div> Nenad hurts the team so much defensively...also feel like he's one of the reason's Boone is regressing.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DalyCarril @ Mar 6 2008, 02:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>From watching portions of the last three games, it appears that the Nets are undergoing a rough transition to integrate their new players into the remnants of a motion offense system built for Jason Kidd. The Nets look like they are a training camp team playing against regular season teams. This is not surprising because effectively this is what is happening. Because the Nets were heavily dependent on leadership from the PG position, they face serious problems in substituting a relatively inexperienced second year player or a newly acquired player who both likely lack the creativity of the departed player. It is also apparent that Vince Carter, the best player on the team is still affected by an ankle injury. Notice that he plays significantly less well on back to back games. The ankle problem reduces Carter from a great to a good player and makes it very difficult for him to take over games like he has done in the past few seasons. He is trying to compensate by using his underrated play making and positional rebounding skills, but the Nets would really benefit from a healthy Carter. His health may require a long period of rest or even surgery. The team also lacks at least one and possible two shooting specialists needed to help break zone defenses. However, even with the current problems, the Nets will likely improve over the next few games, as the players and the coach become familiar with each other and effective player combinations are established. With the seeming improvement of Krstic (who has been desperately needed), and the better meshing of players that comes through experience, only Carter's health separates the team from being able to strongly compete with the better teams in the league in the near future. In any case, after a summer of rest for Carter, and the implementation of a better system to take advantage of the team's strengths, we can expect this team to be quite competitive again.</div> You make too much sense!
Definitely agreed. The team losing might be because this team is still trying to gel. We have, what, 5 or 6 new players? History says it takes time for the team to get it together. Who knows, we could become the Warriors of last year - a team that makes a run at the end of the year, and makes an impact in the playoffs. Of course, we could also just be a really bad team, with needed improvement by next season. And about Vince's injury, is it really still affecting him? I was under the assumption that he had somewhat recovered from that...and that it wouldn't be that much of a problem any more.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Mar 6 2008, 02:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What strengths do the Nets have that they could take advantage of?</div> Youth, althleticism, shotblockers...um...yeah, I think that's it. You have a few players who are good at stealing...Devin, Vince, RJ...and a bunch of players who are good shotblockers, including Sean, Diop, Josh, Swift. Why not take advantage of all that? Always play two bigs. Let the shotblockers do what they do. Try to play some defense, and run the fastbreak. We know Devin and RJ are great at the fast break; Boki and Marcus are pretty good at it, and Vince will do it once in a while; and Sean, Swift, and Josh should all be able to run the fast break. So why not at least try to get it going? It'd be better than whatever we're doing right now.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Joey FistPump @ Mar 6 2008, 03:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DalyCarril @ Mar 6 2008, 02:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>With the seeming improvement of Krstic (who has been desperately needed), and the better meshing of players that comes through experience, only Carter's health separates the team from being able to strongly compete with the better teams in the league in the near future. In any case, after a summer of rest for Carter, and the implementation of a better system to take advantage of the team's strengths, we can expect this team to be quite competitive again.</div> Nenad hurts the team so much defensively...also feel like he's one of the reason's Boone is regressing. </div> Nenad is playing good defense. Better than before he got hurt. His length is altering a lot of shots and he's grabbing a good amount of rebounds.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Mar 6 2008, 02:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Definitely agreed. The team losing might be because this team is still trying to gel. We have, what, 5 or 6 new players? History says it takes time for the team to get it together. Who knows, we could become the Warriors of last year - a team that makes a run at the end of the year, and makes an impact in the playoffs. Of course, we could also just be a really bad team, with needed improvement by next season. And about Vince's injury, is it really still affecting him? I was under the assumption that he had somewhat recovered from that...and that it wouldn't be that much of a problem any more.</div> Vince got a cortisone shot, which helps temporarily. I'm not sure how long it usually lasts, however, or if Vince got another one, or if he's mostly gotten over his injury by now anyway.
On Carter's injury, even since the cortisone shot, it's obvious that his right ankle is still tender. Just last night, a player bumped the ankle while his lower leg was bent and raised at the knee. He hopped away on his left foot a few times before he would even put weight back down on the right. I have seen similar, seemingly very minor or incidental contact produce the same kind of reaction from him numerous times this year, always involving the right ankle. So my conclusion is that it's still not normal, not pain free, although it obviously improved after the cortisone shot (and Lawrence Frank confirmed this in his interview on WFAN today).
15-20 GAMES for a team to get chemistry... quoted from the guys from first take on espn 2 hahaha but they were talkin bout shaq and phoenix... well nj and their new players can fit into it!
