Jefferson In, Shaq Out

[Shapecity]

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Injured All-Star forward Richard Jefferson plans to practice Friday as the New Jersey Nets get ready to take on the Miami Heat in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Jefferson has missed almost four months with a torn ligament in his left wrist. Earlier this week, he said he would play if the Nets made the playoffs. The Nets clinched the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference with a win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. They open their series against the top-seeded Heat Sunday in Miami. </div>

Source

Should be a closer series than people are anticipating.

 

[Heat4Life]

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Asked if he plans to play Sunday, O'Neal said, "Yes, of course."</div>4/21/05 - Source - Sun Sentinel

The Heat beat the Nets on average of 21pts in the regular season. It'll definetly be a close one.

 

[njnik90]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Heat4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">4/21/05 - Source - Sun Sentinel

The Heat beat the Nets on average of 21pts in the regular season. It'll definetly be a close one.</div>

Yep, this will definitely be a close one. The Nets are a different team than the one that played miami in the regular season games. The nets are coming into the playoffs 10-2, and they are getting Richard Jefferson back. With the way Vince and Kidd are playing, and with Shaq still not 100%, this will be a close one. Theres nothing more i would want in this playoffs other than the nets to steal this series. They have a chance if they continue to be this hot and shaq aint 100%

 

[Heat4Life]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting njnik90:</div><div class="quote_post">Yep, this will definitely be a close one. The Nets are a different team than the one that played miami in the regular season games. The nets are coming into the playoffs 10-2, and they are getting Richard Jefferson back. With the way Vince and Kidd are playing, and with Shaq still not 100%, this will be a close one. Theres nothing more i would want in this playoffs other than the nets to steal this series. They have a chance if they continue to be this hot and shaq aint 100%</div>Our defense is one of the best in the NBA, 4th in Opp FG% and 8th in PPG allowed. You can't live on jumpshots and you won't get any points in the paint.

Our offense is one of the best in the NBA. No player on the planet has an answer for Shaq and you lack a frontcourt. You have no player who can guard Wade and he'll pass out of any double/triple teams if the shot isn't there unlike Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.

 

[Shapecity]

The Nets have kept each game close except in the 3rd Quarter.

They've been outscored...

28 to 15
32 to 17
33 to 16

This means the Heat are making all the proper half-time adjustments and the Nets bench is killing them. The Nets have been on fire lately, and have a lot of momentum heading into the playoffs. Most people aren't giving the Nets a chance to even win a single game, and at most extend it to a 5 game series. The Heat are the superior team, but I think the Nets can split the first two games and win one at NJ. The Heat are not as dominant on the road, and if Shaq misses game one or plays limited minutes, the Nets aren't going to let that opportunity slip by them. The Nets had to play close to flawless basketball to get into the playoffs, and they will have to play close to flawless to beat Miami in any game.

 

[Henacy]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Heat4Life:</div><div class="quote_post">Our defense is one of the best in the NBA, 4th in Opp FG% and 8th in PPG allowed. You can't live on jumpshots and you won't get any points in the paint.

Our offense is one of the best in the NBA. No player on the planet has an answer for Shaq and you lack a frontcourt. You have no player who can guard Wade and he'll pass out of any double/triple teams if the shot isn't there unlike Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.</div>

We will get points in the paint off the strenght of our fastbreak game, which has been getting back to close to the Kidd/K-Mart days in recent weeks. And you say that we have nobody that can guard Wade, Iam not saying Wade wont get his but trust me Kidd stands a better chance of containing Wade then Eddie Jones does of controlling Vince right now, at the offensive level he is playing at....

Of course Shaq is the biggest factor the Nets have to overcome, but we have alot of big bodies and fouls to use...and trust me in a close games we will use all those bodies and fouls on Shaq...so if he isnt shooting the ball well from the line one night it may cost you a game, cause Coach Frank isnt going to be scared to test him

 

[Tesh15]

we def. have a chance to win this series... nets have held shaq to only 17ppg in regular season, but shaq is a different player in playoffs. so well see wat happens.

 

[Schaddy]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tesh15:</div><div class="quote_post">we def. have a chance to win this series... nets have held shaq to only 17ppg in regular season, but shaq is a different player in playoffs. so well see wat happens.</div>

jefferson's return from injury should be a real interesting wildcard in this series. if he plays at a high level, and shaq is hurtin, the nets definitely could give the heat some headaches. i think they will anyways. i just think that the heat have shown too much all season long to fall this early...NJ should have one heck of a team next year. kidd, with carter and jefferson on the wings, the continued development of kristic, and they should have a shot at a solid big man in the draft.

 

[Henacy]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tesh15:</div><div class="quote_post">we def. have a chance to win this series... nets have held shaq to only 17ppg in regular season, but shaq is a different player in playoffs. so well see wat happens.</div>

I wouldnt really say that we held him to 17ppg alot opf those games were blow outs in favor of the Heat going into the 4th quarter, so Shaq hasnt had to play that many minutes. I think the one thing we have in our favor going into this series is that right now we have more healthy big bodies than we have ever had when facing Shaq, none are really that strong but they are fouls we can use. Also our frontline starting lineup has more size now with Scalabrine at the SF, that should help us compete on the board with Miami something we couldnt do this year during the regular season.

 

[bbwSwish]

We have a chance at this series and I am really looking forward to how it plays out. Shaq isn't 100% and RJ is returning so I like our chances. If you break down the game, here is what you will find,

Jason Kidd > Damon Jones
Vince Carter = Dwyane Wade
Richard Jefferson > Eddie Jones
Jason Collins < Udonis Haslem
Krstic <<< Shaq (Even if he is 75% healthy)

If we can control the ball out on the perimeter and take away Miami's perimeter game I think we should be able to win this series. With Haslem, Mourning and Shaq all down low for the Heat, we need to make sure they don't get tons of uncontested shots. We need to double team Shaq and make sure he doesn't drop 25-30 while grabbing 11 rebounds. If we can keep the ball in the hands of the Miami guards, I think Carter, Jefferson and especially Kidd will be able to play good enough defense to control the tempo of the game. If Vince is scoring like usual and Kidd can get Krstic and Jefferson involved while still putting up 15-20 points, I think we will at least make this series interesting and might even upset the #1 seed Heat. I look forward to this game and I hope it is close one with the Nets coming out on top.