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Game Previews

Game 28 - Nets @ Pistons - Friday, February 10, 7:30 p.m.

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The Nets go into Detroit with nine healthy players, including one All-Star (Deron Williams) and one small forward (Shawne Williams). They're hoping to avoid their fifth straight loss and 20th loss for the season. After beating the Pistons by three points with eight players last week, they lost by seven with 10 players on Wednesday.

In Wednesday's game, they lost Keith Bogans, almost certainly for the season, to both a broken ankle and a complete tear of a deltoid ligament. The Nets will wait till Monday's surgery before officially announcing if there's any chance of recovery this season. The Nets are unlikely to add anyone between now and then because they'd first have to cut a player.

The Pistons, on the other hand, are trying for their fourth straight under Lawrence Frank. Detroit is actually getting healthier with only Charlie Villanueva definitely out. Will Bynum is questionable. Two of the Pistons' young players, Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight will join Marshon Brooks in the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge in Orlando.

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Game 27 - Nets vs. Pistons - Wednesday, February 8, 7:30 p.m.

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The Nets had only eight players last week when they beat the Pistons by three points. When they play Lawrence Frank's charges again on Wednesday, they will have 10 players in uniform. Considering one of them is Anthony Morrow, who's scored 81 points his last three games, that's a big improvement.

The Pistons will be without the same three players they didn't have last week: Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and Will Bynum. There's a chance Gordon and Bynum might play, but also there's also a possibility that Brandon Knight (broken nose) might not. Detroit is, of course, one of the NBA's worst teams, but the Pistons have won two straight, vs. the Bucks and Hornets, in close games, led by sophomore forward Greg Monroe.who's now averaging 16 and nine.

Morrow, who's returning from honoring his grandmother, hasn't missed a foul shot since January 16 and is second in the NBA in three pointers. Kris Humphries has also quietly been effective as a scorer, averaging 16 points and nine rebounds this month. Hump is also fifth in the NBA in offensive rebounds and ninth in total rebounds.

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Game 26 - Nets vs. Bulls - Monday, February 6, 7:30 p.m.

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The Nets, who couldn't stop Jeremy Lin on Saturday, face a somewhat better point guard in Derrick Rose on Monday when the Bulls come to Newark for their only appearance in New Jersey this season. The reigning MVP is averaging 23.6 points, 8.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds and will be the starting point guard on the East All-Stars.

The Bulls position atop the East and in the power rankings has been achieved without a soft schedule. Chicago in fact has played one more road game than the Nets and are 11-5 away from United Center. And if Rose wasn't enough, the Bulls front court of Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah and Luol Deng are all playing well. Richard Hamilton (thigh) is out.

For the Nets, it will be the first of four games in six days, three of them at home. After Saturday's game vs. San Antonio, the team will have three whole days off. Anthony Morrow will join the inactive rolls Monday to attend his grandmother's funeral. Keith Bogans, who started 98 games for the Bulls last season, will replace him at SG. The Nets announced that none of the injured Nets will be back this week. Only nine players will be in uniform Monday. Speaking of uniforms, those nine will dress in their retro "New York Nets" uniforms vs. Chicago.

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Game 25 - Nets @ Knicks - Saturday, February 4, 7:30

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The Nets and Knicks go into tonight's contest separated by only a half-game, the Nets 8-16 and the Knicks 8-15. But despite two close losses to the Bulls and Celtics, the Knicks have a 2-8 record, the Nets 5-5 over the last ten. And the Knicks are only without Baron Davis (who this week missed his 200th game in the last decade) while the Nets are still working with 10.

"We’re heading to Brooklyn next year and we definitely want to make this a rivalry game," Deron Williams said. "I’m sure guys have had this one circled and are looking forward to it."

The Knicks big problem appears to be a lack of cohesion, the result of a lack of a point guard. While the addition of Tyson Chandler has helped their defense, the commensurate loss of Chauncey Billups has hurt their offense. Carmelo Anthony does seem to have bought their plan the last few games, sharing the ball rather than taking ill-advised shots.. Problem is this is the Knicks' third game in a back-to-back-to-back. On top of that, there are rumors that Mike D'Antoni will be fired this weekend.

The Nets had their chances vs. the Timberwolves at the end, just the Knicks did with Celtics, but came away with a turnover rather than a shot. Anthony Morrow is averaging 35 points over the last two and credits Deron Williams for getting him open.

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Game 24 - Nets vs. Timberwolves - Friday, February 3, 7:30 p.m.

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Too bad MarShon Brooks is still out. Friday's game with the Timberwolves would have made for a great match-up between Rookie of the Year candidates. Instead, Ricky Rubio, aka Ricky of the Year, will have to settle for a match-up with the NBA's hottest player at his position, Deron Williams.

Over the last five games, D-WIll is averaging 29 points and 8.4 assists, shooting just a tad under 50% overall and 40% from deep. Rubio's played well over that period, too. He's averaging 13.6 and 9.4. He and D-Will are tied for the most points-assists double-doubles. But Rubio's shooting has tailed off, dropping to 38% and 29% over that five game span. Both of their teams are 3-2.

The Wolves, in spite of a 10-12 record, are among the league's most exciting teams, with Rubio, newly signed Kevin Love and mercurial but talented Michael Beasley, none of who have reached their 24th birthday. For the Nets, winners of four of their last seven, the medical report remains iffy. Anthony Morrow (ankle), Johan Petro (stomach) and maybe Mehmet Okur (back) are the only ones of the walking wounded who could play.

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Game 23 - Nets vs. Pistons - Wednesday, February 1, 7:30

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Lawrence Frank returns to Jersey for the first time as Pistons head coach, but it will be with a team that has the second worst record in the NBA and almost as many wounded warriors as the Nets. The Pistons are 4-19, with only the Bobcats sporting a worse record. They also have the league's second longest losing streak at six, being blown out by the Knicks Tuesday night at the Garden.

Ben Gordon (sore left shoulder), Will Bynum (strained right foot) and Charlie Villanueva (sore right ankle) are out and didn't even travel with the team on its east coast trip. The team's biggest bright spots are two young players: sophomore center Greg Monroe, who is averaging 16 and 10, and rookie Brandon Knight, who's moving up in the first year rankings with averages of 13 and 4.

For the Nets, nothing has changed on the injury front, with Mehmet Okur possibly returning on Friday and the team's two 23-year-old stars, Brook Lopez and Marshon Brooks, with uncertain return dates. The Nets will likely suit up 10 players again at the Prudential Center, where they are 2-6

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Game 22 - Nets @ Pacers - Tuesday, January 31, 7:00

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The Nets will face another (slightly) banged-up team Tuesday night when they play the 13-6 Pacers in Super Bowl-mad Indianapolis. The problem is the Nets are really banged up, with MarShon Brooks and DeShawn Stevenson joining the (barely) walking wounded that already included Brook Lopez, Damion James and Mehmet Okur.

Roy Hibbert, the Pacers' 7'2" center, has been making great strides, but he underwent surgery Monday to repair a broken nose. If he plays he'll wear a mask. He also has a bum right ankle. Jeff Foster is out with a bad back. Otherwise, the Pacers should be fine and they are becoming a solid if young team, with Hibbert, Danny Granger, Darren Collison, David West and Paul George (who went 5-for-5 from three when the two teams played in Newark).

The Nets may have to start Larry Owens, the D-League call-up at small forward with Stevenson and Damion James out and Shawne Williams restricted to limited minutes. Brooks status will be updated later today although his tweets seemed to indicate he won't be out long.

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Game 21 - Nets vs. Raptors - Sunday, January 29, 6:00 p.m.

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Over the next few games, the Nets will have an opportunity to prove whether they are legitimate playoff contenders in the woeful Eastern Conference. In spite of their 2-9 start, they are only a game and a half behind the eighth place Bucks and tied with the spiraling Knicks at 7-13. Just behind them are the Raptors at 6-14. The Nets, with five wins in the last 10 are doing as well as any team in the bottom half of the East.

The Nets catch another break Sunday with Andrea Bargnani (calf) out indefinitely for the Raptors. Perhaps Jose Calderon will be distracted by trade rumors. DeMar DeRozan? He's been in a shooting slump.While the Nets are surging, Toronto is only 2-8 over the last 10. Linas Kleiza will get the start at PF and look for Jerryd Bayless to get minutes in the backcourt as well.

The big question for the Nets is health ... again. Team officials seem confident MarShon Brooks' achilles problem is more about minutes than structural issues. If he plays, it will be sparingly. No word on Mehmet Okur's recurring back spasms or Shelden Williams' sore wrist or DeShawn Stevenson's balky knee. To fill in, Jordan Williams has been recalled from Springfield. Deron Williams is healthy and with his 49.3% shooting last week, he's gotten his season shooting percentages up to 40% overall and 35% from deep.

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