Are the Nets for real, or will they fizzle?

[AGGiE]

My friend is a Nets fan, and I've had to hear about how well the Nets are doing obviously with them playing well at 11-8. Most "experts" predicted them to be one of, if not the worst team in the east. I didn't think that, but I sure didn't think they would be 11-8 right now. I predicted, say, a 38 or 41 win season, and I thought they would be out of the playoffs of course. But now they look like a playoff team and have the highest scoring guard duo in the league with Devin Harris and Vince Carter.

Devin has been a real bright spot for them. Breaking out with 24.4 points per game right now. He shoots a ton of free throws and makes a good percentage of them too (82%). It doesn't stop at the free throw line, either. He shoots a good percentage from the field as well with a 48% average. If he keeps this up he will probably be the best point guard in the east currently with his only real competition being Derrick Rose of the Bulls.

Now on to whether I think they are for real or not. No, I don't think they are a playoff team. They don't have a good experienced low post scorer. They have a good scorer in Brook Lopez, but he's a rookie and probably won't be consistent enough to carry them down low. Their other big men (Josh Boone, Yi Jinalian, Stromile Swift, and Sean Williams) are not good low post scorers, so it's all on Brook's shoulders to carry them there.

If their guards can keep it up, and score well every game, then this might not be too big of an issue to overcome, but they don't want to end up like the Bulls and get to the playoffs for a couple of years and lose in the first or second round, then just completely collapse after a few seasons because of the lack of a threat down low. I say, if they can, try to pry someone off the trade market to carry them down low. If the Clippers truly are looking to trade Kaman, maybe they could offer up Brook Lopez along with and expiring or two to make it happen. Just a thought,

Bottom line, i'm no expert but I just don't think they have what it takes to keep this up all season.

http://www.nbaspotlight.webs.com/

Written by a friend of mines. Thoughts?

 

[Bob-Section104]

Any playoff experience they get this year is a gift to all of us loyal fans. Next year will be better...and 2010, they'll be good enough to entice a quality free agent to put them over the top (assuming we have a better arena situation). Brook Lopez will eventually do whatever Chris Kaman can contribute.

 

[nets1]

its all up to injuries, if vc or dh get hurt then the talking heads will be right.

 

[isrus]

It can go either way...i can see the Nets settling down and being around the .500 mark at the end. Depends on injuries (especially VC and DH) and if we're consistent or not.

 

[Cage]

get new friends.

 

[SportsFanatic]

Haha by the way, i'm that blogger.

 

[DevinNets34]

I would not give up on Brook Lopez for Chris Kaman, Lopez killed Kaman last time they met, even though Lopez is only a rookie.

 

[farouq710]

I don't think the nets should trade for a low post scorer and I see no reason for them to trade Lopez when he still has a lot of upside. At the very least he could be a double double guy or at best be like what Bynum is now. The guy is huge and is a good athlete for his position. I think if you have a big that can defend the paint and change shots, having a low post scorer isn't really that important. Low post scoring is important because they provide easy shots near the basket that are a result of post moves, footwork etc.. that allow for a higher fg percentage. The nets get a ton of easy shots through layups created through spacing and one on one play in the dribble drive offense.

Lopez shows a lot of potential on both sides of the ball, he has protected the lane better than I anticipated and his post moves are better than half the centers in the league. Also I've never been that impressed by Kaman, his individual offensive game and skills are nice but he has some pretty low bball IQ, he makes a lot of dumb plays and gets dominated by better offensive bigs. I see kaman's defense as marginally better than Brook's.

 

[SportsFanatic]

I don't think the nets should trade for a low post scorer and I see no reason for them to trade Lopez when he still has a lot of upside. At the very least he could be a double double guy or at best be like what Bynum is now. The guy is huge and is a good athlete for his position. I think if you have a big that can defend the paint and change shots, having a low post scorer isn't really that important. Low post scoring is important because they provide easy shots near the basket that are a result of post moves, footwork etc.. that allow for a higher fg percentage. The nets get a ton of easy shots through layups created through spacing and one on one play in the dribble drive offense.

Lopez shows a lot of potential on both sides of the ball, he has protected the lane better than I anticipated and his post moves are better than half the centers in the league. Also I've never been that impressed by Kaman, his individual offensive game and skills are nice but he has some pretty low bball IQ, he makes a lot of dumb plays and gets dominated by better offensive bigs. I see kaman's defense as marginally better than Brook's.

Carter isn't getting any younger though so wouldn't you rather have a guy like Kaman right now and contend rather than let Carter get old with the chance that Lopez could be slightly better than Kaman?

 

[kobimel]

Carter isn't getting any younger though so wouldn't you rather have a guy like Kaman right now and contend rather than let Carter get old with the chance that Lopez could be slightly better than Kaman?

Kaman over Lopez isn't the missing piece for this team if they want to contend. I'm not even sure we would win more games with Kaman at this point, after the team chemistry has been built and everyone is getting along fine.

 

[YiOF]

Unless Nets do something like Boston did, I don't think we have a chance at contending before 2010. Trading for Kaman right now would be like Dallas trading for Kidd last year, Kaman won't make the Nets a contender and Nets lose a player with a lot of upside. well, Kaman is not as old a Kidd, but I don't think he has any more upside, the guy has like 6'11" wingspan as compare to 7'5" for Lopez. I think the best thing Nets can do is what they are doing now, be competitive while developing young players, hopefully we can attract another big name come 2010.

 

[YehYeh]

They don't have a good experienced low post scorer. They have a good scorer in Brook Lopez, but he's a rookie and probably won't be consistent enough to carry them down low. Their other big men (Josh Boone, Yi Jinalian, Stromile Swift, and Sean Williams) are not good low post scorers, so it's all on Brook's shoulders to carry them there.

You're off on this. Brook is a very good low-post scorer. The combination of his bulk and solid moves one-on-one make him an everyday double double player in our offense, and a 20-10 man in a normal, post game oriented offense. Head to head, he is already as good as an average NBA starter at both ends of the floor. By the end of the year, he might already become a bigtime player, better than Kaman.

Of the other big men, Yi and Ryan have solid inside games that can be very effective against teams without dominating centers. Both have all the moves, despite of what people generally imagine. They lack the bulk to operate one-on-one out of the post consistently, but that is not necessary to score inside. There are other ways.

Boone has his own style. He scores off the boards. Against our dribble-drive the opposing center is likely to be distracted watching Devin or Vince, making Boone most effective in what he does. That's one reason I'd like to see him start when he is at full strength.

 

[chingd15]

Carter isn't getting any younger though so wouldn't you rather have a guy like Kaman right now and contend rather than let Carter get old with the chance that Lopez could be slightly better than Kaman?

So Chris Kaman would put us over the top? You can't be serious. Honestly, I think the Nets will contend but they are one SUPERSTAR player away, not Chris Kaman...(VC is not that player). And like the other forum people said, I think Brook will be just as good if not better than Kaman end of this year and going forward. Kaman's a solid big man but I don't see him as a go to low post scorer. He's a very good two way player.

 

[PhilNYC]

The main concern I have is if the younger players (particularly Lopez and Yi) hit "the wall" late in the season...if they are able to avoid the wall and build their confidence, I think the Nets will do well and make it to the playoffs. One key will be Frank keeping those young players fresh via rotation so that they don't burn out (Lopez especially, since he's going to take the most physical punishment being the guy down low).