Nets drop to 2-8 after 90-88 loss in Denver

[Henacy]

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<font color="Navy">New Jersey Nets</font>(2-7) @ <font color="MediumTurquoise">Denver Nuggets</font>(5-5)
Time: November.23,2004; 9:00pm
Arena: <font color="MediumTurquoise">Pepsi Center, Denver CO </font>
TV: Yes Network, NBALP</div>


Preview: After a strong preseason, where they boasted a 7-1 record, the Denver Nuggets got off to a suprisingly slow start to the regular season. The Nuggets started the year with a 1-4 record. And plenty of controvesy & injuries along the way. But the Nuggets have seemingly started to turn their season around winning 4 of their last 5 games, including a blowout home victory against the Dallas Mavericks 110-82. So tonight the Nuggets look to go above .500 for the 1st time this year.

Meanwhile, the Nets who wasnt expected to do much after the offseason losses of the likes of Kerry Kittles & Kenyon Martin, got off to a seemingly strong start, boasting a 2-2 record in the early going. But recent lack luster offense and missed opportunities in the 4th quarter against teams like the 76ers, Rockets, & Sonics, the Nets have dropped 5 straight. The Nets look to use the Mile High city as away to jump start them back on to a winning track.


<u>Projected Starting 5 </u>

<u><font color="Navy">Nets </font> </u>
PG: <font color="Navy">Zoran Planinic</font>
SG: <font color="Navy">Richard Jefferson</font>
SF: <font color="Navy">Eric Williams</font>
PF: <font color="Navy">Jason Collins</font>
C: <font color="Navy">Alonzo Mourning</font>

<u><font color="MediumTurquoise">Nuggets</font></u>
PG: <font color="MediumTurquoise">Ander Miller</font>
SG: <font color="MediumTurquoise">Greg Buckner</font>
SF: <font color="MediumTurquoise">Carmelo Anthony</font>
PF: <font color="MediumTurquoise">Kenyon Martin</font>
C: <font color="MediumTurquoise">Marcus Camby</font>

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<div align="center"><u>Players To Watch</u>

<font color="Navy">Richard Jefferson (Nets)</font> / <font color="MediumTurquoise">Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets)</font></div>

A Reunion of old Running mates

Flashback to this time last season, Richard Jefferson and Kenyon Martin were arguebly the best young, athletic forward combination in the league. The future of the Nets clearly rested on the development of the young duo. Now fast forward up to the present day, after a summer that saw Kenyon Martin get 90 million dollars richer, the Nets young forward combination is no more. Richard Jefferson is a one man show in Jersey. While Kenyon Martin is trying to adjust to running a fastbreak that doesnt include Jason Kidd or Richard Jefferson.

When Kenyon Martin went to Denver, he didnt invision life without Jason Kidd to be such a rough road. He quickly found out, while Andre Miller is a solid point guard, he is no Jason Kidd. And he is probably desperately missing the Nets motion offense which lives off of ball & body movement, especially when he is standing around watching Carmelo Anthony throw up 20+ shots a game. While Denver plays the same type of running style as the Nets, the two teams couldnt be more different. But Kenyon Martin has started to make the adjustment. And has posted double-doubles in his last three games including a 19pts & 10rb game in the win over Dallas. So expect K-Mart to be in full attack mode when he looks across the floor and sees his old frontcourt partner Jason Collins trying to guard him on one leg.

Meanwhile, Richard Jefferson, wishes he still had the services of Kenyon Martin to play alongside him. The Nets hold the destinction of being among top the league in an unfavorable statastic, the biggest drop off between their leading scorer and 2nd leading scorer. There is almost a 10pt drop off between Richard Jefferson(21.9ppg) and 2nd leading scorer Mourning(12.2ppg). And those are the only two Nets averaging in double figures. Jefferson most once again carry a majority of the offensive load again tonight.
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<font color="Navy"><div align="center"><u>Nets Keys To the Game</u></div></font>

<font color="Navy">Establish Alonzo Mourning early in the Game</font>. The Nets' specifically their guards have been doing a poor job getting the ball down low in proper postion to be effective early in games. Zo is working really hard for position every trip down the floor, the Nets need to reward him by gettting him plenty of touches. Even if Zo isnt going to put the shot up, he can still draw alot of attention. And make things easier on the perimeter guys. So guys like Zoran Planinic need to stop looking for their shot 1st. and work at getting the ball down low to Mourning, then playing off him.

<font color="Navy">Limiting Denvers' Transition game</font>. The reason Denver has won 3 straight at home, is because they have finally re-established their running style at the Pepsi Center. Last season Denver was one of the best fastbreaking teams in the league especially at home. And now they are starting to get back to pushing the ball in that fashion. So it is important that the Nets have effective transition defense. The guards Jefferson, Best, Planinic etc must make sure they are back to stop the ball. Force Denver to play in the half-court, where they dont have alot of options outside of Melo. And some dirty work points down low by Martin.

<font color="Navy">Limit Turnovers</font> The Nets rank at the bottom of the league in points per game. And the main reason for that is because they rank near the top of the league in committing turnovers per game. The simply arent getting enuff shots at the basket due to their high turnover rate. The Nets can live with the turnovers they have being aggressive going toward the hoop. It is the unforced turnovers they must limit. The silly 24 second violations and 3 second calls The Nets are getting to many of those type of turnover.
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<div align="center"><u><font color="MediumTurquoise">Denver's Key To the game </font> </u></div>

<font color="MediumTurquoise">Ball Movement</font>. Denver's offense really struggles in the half-court because they lack ball movement. Its alot of one on one isolations for Carmelo Anthony. And alot of one pass then somebody puts up a shot. Denver has to add some ball & body movemnt into their hal-court style. And guys have to stop settling for the quick perimeter shot. Drive & kick with two or 3 passes each trip is the style Denver needs to bring to the table.

<font color="MediumTurquoise">Defensive effort </font>. Despite having a great defender l;ike Martin on their team, Denver has not given the effort on defense on a regular basis. Against New Jersey there should be no way they give up 90-100pts. The only way they give up a bunch of points is if they clearly arent putting in the attention on defense.

<font color="MediumTurquoise">Controlling the Boards </font>. Since the Nets have gone to the big frontcourt of Eric Williams, Alonzo Mourning, & Jason Collins, they have become a better rebounding team. So it is important that the Nuggets bigs dont fall asleep on the defensive boards, or they will aloow the Nets to sneak in and get alot of 2nd chances on jersey's offense board work. Martin & Camby along with the rest of the Nuggets must control the glass.
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<u>Closing Statement</u>

The Nets need a win in the worst way. And inorder to get one they will need a strong performance from Eric Williams offensively but especially on Defense match up against Melo. He must force him to take & settle for alot of perimeter jumpers. Travis Best must give a strong outting off the bench as well, cause Earl Boykins is who he will be matched up against. And then the Nets are going to need a breakout performance from Scalabrine and/or Buford. But it still comes down to Zo & Jefferson come 4th quarter and winning time.

 

[iceman]

Denver is going to win this game with 15+ points...or more

...atleast i hope Morning is making a good game...Carmelo makes 26 or more

I dont like NY in this season...i hope Kidd is back soon and only then NY can find his game and maybe makes to playoff =)

 

[Mr. J]

This game will be full of many emotions. Martin leaving and all I expect it to be a good battle, however many Nets ae new so I don't think they'll play with that same fire that everyone else did. I'm really not a Nets fan but, I really hope that they win. Martin was the heart and soul of the team and by him leaving the Nets pretty much lost all championship hopes. I think it will be 95-90 OT loss. Jefferson will give it a great effort scoring around 30 but, it will be to no avail.

 

[Henacy]

That was a difficult loss for the Nets, last night. They probably played better overall then they did against the Bulls & Portland, in the two victories. They did an excellent job of limiting their turnovers for the most part, especially with when Travis Best was in the game. And they did a solid overall defensive job. They had a few laps, where they got beat down the floor by Denver in transition situations. And it led to easy K-Mart hoops, in the 2nd half. But overall the Nets were strong on the defensive end of the floor. The Nets also got major contributions off the bench, Travis Best had 11pts and 7ast, Rodney Buford leading the Nets bench scoring with 13pts. And Scalabrine chipped in 11pts as well. And RJ had another strong all around game. But once again he missed a big free throw with about a 1:00 left to play, that could have tied the game at 88. And really changed the complex of the game from that point to the final buzzer.

Anyway, the thing that killed the Nets was Kenyon Martin & Marcus Camby combined to score 34pts while Jason Collins & Zo could only muster up 2pts together. You simply cant win in this league when your inside, starting positions get outplayed like that. And honestly, those are just the stats, it doesnt even truely reflect the impact Camby & Martin had on the game, especially on the defensive end with Camby, blocking & changing shots. And Martin controlling the boards.

You could tell it wasnt going to be Zo's night from the very start of the game, he made his 1st shot. But playing in the high altitude of Denver, he was sucking wind by the third trip down the floor. He shot 2 straight airballs, so coachg frank decided to get him out of there. And he limited Zo's minutes for the rest of the night. And Jason Collins just brought nothing to the table offensively. He competed on the defensive end. But you cant excuse getting zero points from your starting power forward postion. I dont know, what has happen to JC from the start of the season until these last few games. I dont know if his foot is injuried worst then he is telling people. I dont know if Rod Thorn cutting him the fat contract a few weeks ago, has given him that comfort level, he didnt have when he seem to be working hard to improve during preseason. And the start of the regular season. I dont know what it is with JC right now. But he is struggling even by his own standards, which we already know arent that high.

Anyway, overall, I hope we get the effort and contributions that we got last night in the next game against the Clippers. I hope guys dont get discourage because we played probably one of our stronger games of the year. And still lost because think our effort has been good minus alot of mistakes. And poor shooting this year. When you continuosly play hard, the wins will eventually come.