Can the Nets be a 4th or 5th seed?

[Netted]

I know this is a bit premature, but looking at the Eastern conference it is conceivable for the Nets to be that high. Right now they are #6 and 1 game behind Detroit and Atlanta.

It isn't the current position or games back that gives me confidence, but how well the Nets are playing and how disfunctional the other teams are.

Boston, Cleveland and Orlando are clearly better than the Nets. Everyone else in the conference is figuring out how to get better... just like the Nets. Teams like Philly, Atlanta and Detroit all should've been better than the Nets, but they are all having their share of problems while the Nets only issue is experience.

In a post-game interview earlier in the season I saw Carter saying that the Nets had less talent than in earlier years and that they need to play hard, limit mistakes... blah blah blah... but I remember thinking this team had more talent and what they were missing was experience. I still believe that to be true.

I wish the Nets could land Gerald Wallace and solidify their defense for a serious run. The confidence is building in this team and I think they can make some noise. The players have more defined roles than in the past 5 years.

 

[Dumpy]

I know this is a bit premature, but looking at the Eastern conference it is conceivable for the Nets to be that high. Right now they are #6 and 1 game behind Detroit and Atlanta.

It isn't the current position or games back that gives me confidence, but how well the Nets are playing and how disfunctional the other teams are.

Boston, Cleveland and Orlando are clearly better than the Nets. Everyone else in the conference is figuring out how to get better... just like the Nets. Teams like Philly, Atlanta and Detroit all should've been better than the Nets, but they are all having their share of problems while the Nets only issue is experience.

In a post-game interview earlier in the season I saw Carter saying that the Nets had less talent than in earlier years and that they need to play hard, limit mistakes... blah blah blah... but I remember thinking this team had more talent and what they were missing was experience. I still believe that to be true.

I wish the Nets could land Gerald Wallace and solidify their defense for a serious run. The confidence is building in this team and I think they can make some noise. The players have more defined roles than in the past 5 years.

The big issue is always the I-word.

 

[Netted]

The big issue is always the I-word.

Without they wouldn't need to play the games.

 

[Dumpy]

They have gone through one of the tougher stretches of their schedule already, I think.

I'm worried about Brook eventually hitting the wall, or being better defended. Right now he is a huge part of the team's success and is pretty irreplaceable.

I think one of the Nets' advantages is their depth; as other teams are hit by injuries, they will probably struggle more than the Nets will . . . within limits. They DO have three irreplacable parts on their roster of 15.

However, all the decent-to-good teams have young players that fulfill important roles, and many of those players will grow as the season goes on . . . for the Nets to keep up, Yi HAS to improve and gain consistency. Even if Najera can be productive over the rest of the season, he wouldn't replace what Yi can contribute. This has been discussed, but Yi could be huge with Vince and Devin (and Brook to some extent) getting all the attention by the defense.

Also, at some point the opposition will figure out how to defend the Nets better . . . .they have to do a better job defensively themselves, and that includes forcing more turnovers and improving their defensive rebounding to limit the opposition's possessions.

 

[Netsfan318]

They need a legit SF or a young SG that can play both and switch VC back to SF. Either way they need another capable offense/defensive 2 or 3.

 

[sunhead]

you damn right the nets will be think about it if harris was not injured the dude would be havin a huge average cos he bunred ai that night n we lost to 3 shit teams in a row in which were all easy wins for us u add them wins off n take the loss of n now what place are we. plus how can you talk about other teams injurys tryin to justify if the nets are up ther cos of injurys on other teams. fuk that the nets are there cos they been workin they ass of n comin out playin hard each game like they want to win n earn the respects of the doubters and haters. the nets have had tons of injuries yet no1 has mentioned that CDR BOOnE Harris, Swift, Najera, Yi, an more have al missed games but the nets are still ther!!

at the end of the days the top teams in not particulat order will be Celtics Cavs Orlando Detroit Nets nets should aim for top 5 seed!

 

[MaxaMillion711]

premature hoping for playoffs. big mistake. were only 2 games over .500

 

[DevinNets34]

we are going to be top 5, but don't worry, we will have more wins in december. then it's time to be the top 5 by then.

 

[Netted]

premature hoping for playoffs. big mistake. were only 2 games over .500

I was always hoping for the playoffs.

Everyone hopes for the playoffs and it's not a jinx because every year 16 teams make it. Are Magic fans making a mistake hoping for the playoffs? No, because it's expected.

 

[FOMW]

Heck, I'm shooting for 3rd right now.

 

[Claud]

he's just a blazer fan who only likes VC.

 

[Dumpy]

Heck, I'm shooting for 3rd right now.

They have two home games coming up against lower-tier opponents, Washington and Minnesota. They have to show that they can remain focused and not have a let down after this trip. Minnesota has actually been playing pretty well recently, and Al Jefferson is a beast and will be a nice test for Lopez. Then the very next night will be a battle in Philly, who aren't meshing right now but have a lot of talent. That will mark the twelvth game since Devin returned from his injury, and since Lopez entered the starting lineup.

 

[FOMW]

They have two home games coming up against lower-tier opponents, Washington and Minnesota. They have to show that they can remain focused and not have a let down after this trip. Minnesota has actually been playing pretty well recently, and Al Jefferson is a beast and will be a nice test for Lopez. Then the very next night will be a battle in Philly, who aren't meshing right now but have a lot of talent. That will mark the twelvth game since Devin returned from his injury, and since Lopez entered the starting lineup.

Oh, I know the season has a long, long way to go. I'm just being my usual, optimisitc self. As I said in another post, the return home is actually what's most frightening because of the lack of support in their own building. How demoralizing to do what they did on the road as a young team and come back and see a half empty arena with (probably) low energy.

The reality that is going to set in soon, though, is that teams are going to start playing Devin differently, and he has to be able to adapt to that. Right now, he his seeing virtually no ball denial and no double teaming except once he gets to the lane, where it's usually too late. Even a lot of his trademark boom stop, 8 foot jumpers have been over single coverage.

Soon teams are going to start sending an extra defender early to make him give up the ball or be in better position to challenge his shot, and he has to make good passing decisions. That could lead to a rough patch for the Nets, but then they can always play through Vince in the crunch, who's been seeing double teams and shading defenses his whole career.

 

[Dumpy]

Oh, I know the season has a long, long way to go. I'm just being my usual, optimisitc self. As I said in another post, the return home is actually what's most frightening because of the lack of support in their own building. How demoralizing to do what they did on the road as a young team and come back and see a half empty arena with (probably) low energy.

The reality that is going to set in soon, though, is that teams are going to start playing Devin differently, and he has to be able to adapt to that. Right now, he his seeing virtually no ball denial and no double teaming except once he gets to the lane, where it's usually too late. Even a lot of his trademark boom stop, 8 foot jumpers have been over single coverage.

Soon teams are going to start sending an extra defender early to make him give up the ball or be in better position to challenge his shot, and he has to make good passing decisions. That could lead to a rough patch for the Nets, but then they can always play through Vince in the crunch, who's been seeing double teams and shading defenses his whole career.

well, they can't double both Devin AND Vince, right? They just need some good spacing, and just pass the ball back and forth until one has single coverage.

 

[FOMW]

well, they can't double both Devin AND Vince, right? They just need some good spacing, and just pass the ball back and forth until one has single coverage.

True. It's just a different look to adapt to, different pressure requiring quick decisions between shooting and passing, where do you pass, is that pass really open or are they zoning to bait you, did your spacing and passing angles break down because you thought you were going to get a shot, etc. I think he'll be fine, but it may take a period of adjustment where he won't look as invincible as he's looked lately and where wins may suffer as a result.

 

[xflavioVC15x]

simole answer NO highest 6th

 

[Dumpy]

The other thing is, they could easily be 7-9 at this point if they had lost the two games that eventually went into OT.

 

[vc15dunker15]

In my mind, let's just make it to the Playoffs guys, that should be our goal. Now the East is and has been CRAZY!, look at Washington, they are playing horrible, even the Raptors and 76ers they have been playing bad basketball, they should be doing way better than we are. But it's only December 1st A LOT of Basketball still has to be played.

 

[danxcr]

well i just want us... well i want the team lol to just keep gettin BETTER!!!

and our perimeter defense still stinks :/

 

[Claud]

I want us to make the playoffs... but i don't want to face Boston or Cleveland in the first round either. 6th place is fine by me. 5th or 4th even better.

 

[SportsTicker]

It is so early...but if you extrapolate 9-7 out over 82 games it comes to 46 wins.

As for upcoming games, Minnesota presents problems. Al Jefferson is not only a beast. He OWNS the Nets. He was twice established personal highs against the Nets. And Jason Collins has a lot of reasons to do well against Lopez.

 

[killa kadafi191]

the nets are probably a 9th or 10 seed. They'll be in it but at the end they lack that push and experience it will take to make a run

 

[nets1]

the nets are on a hot streak right now, but they have too many rookies and soph's to expect this to carry thru till the end of the season just 16 games in. Also, the nets record is 0-3 when Harris is injured. And they are 0-3 by large losing margins as well.

You want the rookies to improve and hope they don't hit the rookie wall as mentioned before. You also want Yi to realize he's not really the invisible man and show some kind of dominance because he was "given" the starting job.

Coach Frank is doing a great job, but his real test will be when the rookies start hitting some sort of wall and how Frank responds to it. If the nets are lucky this year the following will happen. One, very few injuries to VC and Harris of course, and two, the rookies hit some sort of wall at different times. If that happens the nets have some sort of chance of maintaining this pace their on...,

oh yeah, go nets!!!