NetsDaily: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
New Blog: Along The Olentangy for Ohio State Fans!

Game 63 - Nets @ Grizzlies - Monday, March 8, 8:00


Get this oddity: The Grizzlies haven't won at home in five weeks, eight straight losses.  The Nets on the other hand haven't lost on the road in four weeks, three straight wins.  Bodes well for the Nets, you might think. Of course the last time these two teams played, at the IZOD, the Nets were up by 18...and lost by 10.  Yi Jianlian is not with the team (high ankle sprain) and one has to wonder how long Courtney Lee can keep up his torrid shooting.  Over the last three games, he's averaging 24.7 ppg, shooting 60.9% (28 for 46) overall  and 78.6% (11 for 14) from the arc!  He's also a perfect 9 for 9 from the stripe. Indeed, the Nets' perimeter threesome of Lee, Devin Harris and Terrence Williams are playing their best ball, both individually and collectively, of the season. 

Meanwhile, their counterparts in Memphis, Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay, are also playing well, although Gay's game has slipped the last week.  Expect a lot more questions about his off-season availability.  The 23-year-old is on a lot of team's wish lists...if they can't get one of the top tier free agents.  He said nice things about the Nets in New Jersey.

0 recs  |  Comment 26 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

More from NetsDaily

How Clutch Will the Nets Be?

Aug 2010 by Net Income - 190 comments

Breakout Season for TWill?

Aug 2010 by Net Income - 41 comments

NetsDaily Off-Season Report #20

Aug 2010 by Net Income - 169 comments

Comments

Display:

"Yi Jianlian is not with the team (high ankle sprain)"

Praise the lord!

"Champions aren't made in the gym. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision."

- Muhammad Ali

"Words of wisdom is nothing but foolishness to the unwise"

by AmarDude on Mar 7, 2010 7:13 PM EST reply actions  

HAHA. the nets played so well without yi againt NY!

by i says on Mar 7, 2010 7:14 PM EST up reply actions  

T-Will is the new J. Kidd. Great passer, great rebounder, great defender, but struggles scoring.

Beating te griz is simple. STOP MAYO. dont let mayo take over the game with his passing or scoring!

by i says on Mar 7, 2010 7:14 PM EST reply actions  

T-Will is the new J. Kidd. Great passer, great rebounder, great defender, but struggles scoring.

That’s high praise..he’s not at Kidd’s level but he’s improving really well.

"Champions aren't made in the gym. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision."

- Muhammad Ali

"Words of wisdom is nothing but foolishness to the unwise"

by AmarDude on Mar 7, 2010 7:17 PM EST up reply actions  

No, just HOLD the Mayo

Actually, Kidd and TWill are much different scorers. TWill is an animal close to the basket but is inconsistent from deep.
JKidd has now become a great and consistent 3pt shooter, but is crap near the basket because he Can’t jump anymore.

by jerry25 on Mar 7, 2010 9:25 PM EST up reply actions  

But early in his career it was pretty much the opposite.

Kidd couldn’t shoot at all but had insane athleticism and was a great scorer close to the basket.

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Mar 7, 2010 10:51 PM EST up reply actions  

Yi should be traded the moment it is possible. Trade him for Sundiata Gaines for all i care just get rid of him!

by Christos on Mar 7, 2010 8:22 PM EST reply actions  

TRADE HIM FOR THE GUY THAT SINGS “PANTS ON THE GROUND PANTS ON THE GROUND”

by SPiDER MAN on Mar 7, 2010 8:26 PM EST reply actions   1 recs

PF Alexander Johnson posting monster numbers in D-League again today.

Today’s Alexander Johnson numbers:
  
31 minutes, 32 points (9-13 from field, 14-18 from line), 19 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 assist.
  
Nets are too cheap to give him a 10-day conract. Like the old bones of Tony Battie are going to help?

Texas slang in a Big Apple minute, by a friendly OED consultant. http://www.barrypopik.com

by barrypopik on Mar 7, 2010 8:39 PM EST reply actions  

How much does a 10 day contract cost??

Maybe Kiki will go along with the idea now.
Maybe winning 3 more games can become Kiki’s goal.

If Nets win 3 of next 10 games, then media can focus on how bad the Knicks have become.

Players should be motivated to win 3 more games before Yi returns, or else it might not happen.

by jerry25 on Mar 7, 2010 9:29 PM EST up reply actions  

lol…. Kiki’s new motivational slogan:

“Win 3 more games before Yi returns… OR ELSE!”

'The Crossover' - a Nets and Knicks podcast. http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=268817312

by Rusty_b on Mar 8, 2010 12:02 AM EST up reply actions  

OMG Yi is out?

Amen, I would say let him take his time recovering. The summer will be the best time for his return just so that we are sure he’s better!

by Marcko on Mar 7, 2010 9:02 PM EST reply actions  

Alexander Johnson

has never fulfilled his NBA potential and the D-League is about as good as the Italian League when it’s a good year and this isn’t a good year.

by Net Income on Mar 7, 2010 9:35 PM EST reply actions  

Beggars can't be picky. I'd like to see what he can do on a 10 day contract

How much for a 10 day contract?

Since he would no longer be taking minutes away from Yi, maybe Kiki would go along with the idea.

(“never fulfilled his NBA potential” – sounds like something that will be said about Yi next year or the year after that.)

by jerry25 on Mar 8, 2010 8:09 AM EST up reply actions  

TWill, Kiki

I’m glad everyone is finally coming around on TWill….Far too many times this year people have posted about what a bust he is and how we should have simply released him or dealt him for popcorn. This kid is going to be very very good.

Much of the problem with this season stems from the fact that we have a very young roster and our coaching staff is tasked with having to develop multiple young players. As should have been expected, developing Brook is and was the #1 priority. The #2 priority was in continuing to build Devin Harris into a veteran leader/face of the franchise. You always rebuild a team around a point guard and center. If you look at the young teams or teams with cap space – not sure any of them have a better young PG/Center duo.

Then the Yi project was clearly priority #3. In his third season now – the Nets HAD to focus on his development – and truly decide whether he has a future on this team. The Nets HAD to guage whether he could be the starting PF of the future – a part of the young core of Devin and Brook. I think at this point – the Nets realize he is not the answer to be the starting PF of the future, but is the best option to start for the remainder of the season. Kiki wants Yi to continue logging heavy minutes, as a big weakness in Yi’s game is his lack of basketball IQ and game experience. So the force feeding of minutes is an attempt to remedy that…..plus it makes sense to continue to develop him so that you can hopefully get value from him next season as a rotation player or a trade chip.

The next priority was to develop Courtney Lee….the front office NEEDED to showcase Courtney for 2 reasons – 1) he was the centerpiece of the VC trade – from a fan base persective the Nets needed to sell this trade as getting younger and adding another piece to the core rather than a straight salary dump and 2) Courtney has a lot of potential and we are starting to see that now.

After this the priorities were upon developing CDR and TWill. CDR has shot himself in the foot with his attitude and “honesty” clearly rubbing many in the organization the wrong way. TWill was thrown into the fire initially by Coach Frank out of necesity and did ok. Then some issues getting used to the league, learning professionalism, etc derailed his season for a while. Kiki benching TWill was probably the best thing that could have been done for TWill’s career. And now you are starting to see his talent come through…..

His passing and court vision are unmatched by any guard on this team. You could make the argument that his court vision is actually very similiar to Jason Kidd’s and that his ability to fill a stat sheet from the PG position with assists and rebounds is very Kiddesque. I have always viewed him as a PG rather than a SF or SG and it seems that the Nets are starting to view him the same. Last night – Kiki was using TWill as the primary ballhandler oftentimes when on the court with Devin and either Courtney or CDR. I think we continue to see this – with TWill running the point regardless of who is on the floor. And I think next season – regardless of whom we draft – you are going to see TWill in the starting lineup as the primary ballhandler. And you are going to see him continue to improve every game for the remainder of the season.

So for those of you who are calling for Kiki’s head – he is a very good talent evaluator and has done very well in the draft. Even though it seemed like a bad decision for most of the season – including Ryan Anderson to net Courtney Lee in the VC trade is looking brilliant the last 2 months. Ryan is not getting off the bench, and Courtney is developing into a dynamic shooting guard. TWill looks like he could become one of the better players in last years draft and both Brook and CDR were great picks. If we are cleaning house in the front office – it should be Rod and not Kiki who is shown the door…Oh, and as the progress in the games of Brook, Courtney, TWill show – Kiki is not a bad player development guy either

by Ryan243 on Mar 7, 2010 10:57 PM EST reply actions  

Can't argue with anything you said except

Rod is the deal maker. He knows how to make trades. They SHOULD have made a good team.

by Rawdawg05 on Mar 8, 2010 11:19 AM EST up reply actions  

It's not really easy to make a good team

when you’re trying to dump salary and shed costs. Considering how much money was owed to Kidd and VC and their ages he made pretty good trades.

"We have a plan, and our plan, I like our plan'

it's Omar's world, we're just livin in it.

by Gina on Mar 8, 2010 11:48 AM EST up reply actions  

Alexander Johnson should not be signed

We might as well play Boone and Hump than bring in that kid he’s not going to get major minutes no point waisting money, I agree with @NI it’s the D-Leaugue for a reason lol, although there are some good role players no one is a season changer. I hate to say it but I think Yi has just ran out of gas I am one of those who blame him at times for his low basketball IQ and lack of toughness but in reality it’s KIKi’s fault not being a good talent evaluator, and overusing him as tho he is the next Dirk. Our team is not based around All-stars anymore, so players who make to many mistakes or are awful defensively cannot start or play an inordinate amount of minutes.

by Atronic on Mar 7, 2010 11:04 PM EST reply actions  

T-Will needs to start.

"No one stands on the top of the world. Not you, not me, not even gods. But the unbearable vacancy of the throne in the sky is over. From now on...I will be sitting on it."

by MrDollarBills on Mar 8, 2010 9:12 AM EST reply actions  

Nothing but blue skies ahead...

Team has been playing much better ever since Thorn visited Proky in Vancouver.

Now that the players know who is in charge, they seemed to have change their attitude nd improved their play.

The best is yet to come.

Lets go Nets…

by M I K E on Mar 8, 2010 9:26 AM EST reply actions  

T-Will and Courtney

If Courtney and T-Will keep playing this well, and if Harris gets his game back to together, maybe we go big and take a chance on Cousins or Favors come draft day.

If not we have to sign David Lee for team chemistry and leadership. David plays hard and would be better suited at PF, his natural position. Even Clyde on MSG commented on Lee playing at PF next year.

by M I K E on Mar 8, 2010 9:32 AM EST reply actions  

CDR

Great article on cdr and an even greater quote by calipari. I see CDR having a role here once we get in a real coaching staff.

by power_njerz on Mar 8, 2010 3:14 PM EST reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

NetsDaily brings together up-to-the-minute news, analysis and opinion regarding the New Jersey Nets in a comprehensive manner. Join the community and take part in the discussion.
Start posting about the Nets »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

Connect_with_facebook

FanPosts

SBNation.com Recent Stories

NEW YORK CITY NY - AUGUST 12:  Kevin Durant #5 looks on during the World Basketball Festival USAB Showcase at Radio City Music Hall on August 12 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images for Nike) +4 updates

FIBA World Championships 2010: Team USA Routs Iran 88-51, Clinches Top Spot In Group B

Cleveland Cavaliers' Delonte West, right, shoot over Indiana Pacers' Jeff Foster in the first half of a NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, April 13, 2009.  (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) link

Celtics Sign Free Agent Delonte West

Rose +2 updates

FIBA World Championships 2010: Team USA Ekes Out 70-68 Win Over Brazil

More from SBNation.com >


Managers

Jay-nets_100_small NetsDaily

Editors

Ticketbody3_edited_small Net Income