Mercy Rule
The list keeps getting bigger, even as the season creeps closer. Count Stromile Swift, Eddie Najera, Jarvis Hayes, Josh Boone and Keyon Dooling amongst the injured or ill, and with a week to go before opening tip, the Nets have no idea who will be in the rotation.
Another season starting off on the wrong foot. Isn't there some sort of mercy rule or something?
Last night's wipeout by the Knicks (there were some good moments, true, but a complete lack of defense doomed them again, and well, this team shouldn't consider getting into scoring matches with anyone, is all I'm saying) while again shorthanded leaves Lawrence Frank scratching his head about what to make of the mess that remains. We're pretty certain that he'll field enough bodies to go 8 or 10 deep, but I don't think many of them will be the ones he thought he was counting on.
Assume that Devin Harris and Vince Carter are the starting guards. I would say that one is safe. Despite a whole lot of inconsistency, they paid too much not to start Yi and Bobby Simmons (I'm still waiting for him to show us something), so they'll be in there (plus, they're healthy front liners, making them that much more important). And it looks like Josh Boone or rookie Brook Lopez at center, Lopez if Boone doesn't get clearance to play, Boone if he does.
After that, well, the pickings are slim. Dooling, Najera and Hayes are the veterans being counted on off the bench, but they haven't exactly had time to build up a lot of chemistry with the club. Sean Williams looks lost to me, Chris Douglas Roberts and Ryan Anderson have moments but they're rookies, and the rest of the roster is interesting at best and minor players at worst.
The Knicks completely showed every flaw in the Nets defense last night. They still can't get out on the perimeter and stop the three point shooter, but now they're clueless as to how best to stop paint penetration. Of course, having a rookie out there in the middle will do that, no matter how high of a pick he was. Yi looks like a traffic pole out there, with every Knick this side of Jerome James running by him as if his feet were glued to the floor. Devin Harris was shaky, Carter's not a defender per se, and Bobby Simmons works hard but accomplishes little. That's a helluva basis for defense, friends.
Outscoring quality NBA teams (or even the Knicks) isn't a long-term option either.
We like Lopez' abilities (he can step outside and shoot, and make, shots - even flat footed!) inside and outside. Hell, that's why they hired him. But the rook needs a lot of help, and well, we didn't see a helluva lot of it, even if they did score 106 points and almost pull it off in the end. Carter and Harris and then what? ought to be the offense this year.
And with everyone out, they haven't had time to implement much of an offense anyway. That should work out great, with the season beginning next week in Washington D.C. That's right, against their old pal Eddie Jordan.
The Nets should get back Keyon Dooling and Josh Boone, in any case, before the opener. It's certainly possible that Hayes and Najera are ready to go as well, but they'll have more rust than the tin man on them. Swift you can likely forget about for awhile if not ever, not really sure what his place on this team was going to be anyway.
Let's see what happens (and who's healthy enough to suit up) against the Sixers tomorow night. I'm going to Cleveland to check on LeBron (he's still not taking my calls - like it's my fault the whole Brooklyn thing is held up?), so wake me when the season actually starts.
-Joe
Another season starting off on the wrong foot. Isn't there some sort of mercy rule or something?
Last night's wipeout by the Knicks (there were some good moments, true, but a complete lack of defense doomed them again, and well, this team shouldn't consider getting into scoring matches with anyone, is all I'm saying) while again shorthanded leaves Lawrence Frank scratching his head about what to make of the mess that remains. We're pretty certain that he'll field enough bodies to go 8 or 10 deep, but I don't think many of them will be the ones he thought he was counting on.
Assume that Devin Harris and Vince Carter are the starting guards. I would say that one is safe. Despite a whole lot of inconsistency, they paid too much not to start Yi and Bobby Simmons (I'm still waiting for him to show us something), so they'll be in there (plus, they're healthy front liners, making them that much more important). And it looks like Josh Boone or rookie Brook Lopez at center, Lopez if Boone doesn't get clearance to play, Boone if he does.
After that, well, the pickings are slim. Dooling, Najera and Hayes are the veterans being counted on off the bench, but they haven't exactly had time to build up a lot of chemistry with the club. Sean Williams looks lost to me, Chris Douglas Roberts and Ryan Anderson have moments but they're rookies, and the rest of the roster is interesting at best and minor players at worst.
The Knicks completely showed every flaw in the Nets defense last night. They still can't get out on the perimeter and stop the three point shooter, but now they're clueless as to how best to stop paint penetration. Of course, having a rookie out there in the middle will do that, no matter how high of a pick he was. Yi looks like a traffic pole out there, with every Knick this side of Jerome James running by him as if his feet were glued to the floor. Devin Harris was shaky, Carter's not a defender per se, and Bobby Simmons works hard but accomplishes little. That's a helluva basis for defense, friends.
Outscoring quality NBA teams (or even the Knicks) isn't a long-term option either.
We like Lopez' abilities (he can step outside and shoot, and make, shots - even flat footed!) inside and outside. Hell, that's why they hired him. But the rook needs a lot of help, and well, we didn't see a helluva lot of it, even if they did score 106 points and almost pull it off in the end. Carter and Harris and then what? ought to be the offense this year.
And with everyone out, they haven't had time to implement much of an offense anyway. That should work out great, with the season beginning next week in Washington D.C. That's right, against their old pal Eddie Jordan.
The Nets should get back Keyon Dooling and Josh Boone, in any case, before the opener. It's certainly possible that Hayes and Najera are ready to go as well, but they'll have more rust than the tin man on them. Swift you can likely forget about for awhile if not ever, not really sure what his place on this team was going to be anyway.
Let's see what happens (and who's healthy enough to suit up) against the Sixers tomorow night. I'm going to Cleveland to check on LeBron (he's still not taking my calls - like it's my fault the whole Brooklyn thing is held up?), so wake me when the season actually starts.
-Joe
posted by Joe Netsfan at 10:26 PM
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