| New Jersey Nets News: |
| The Nets won 41 games and lost 41 a year ago, and that aptly summarizes where they stand right now: stuck in the middle. Not quite good enough to be a contender, and not quite bad enough to think hard about blowing things up, the Nets' season looks to be one of tempting stretches of quality, followed by predictable relapses toward mediocrity.
Of course, that's just how it looks from the outside -any number of factors can crop up that would cause the Nets to either exceed or fall short of last season's win total. That's why they play the games. With that in mind, and tonight's opener against Chicago looming (7:30 p.m., YES), I thought I'd take a slightly different approach in looking at the Nets' season. Rather than telling you definitely what the good and bad would be, I thought to take a step back and look at some of the big-picture questions facing the Nets this season. How they're answered will determine whether the team, this time, returns to contention, falls to the lottery or, most likely, lands somewhere in between. Can Richard Jefferson bounce back? One of the biggest questions this season is if Jefferson can return to his former level. He suffered through ankle problems last season and put together a disappointing season, which was a major reason New Jersey failed to defend its Atlantic Division title. Nets optimists are expecting the Jefferson of two years ago to reemerge, but I'm not sure it's that simple. He depends heavily on his athleticism, so any lingering issues with the ankle will hold him back. Additionally, his durability has become a question. Last year was the second time in three years Jefferson has missed a big chunk of the season. Any hope of the Nets staying near the top of the Eastern pack depends on his staying in the lineup for 75 games. |
| Event | Date | Tickets | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Miami Heat
vs. New Jersey Nets
|
6:30 pm
|
O2 Arena
|
| More New Jersey Nets News: |
| The Nets led Tuesday night's game in Washington by 11 (64-53) with seven minutes left to go in the 3rd quarter. The Wizards then outscored New Jersey 59-24 the rest of the way, including the last 18 points of the game. Washington hit a franchise record 14 three-pointers on 27 attempts, including four in the first five minutes of the 4th quarter. The Nets shot 51% from the field, but committed 22 turnovers and got just 12 points off the bench. Vince Carter scored 31 points on 15 of 23 shooting, and Jason Kidd had his best game of the season with 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, but the Nets' perimeter defense was a step too slow all night. Washington has now defeated the Nets three times this season by an average of 21 points. |
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