New Jersey Nets @ Miami Heat Sunday April 24,2005 ABC

[NJNetz]

<font color="Blue">New Jersey Nets (0-0)</font> @ <font color="Red">Miami
Heat (0-0)</font>


Nets

<font color="Blue">PG- </font> Jason Kidd
<font color="Blue">SG-</font> Vince Carter
<font color="Blue">SF-</font> Brian Scalabrine
<font color="Blue">PF-</font> Nenad Krstic
<font color="Blue">C-</font> Jason Collins

Heat

<font color="Red">PG-</font> Damon Jones
<font color="Red">SG-</font> Dwyane Wade
<font color="Red">SF-</font> Eddie Jones
<font color="Red">PF-</font> Udonis Haslem
<font color="Red">C-</font> Shaquille O'neal

<u>Keys to the Game</u>
<font color="Blue">New Jersey Nets</font>

<font color="Blue">FastBreak</font> On every miss or steal, Nets should run and try to get easy points. They won't be successful all the time but, should push the ball everytime. Make the Heat play defense.

<font color="Blue">Points in the Paint</font> With Shaq on the inside it's almost impossible he won't be 100% so make him play defense. Also with him not being 100% he won't play as much minutes as usual. Thats when you MUST take advantage.

<font color="Blue">Pass the Ball</font> Have everyone touch the ball. Don't go 1 on 1 unless you have a mismatch. Make every Heat player, play defense. Every Net player has to contribute with something.


<u>Keys to the Game</u>
<font color="Red">Miami Heat</font>

<font color="Red">Contain Vinsanity</font> Make him take jumpshots while holding him. If he tries to go inside double him. Before he goes inside he will think twice, because of Shaq. Make him pass the ball.

<font color="Red">Shaq on the inside</font> While he is in the game, give him some touches while he is playing. Even if he can't get points, he could get the Nets in foul trouble.

<font color="Red">Get everyone involved</font> Have everyone take a couple of shots. You never know who will get hot. It could be someone on the bench.



<font color="Blue">Reminder- Richard Jefferson is back!!!! He most likely won't play in this game. It depends on how his shooting practice goes.</font>

 

[Tesh15]

shaq isnt playing 1st game of the series, and rjeff is back and playing on sunday, so u can maybe edit the lineups.... But nets do have a big chance of beating the heat on sunday

 

[P.A.P.]

RJ will not start most likely. He won't get a lot of minutes, however, they will increase as the series progresses.

I can see the Nets taking this one, not really by surprise, but maybe a bit unexpected, as everyone is expecting the Heat to sweep them or manhandle them like they did all season.

It will be Carters first playoff game since 2001, however, I don't think he'll be nervous like he was at the start of the 2000 and 2001 series vs NYK because he has matured as a player and person.

Will be interesting to see who takes this game. I think it'll be a close game throughout, but I believe the Nets will take control late in the 3rd, and build off that in the 4th.

Prediction: Nets 103-97

 

[Karma]

I don't think RJ will be that big of a difference, he'll most likely struggle.
If Shaq doesn't play, that obviously helps NJ alot so I'll pick the Nets to win a boosting win on the road considering the Heat don't play Shaq.

Heh, now everyone is saying the Nets could upset them, it's almost as if Miami is becoming the underdog now haha.
But most likely the Heat will take it, but it will be a battle.

 

[NJNetz]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tesh15:</div><div class="quote_post">shaq isnt playing 1st game of the series, and rjeff is back and playing on sunday, so u can maybe edit the lineups.... But nets do have a big chance of beating the heat on sunday</div>


no i read that RJ isnt playin the first game and shaq will play

 

[Tesh15]

na its otherway around, rj practiced with team already and he said hes ready 2 go, but now shaqs condition is now gametime decision

 

[Henacy]

I definately think that if Shaq isnt available today, then we have to put our foot on Miami early, Lately with the exception of the Boston game, we have jumped out to big leads in the first quarter. And took away teams sprit and fight. With no Shaq, I think if we jump on them early, we stand a chance of doing just that.


Our fastbrak game is getting back to tip top shape again. Kidd and Vince look amazing out in the opencourt. New Jersey running on the Heat early will take all the life out of the Miami crowd, and thus there team.

Nenad Krstic has a chance to have a strong game without Shaq clogging up the lane. New Jersey by 8-12

 

[ChicagoSportsFan]

GL NJ. hopefully rj can make a big impact. I like both teams but im cheering for New jersey

 

[GTRemix]

I am pumped for this game. I hope New Jersey can win the first game.

 

[P.A.P.]

Man Kidd is forcing it to much in the half court...

 

[Shapecity]

The Heat are getting away with Dwayne Wade guarding Brian Scalabrine. He should go immediately to the post and shoot right over the top of Wade. Scalabrine has 5 inches on him for crying out loud. Lawrence Frank needs to exploit that matchup edge or put someone else in the game to force Wade to play some defense.

 

[NJNetz]

well........wat can i say?? next game??? i kinda understood thats its almost impossible for the nets to elimante the heat.

i thought they might of had of chance but im losin hope

 

[Shapecity]

Jason Kidd and Vince Carter have to bring it for an entire game, and not just the 3rd quarter. Dwayne Wade's ability to break through the traps killed the Nets defensive strategy. The Nets have to step up their intensity and not be slow on the rotations. Damon Jones shot 10-12 and scored 30 points, that's inexcusable for the Nets. I liked how Vince Carter played, I think he should have had twice as many free throw shots. He was getting hacked on that spin move to the basket every time. The only other player attacking the rim consistently was Travis Best of all people. Poor defensive effort and a slow start are things the Nets need to fix in Game 2. Rodney Buford needs more PT in Game 2.

Give the Heat all the credit in this game. They did whatever they wanted on the court today. They made their open looks, they owned the points in the paint battle, and they forced the Nets to beat them from the perimeter. The Heat bench gave them production as well, Laettner 4-4, and Shandon Anderson had a lot of hustle plays for the Heat, 2 steals, 4 rebounds, 2 assists in 18 minutes.

 

[Sex Panther]

Someone who the Nets need to stop the next game is Damon Jones. Leaving him open killed the nets, making 7 3-pointers. The tempo f the game was way too slow for the Nets, they can't fall in with Miami's half court game or we'll all be seeing this every game. Very disappointing loss, expected much more from NJ.

 

[Henacy]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">The Heat are getting away with Dwayne Wade guarding Brian Scalabrine. He should go immediately to the post and shoot right over the top of Wade. Scalabrine has 5 inches on him for crying out loud. Lawrence Frank needs to exploit that matchup edge or put someone else in the game to force Wade to play some defense.</div>

We didnt take advantage of any of those matchups, Damon Jones cant guard anybody, yet we never put him in the post area against our bigger perimeter guys, Kidd did it once or twice in the 1st quarter but after that he didnt go to the high post against Jones all night. The only way we are going to create a sybolism of points in the paint is by posting up with our guards.


This was a horribly stragied game all over in my opinion, I dont understand how you dont make it an emphasis to force Damon Jones to put the ball on the floor. It was catch and shoot all night for him, that is his game. Next game Coach Frank has to make it a point to tell guys to run at Damon Jones' toward his shooting hand not the opposite side of his body, cause that is the only way they are going to force him to put the ball on the deck. And out of his comfort zone.

I was really shocked at how easy Wade got his points mainly against Kidd's defense. I know that Kidd is a better team defender then guarding the ball striaght up but I would think that he would cause a bit more resistance to Wade's penetration then he did...and that scares me cause if Kidd cant guard Wade at least a little then he is going to light us up every night, we have no one else who can come close. Travis Best is good at guarding guys off the dribble, but way to small to cover Wade, RJ doesnt have the conditioning keep up with Wade..so New Jersey is in trouble if Kidd cant keep Wade in front of him. This is where I miss Kerry Kittles cause he was really our best on ball defender.


Anyway, this game was discouraging to a certain degree but I think that we still have a legit chance to be competive in this series cause today we just was never able to get out in the opencourt and get any easy buckets. Once we get that aspect going it will make everything else for us offensively flow smoother, defensively is the major concern we have to find away to get some consistent stops. If we cant guard those guys this series will be short. But we have been a strong defensive team over the last month, so I think we will get it together before Tuesday.

 

[Eclipse]

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">The Heat are getting away with Dwayne Wade guarding Brian Scalabrine. He should go immediately to the post and shoot right over the top of Wade. Scalabrine has 5 inches on him for crying out loud. Lawrence Frank needs to exploit that matchup edge or put someone else in the game to force Wade to play some defense.</div>

That would be a flawed gameplan. When we played NJ a little while ago, we put Alston on Scalabrine and he proceeded to get the ball stolen and forced up a lot of bad shots. He isn't used to getting all those touches, especially not having the offense evolve around him. You also don't want to take touches away from Carter who needs the ball in order for the Nets to be successful.

Frank must have been deterred from running plays for him after how he played against Alston.

 

[Shapecity]

That's why I said Frank needs to find someone who can do it then. Brian Scalabrine shouldn't be on the court if he can't take advantage of those type of match-ups, he certainly can't guard anyone on defense.

 

[Henacy]

Actually down the stretch of the season since he took over as a starter with the exception of that Raptors game(where everyone was really tight on Jersey's roster due to the implaciations of the game along with the return of Vince), Scalabrine has done a nice job of taking advantage of those mismatches of opponents trying to hide smaller defenders on him. I think vs Miami it was just the fact that the Nets never really look to exploit that as an opions after the first couple of minutes in the 1st quarter. New Jersey's offensive game plan was extremely out of sink after the 1st, they seen Shaq & Zo down low and got discourage from try to get to the rim. But during the last month or so getting to the rim and then kicking out to perimeter shooters is what got them to the dance so to speak, not jacking up consistently long contested jumpers.