Henacy
JBB The Man like Sam
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Well last night the Nets had their last preseason tune up before things get serious Wednesday vs the Bucks. Anyway they won without their main floor general Jason Kidd, who sat out due to a injury he suffered in the Boston game earlier this week. Anyway, the Knicks were a good test for the Nets without Kidd's pressence....So here are some of my opinions from what I saw last night and Preseason in general
Suprisingly, we can run without Kidd in the lineup. Alot of people probably think that without the pressense of Kidd's unselfishness guys would not look to push the ball and give it up quickly. But that just wasnt the case McInnis made the effort to push the rock. And he was able to get the ball to Jefferson and Carter quick enough on the break that they were in position to either be finishers for themselves or playmakers for others on the break. Now dont get me wrong there was alot of sloppy possessions(25 turnovers, which was the clear result of no Jason Kidd pressence) last night for New Jersey...but the overall effort to be unselfish and push the ball to create ball movement was there all night.
I think the rotation for Coach Frank has pretty much worked its self out. The odd men out, who were expected to be apart of the regular rotation are Antoine Wright and Linton Johnson III. Scott Padgett may also find hisself out of the frontocurt regular rotation as well, once Jason Collins returns. I think when Scott Padgett first was signed, he was expected to take Cliff Robinsons' minutes....I dont think the Nets knew really what they were going to be able to get out of a 39 year old Robinson...but he came into Training camp in decent shape. And over the preseason, he has proved that he can still be effect at what he does...guarding several frontocurt postions. And being able to stretch the defense with his able to make the open 18-23 foot jumper...So in the longrun, once everyone is healthy, I think Padgett becomes the odd man out as Robinson moves from starting power forward to backup Forward with the return of JC.
Also, as I expected Jefferson will see a good stretch of minutes with the 2nd unit. Jefferson will become a featured player when he is on the floor with 2nd unit guys for 2 or 3 minute stretches. It will be a metod that Coach Franks uses to get Jefferson some add touches that he might not be able to get when Carter is in the game and is the featured guy. One thing, I didnt see at all is Jefferson at the 4 spot. There was some talk that Jefferson might spend time playing a little 4....But there has ben know signs of this in the preseason. I think Lawernce Fanks has gained alot of confidence in Marc Jackson and Cliff Robinson that he probably doesnt feel the need to go with that style. I think Coach Franks has decided to stay with a more conventional frontcourt rotation for now.
Anyway, I think several players stock has drooped and several players stock rose during Preseason and training camp.
Stock Went Up:
Zoran Planinic: Was expected to pretty much be seated next to Lawerence Franks all season long. But came into to training camp, shoed improvements in his jumper. And Coach Franks decided to use him off the ball at the 2/3 postion instaed of making him a decsion maker at the point. And now, Planinic has taken away minutes that was expect to got to first round pick Antoine Wright at the 2/3.
Zoran Planinic Preseason Key Stats: 8.4ppg/ .57fg% (15-26) / 17mpg
Cliff Robinson: Honestly, I dont think the Nets were expecting Robinson to be more then a body on the bench incase someone got injured. But Robinson proved at 39, he is still productive in helping a team be successful. And his defensive ablity is what is going to allow him to stay apart of Coach Franks regular rotation.
Cliff Robinson Preseason Key Stats: 5.6ppg /4.5rpg / 21.1mpg
Lammond Murray: Lammond Murray had to come in and compete for a role on this team with Linton Johnson III. Murray eventually won out...Murray showed more effort defensively then his reputation allowed you to expect. And he proved effective in the areas that the Nets expected from him mainly shooting the long ball.
Lammond Murray's Preason Key Stats: 7.3ppg / .41% 3pt FG (5-12)/ 18mpg
Stock Dropped:
Antoine Wright: Projected by the Nets front office as the best player available when the Nets drafted at 15 back in June, Wright has really struggled making the adjustment to the league. Wright who was a strong shooter at the college level has not been able to find such range at this level. And has been a poor decision maker from the wing. All that coupled with a lackluster effort on defense at times, has seen his minutes go from almost garunteed to non-existent expectations of cracking Coach Franks lineup in 05-06.
Antoine Wright's Preseason Stats: 4.6ppg / .30% fg (9-30)/ 14mpg
Linton JohnsonIII: Expected to give Murray some competion for the back up small forward job, mainly because he is projected to be a strong defender. But Johnson pressence on either end of the court really didnt exist. So the Nets will go in the expected direction of Murray backing up Jefferson.
Linton Johnson's Preseason Stats: 2.5ppg/ .33% fg (7-21)/ 13.2mpg
Scott Padgett: Scott Padgett's stock didnt drop more because of what he didnt prove, it dropped more because of what Robinson did prove. Robinson is the stronger defender and more experienced big. And for those reasons, Padgett likely now becomes the odd man out of the regular rotation of Coach Franks once everyone gets healthy. Also the fact that Padgett struggled shooting the didnt help his cause....the main reason Padgett was signed was his ablity to shoot the basketball.
Scott Padgett's Preseason Stats: 3.6ppg/ .11% 3pt fg (1-9)/ 19mpg
Other guys had strong preseasons as well mainly, Marc Jackson.
Anyway, the Nets still have concerns on their ablity to rebound the basketball...Robinson actually showed more effort then he has shown in several years on the backboard...but Jackson great at taking up space really didnt show signs of beginning that rebounding pressence the Nets need in the frontcourt..especially in the 2nd unit, which doesnt have the perimeter athletes to help team rebound like the starting core will have with Kidd/jefferson and Carter. Jackson only grabbing 4.4rpg in 26 mpg isnt the type of production they are going to need from him. Even tho Jax has never been known from working the defensive boards the Nets are going to need about 5 or 6 defensive boards from him a night in hopes of suring up that hole.
Overall the 2nd unit has to show more then they showed this preseason. The 2nd unit has alot of expectations...McInnis didnt have a strong preseason. But hopefully that has something with him trying to recover from a early preseason injury caused by a inncident with him a and Planninic. But the 2nd unit must sure up some turnover concerns. And get stronger defensively as they learn Coach Franks system. That projected 2nd unit(McInnis, Planinic, Murray, Robinson, Jackson) features 3 new guys so hopefully they will get better as they become more comfortable.
Anyway, we shall see once the season gets going next week.........
Suprisingly, we can run without Kidd in the lineup. Alot of people probably think that without the pressense of Kidd's unselfishness guys would not look to push the ball and give it up quickly. But that just wasnt the case McInnis made the effort to push the rock. And he was able to get the ball to Jefferson and Carter quick enough on the break that they were in position to either be finishers for themselves or playmakers for others on the break. Now dont get me wrong there was alot of sloppy possessions(25 turnovers, which was the clear result of no Jason Kidd pressence) last night for New Jersey...but the overall effort to be unselfish and push the ball to create ball movement was there all night.
I think the rotation for Coach Frank has pretty much worked its self out. The odd men out, who were expected to be apart of the regular rotation are Antoine Wright and Linton Johnson III. Scott Padgett may also find hisself out of the frontocurt regular rotation as well, once Jason Collins returns. I think when Scott Padgett first was signed, he was expected to take Cliff Robinsons' minutes....I dont think the Nets knew really what they were going to be able to get out of a 39 year old Robinson...but he came into Training camp in decent shape. And over the preseason, he has proved that he can still be effect at what he does...guarding several frontocurt postions. And being able to stretch the defense with his able to make the open 18-23 foot jumper...So in the longrun, once everyone is healthy, I think Padgett becomes the odd man out as Robinson moves from starting power forward to backup Forward with the return of JC.
Also, as I expected Jefferson will see a good stretch of minutes with the 2nd unit. Jefferson will become a featured player when he is on the floor with 2nd unit guys for 2 or 3 minute stretches. It will be a metod that Coach Franks uses to get Jefferson some add touches that he might not be able to get when Carter is in the game and is the featured guy. One thing, I didnt see at all is Jefferson at the 4 spot. There was some talk that Jefferson might spend time playing a little 4....But there has ben know signs of this in the preseason. I think Lawernce Fanks has gained alot of confidence in Marc Jackson and Cliff Robinson that he probably doesnt feel the need to go with that style. I think Coach Franks has decided to stay with a more conventional frontcourt rotation for now.
Anyway, I think several players stock has drooped and several players stock rose during Preseason and training camp.
Stock Went Up:
Zoran Planinic: Was expected to pretty much be seated next to Lawerence Franks all season long. But came into to training camp, shoed improvements in his jumper. And Coach Franks decided to use him off the ball at the 2/3 postion instaed of making him a decsion maker at the point. And now, Planinic has taken away minutes that was expect to got to first round pick Antoine Wright at the 2/3.
Zoran Planinic Preseason Key Stats: 8.4ppg/ .57fg% (15-26) / 17mpg
Cliff Robinson: Honestly, I dont think the Nets were expecting Robinson to be more then a body on the bench incase someone got injured. But Robinson proved at 39, he is still productive in helping a team be successful. And his defensive ablity is what is going to allow him to stay apart of Coach Franks regular rotation.
Cliff Robinson Preseason Key Stats: 5.6ppg /4.5rpg / 21.1mpg
Lammond Murray: Lammond Murray had to come in and compete for a role on this team with Linton Johnson III. Murray eventually won out...Murray showed more effort defensively then his reputation allowed you to expect. And he proved effective in the areas that the Nets expected from him mainly shooting the long ball.
Lammond Murray's Preason Key Stats: 7.3ppg / .41% 3pt FG (5-12)/ 18mpg
Stock Dropped:
Antoine Wright: Projected by the Nets front office as the best player available when the Nets drafted at 15 back in June, Wright has really struggled making the adjustment to the league. Wright who was a strong shooter at the college level has not been able to find such range at this level. And has been a poor decision maker from the wing. All that coupled with a lackluster effort on defense at times, has seen his minutes go from almost garunteed to non-existent expectations of cracking Coach Franks lineup in 05-06.
Antoine Wright's Preseason Stats: 4.6ppg / .30% fg (9-30)/ 14mpg
Linton JohnsonIII: Expected to give Murray some competion for the back up small forward job, mainly because he is projected to be a strong defender. But Johnson pressence on either end of the court really didnt exist. So the Nets will go in the expected direction of Murray backing up Jefferson.
Linton Johnson's Preseason Stats: 2.5ppg/ .33% fg (7-21)/ 13.2mpg
Scott Padgett: Scott Padgett's stock didnt drop more because of what he didnt prove, it dropped more because of what Robinson did prove. Robinson is the stronger defender and more experienced big. And for those reasons, Padgett likely now becomes the odd man out of the regular rotation of Coach Franks once everyone gets healthy. Also the fact that Padgett struggled shooting the didnt help his cause....the main reason Padgett was signed was his ablity to shoot the basketball.
Scott Padgett's Preseason Stats: 3.6ppg/ .11% 3pt fg (1-9)/ 19mpg
Other guys had strong preseasons as well mainly, Marc Jackson.
Anyway, the Nets still have concerns on their ablity to rebound the basketball...Robinson actually showed more effort then he has shown in several years on the backboard...but Jackson great at taking up space really didnt show signs of beginning that rebounding pressence the Nets need in the frontcourt..especially in the 2nd unit, which doesnt have the perimeter athletes to help team rebound like the starting core will have with Kidd/jefferson and Carter. Jackson only grabbing 4.4rpg in 26 mpg isnt the type of production they are going to need from him. Even tho Jax has never been known from working the defensive boards the Nets are going to need about 5 or 6 defensive boards from him a night in hopes of suring up that hole.
Overall the 2nd unit has to show more then they showed this preseason. The 2nd unit has alot of expectations...McInnis didnt have a strong preseason. But hopefully that has something with him trying to recover from a early preseason injury caused by a inncident with him a and Planninic. But the 2nd unit must sure up some turnover concerns. And get stronger defensively as they learn Coach Franks system. That projected 2nd unit(McInnis, Planinic, Murray, Robinson, Jackson) features 3 new guys so hopefully they will get better as they become more comfortable.
Anyway, we shall see once the season gets going next week.........
