Current West Coast Road Trip

[Henacy]

Last night, the Nets kicked off what should be a very important 5 game road trip. Unfortunately the Nets didnt get the road trip off to a good start as they lost in Phoenix 113-105. The Nets had good stretches during the game even took the lead going into halftime. But the game was played at a high octane up & down offensive pace that the Nets just couldnt keep up with for 4 quarters. Anyway, now the Nets look to put that game behind them and get ready for a schedule that looks like this for the rest of the road trip....

Tues. @ Sacramento
Wed. @ Golden State
Fri. @ LA Lakers
Sat. @ Utah

If you combine last night's game in Pheonix that will make 5 games in 7 nights on this road trip. Anyway, I think it will be interesting to see how some of these guys bodies react from a fatigue stand point as this trip goes along. Kidd and Carter basically have to play 40 plus minutes per night for this team to be competive. And with their bodies still not considered 100% recovered from their nagging injuries, playing so much in such a short of a time spand can be a concern. So it will be interesting to see how they react. Also Nenad Krstic, this is his 1st type of road trip with this type of tiring schedule. This is during the time when they say rookies hit that imaginary wall due to the fact they have never played such type of minutes.

Also another thing to look for would be the return of Ron Mercer. Last week it was reported during one of the games that Mercer would make his return on this trip. It wasnt said which game he would return in....but it would be nice to have a scoring body off the bench like him to take at least a little pressure of Kidd & Carter. We can slide him in their for minutes here & there especially on those nights where Buford is really struggling from the perimeter.

I wouldnt say this is a make or break road trip for Jeresy, its to early in the season. But it defenately has its importants. The Nets are to far behind the 8-ball to go out west and fall back into a deep hole in the Atlantic. As we draw in on the half-way point, segments of games like this become extremely important, if the Nets plan on making a run at the playoffs. I think if the Nets can go 2-3 on this trip along with staying injury free, then the road trip has to be considered a success. But if the Nets come away of this road trip losers of all five games, this made be the trip that comes back to haunt them later in the season when the playoff race heats up.

Anyway, feel free to place all comments about the current road swing in this thread.

 

[Tesh15]

i think they have a chance going 3-2 in the road trip if they were playing like they did againest the suns.

 

[Henacy]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tesh15:</div><div class="quote_post">i think they have a chance going 3-2 in the road trip if they were playing like they did againest the suns.</div>

Maybe, But Iam looking at the Warriors and Utah as our most realistic winnable games, after that I dont know its going to be tough. That Sacramento game is shaping up to be a killer if you ask me. The Kings are coming off their worst home loss in 10 years, so you know they are going to be extremely motivated. And with Arco being the most difficult place to play, it doesnt take much to get them stirred up. And Chris Webber (after only scoring 6pts last night) is going to really light up when he sees Krstic & Collins on him instead of Duncan like last night. It doesnt bold well, honestly.

The Lakers game might be the game to swing us above .500 for the road trip. But they are still playing some solid ball even without Kobe and we defantely dont have anyone to matchup with Odom's inside out versatily.

When we face the West especially on a road trip like this, is when the weakness of our frontline is greatly exposed. Its when you comeback to reality that Krstic is just a rookie and Collins is.... well Collins. To go from Amare to Webber to Odom and then have to matchup against Boozer & Kerlinko(misspelled) who has returned, it is a tall order especially for our frontline. And thats alot to make up as a team inorder to pull out a few victories.

 

[Next Level Game]

I'm not sure even with Utah with AK back in things. He hasn't played much, but could eye the Nets game as his full return to the court. If that's true, then the Nets might have a bad westside swing.

 

[Ma3oxuct]

Well, it looks like the Nets are bracing for the grizzlies game, as they rested their star players in tonight's 'give-up' with the Kings.