The Brooklyn Nets Thread (RESPECT)..

[graybakflip]

Its been a while, finally our exams are done, now just waiting for the results( ). Whoa, it was a roller coaster ride last year. November was good, avery was the coach of the month(11-4 still we could've been better, those blown leads turned to losses i.e minny). Then December came, the schedule got tighter, and still no change in rotations and eventually leads to avery's firing. Really Avery was part of the problem back then, offense is very predictable, too much ISO's!(I mean he has only 5 offensive plays on his book, ISO deron, ISO JJ, ISO Brook, ISO Hump, and ISO REGGIE EVANS!) no ball movement or whatsoever. The rotations was disgusting, tho I love stack and bogans leadership and defense, man they're too old and just overused!. MarShon, Tele, Taylor, Toko were no where to be seen on the games except on blow out losses. He killed the confidence of his young players(esp. MarShon), which they badly need. And really, I've never seen that after a timeout called by avery there's no successful offensive set, not at all, its either a t.o. or ISO then chuck-up a shot really not even once. And every post-game interview, after a tough/blow-out loss the exact words he can only say is "our guys battled?!" really? i'ts like avery day were battling. I mean he has to wake-up his team!, he can't go to his players and make them accountable, he babies his star players(esp. dwill) never get on their heads. Tho I only loved the way he developed Blatche, everything was really an upset. Most of the games your up double digit by the half then the opponent's coach made adjustments and you cant?

So here's our interim coach PJC, 5-1 still not yet sold but so far he's doing a good job. Brook Lopez(4th in the league in PER, leads all C's in PPG, 2.3 bpg) regains his pre-injury form, dwill and JJ shooting better, and most especially the bench is being used more. Currently 19-15 this season, is not that bad considering it's their 1st season in Brooklyn(at least unlike the pre-season champs?! lol), and still there are possible upgrade's before feb. 14 on the roster or coach.

[graybakflip]

Great win!, trailing after the 1st half, came out firing and stepping the D on the 2nd. Third consecutive 20+ lead win, 14-0 with .500 below teams(leads the league), currently ridding a 5 win streak(3rd time this season). A bit undermanned(crash,hump,tele,stack, and JJ w/ the but flu played tho), but still the benched stepped-up led by Marshwag(see avery?!) and Dray. Upcoming schedule should test how far this team has really go.

[graybakflip]

Mirza(showing why he's the best player from euro league last year) and MarShon(better scorer of the team) finally getting comfortable. Tho were not getting that much attention from the media(like it this way, underdogs ), hey were the hottest team in the league right now!, 7 game W streak 2 games below the top of east. JJ is really consistent on offense but what I like from him is he really can defend. Lopez well is just playing one of his best season so far(deserves the AS selection I think). DWill tho he admitted he doesn't deserve to be selected in the AS game(http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/brooklyn-nets/post/_/id/7910/d-will-im-not-having-an-all-star-season) is getting better in leading the team. I know were a "boring" team(no athletic dunkers etc), and I still think a starting def PF+3pt shooter away from contending but with our depth(Blatche was one of the best amnesty signing, no doubt) and Brook's developing game(not a top 15 C? ) I guess we can challenge those contending teams.

Tomorrow @ ATL where JJ's 1st game back against his former team, and next ATL @ BKN. Gotta see how will JJ handle this game's.

[atlwarrior]

I like the way the Nets are playing. All PJ Carlesimo did was make a simple tweak to the team. This was changing the team rotation. Avery Johnson had some odd team rotations. Carlesimo cleaned some of his mess & took Blatche out the starting lineup and replaced him with Reggie Evans. He also put an end to Stackhouse getting so many minutes and replaced him with Keith Bogans. And he gave Kris Humpfries back his 20+ minutes. Those small changes by PJ made the difference. Now the Nets are back to playing good ball again.

[graybakflip]

I like the way the Nets are playing. All PJ Carlesimo did was make a simple tweak to the team. This was changing the team rotation. Avery Johnson had some odd team rotations. Carlesimo cleaned some of his mess & took Blatche out the starting lineup and replaced him with Reggie Evans. He also put an end to Stackhouse getting so many minutes and replaced him with Keith Bogans. And he gave Kris Humpfries back his 20+ minutes. Those small changes by PJ made the difference. Now the Nets are back to playing good ball again.

Actually the only thing PJC changed was trusting Dwill to dictate the tempo and running the PnR more w/ Brrok and Dwill. But still he earned his players trust's w/c Avery lost. Brook Lopez beasted against Knicks yesterday, evened the series, those blocks man, he's still 24 y.o.! best offensive C and still not on his prime yet, and NOT relying on athleticism, still people don't appreciate him. Some said he's overpaid(see Hibbert, Asik) they would choose Asik over him, not a top 15 center( ).





What I really like about him is that he's not that flashy player(unlike that last year's DPOY where after every dunk(a simple putback) screams like there's no tomorrow), just fundamentally sound, goofy-like man. Not a drama queen, or throwing his team under the bus amidst the trade rumors but just being what shaq has envisioned him.

[shadowgrin]

Some said he's overpaid(see Hibbert, Asik) they would choose Asik over him, not a top 15 center( ).

Who are these 'some' people?

What I really like about him is that he's not that flashy player(unlike that last year's DPOY where after every dunk(a simple putback) screams like there's no tomorrow)

So? You want players to act all the same?

[graybakflip]

I think there's no need to tell specifically about these "some" people(just stating the fact that Brook is earning his money). And about that scream after a put-back dunk, you don't need to talk trash to a player after the play or else you'll get a T(true story, last game). Maybe that's the only thing he does well on that end so "let's celebrate like I made a 3pt-fade-away-360-reverse-dunk-off-the-back-board". I mean in every dunk(simple putback, mostly no contest) he does this?

[shadowgrin]

If the rumors are true you'll soon find out...

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/20 ... ght-howard

Nets general manager Billy King has closely monitored the struggling Lakers and quietly searched for a third team with an attractive piece that would help facilitate a trade that would deliver Howard to the Nets, according to sources.

According to sources, King was planning to contact the Minnesota Timberwolves in order to gauge their interest in a three-team trade that would send Kevin Love to the Lakers, Brook Lopez to the Timberwolves and Dwight Howard to the Nets.

That idea, however, was shelved when Love was sidelined 8-10 weeks with a broken hand. The Nets believed the Lakers would be interested in Love, but not an injured Love, even if they’re facing missing the playoffs, according to sources.”

[NovU]

Ok... The Lakers still don't want no Brooklyn Lopez.

[graybakflip]

So now, Brook Lopez's value is on par with dwight and love? How 'bout DMC?Chandler?Asik?Hibbert? hahaha..And yep, that report was from Jarrod Rudolph(the same person leaked the dwight trade rumors last year and even the "blackmail" phone call) like 2/3 days ago. I guess this is just a speculation that they made a "little" conversation if ever they want to trade. Not sure if that "serious talk" but I think not. Actually I don't see the Lakers trading dwight(maybe pau) Minny K.Love for Brook Lopez? really? kinda redundant since they have Pekovic. That report tho was negated by the nets FO (http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/nets/howard-camp-pines-brooklyn-nets-pass-dwight-blight-article-1.1245504?localLinksEnabled=false). But still we don't know, but either way Lopez/Dwight for the Nets? OMG ..

[NovU]

So now, Brook Lopez's value is on par with dwight and love? How 'bout DMC?Chandler?Asik?Hibbert?

No, you read it wrong. According to the article, the Lakers don't want no healthy Lopez nor injured Love but rather hang onto ice thin hope of keeping Dwight.

[graybakflip]

I know Lakers don't want Lopez and Love(injured tho). What I mean is Lopez is now beginning to establish himself as one of the best C's today.

About the rumors surrounding Brook:

Stefan Bondy ‏@NYDNInterNets
Deron Williams said he talked to Brook Lopez about the latest Dwight rumors: “Brook’s having an All-Star year. He’s not going anywhere.”

Before Dwill and Dwight was great buddies(they always talked about playing w/ each other, actually planned it), but after he opted in his contract last season everythings changed. All went downhill from there on for him. And I think the Lakers are the desperate one here about trading if this is true. Why fix if it's ain't broken right?, Nets are 3rd in the east today, half game behind the division leading Knicks. This is not last year where the nets was desperate in acquiring him.

[Jackal]

Good game, good effort.

[graybakflip]

Good game, good effort.

That dunk by kobe was sick!, but again fault's on the nets back court(best back court?! clearly disappointing) as they have been not playing up to their potential and salary. Nets let this one got away. The lone bright star is BROOK LOPEZ!. Consistent night in and night out, and he deserved that all star spot, no doubt. While the "other" best C's are now having bad seasons(health), he's clearly rising his name to the top.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8921135/nba-how-brook-lopez-become-top-10-player

Much of the failure we saw from Lopez in the past was due in part to the horrible atmosphere surrounding him in New Jersey -- coaching issues, substandard talent surrounding him, impending franchise relocations. That is behind him now. Brooklyn has upped its talent and apparently has stabilized the coaching situation. If the Nets continue to develop into legit contenders, and Lopez and continues to evolve his game, his All-Star appearance next weekend won't be his last.

[NovU]

Good game, good effort against the Wizards.

[graybakflip]

So far so good..

31-22, 4th on EC, 9 games above 500. W/ the struggles they had(decmber, coaching change etc), and the "supposedly" a all-star backcourt still not performing up to their potential, and yep, were starting reggie evans, yes reggie "freaking" evans. I'ts not a bad place to be w/ our current standing right?(but still bad tho ). Really, I do hope there's a "change" w/ our roster. Team needs a starting quality PF and a dead-eye 3pt shooter then I could say they're in "contending" level team. Many rumors in these past few days regarding that tho, as BK is still active finding that need for the team. PF's on target might be ATL's Smith, Utah's Milsap, CHA Gordon(not a PF but thery eyeing on him for a possible 3-team trade), MIL Illyasova, CHI Boozer. Key asset's would be Humps contract(nxt yr expr), MarShon Brooks, 1st rd picks(yep we still have them tru 2019), euro stashes (bogdanovic, karaman). Then there's the d12 to lopez trade rumors(dwightmare XVIXVIIIVII) . Lopez' 1st allstar is a must see, how would he showcase himself would be fun(he's boring I know, but well 4th in per). Also would like to see what type of DWill would be @ the 2nd half of the season as he should be the one leading(best) this team not brook, or JJ, or crash(obvious leader on court, but dont have the enuff skills, still appreciate crash tho).

[Stress Fracture]

Why give up Brooks?

[NovU]

It may be just me but I still would pull the trigger on Dwight trade even if it was either for Deron or Brook. I'd rather take chance on Dwight's health than being a 5th seed loser for years to come. Brook/Howard frontcourt tandem doesn't sound bad while Deron/Howard in and out combo also doesn't sound bad at all.

[Andrew]

In terms of matching salaries and offering a package that the Lakers would be in any way inclined to accept, they'd pretty much have to include Brook Lopez.

[Andrew]

Williams set a record for threes made in the first half with nine yesterday. I was hoping he'd go on to tie or even break the record in the second half but like Stephen Curry a couple of weeks back, he fell a couple short. Still an impressive shooting display of course, but so close and yet so far from besting the record.

[NovU]

Gerald Wallace: ‘My confidence is totally gone’

“My confidence is totally gone,” Wallace told The Post Saturday. “I’m just at the point now ... I’m in a situation where I feel like if I miss, I’m going to get pulled out of the game, you know what I’m saying? So my whole concept is just that you can’t come out of the game if you’re not missing shots.

“I think I lost the confidence of the coaching staff and my teammates. So my main thing is those guys can score, so instead of thinking about it so much, just trying to focus on defense, try to move the ball and get those guys shots.”

“I’ve been working and I’ve been shooting, but it’s hard,” Wallace said. “Regardless of how much work I’m doing on my shot, the fact of the matter is it is what it is.

“I’ve been in the league 12 years. Am I mad about not being out on the court? Am I mad about not making shots? Yeah. But my main thing is I’m trying to stay on the court. I know I can play defense, make plays for the other guys and try to do some things to help me stay on the court.”

And for their salary...
http://hoopshype.com/salaries/brooklyn.htm

[Andrew]

That doesn't exactly bode well.

[rise]

For someone so incredibly mentally tough, that's a shocker. For Wallace's confidence to drop like that was unheard of when he was a Bobcat.

Then again, I'm not all that surprised, given he's been in a huge slump all season long and is totally lost in the offense. Couple that with the rapidly fading athleticism, I hate to say it, but Gerald is a very bad contract and little else right now.

[Patr1ck]

Those quotes read incredibly selfish, even though he talked about getting guys shots. Trying to do what he can to stay on the court? No wonder he isn't doing well, he doesn't even believe in himself.

[Jackal]

Where'd that gaybackflip guy go?