Miami Heat-New Jersey Nets: Pregame Thread

Miami Heat-New Jersey Nets: Pregame Thread

Basic Advanced

Offensive Rating: Nets 103.5 (19th), Heat 107.9 (5th)
Defensive Rating: Nets 109.4 (28th), Heat 100.7 (5th)
Pace: Nets 90.0 (20th), Heat 91.4 (14th)

Four Factors

eFG%: Nets .474 (24th), Heat .509 (4th)
TOV%: Nets .143 (21st), Heat .141 (17th)
ORB%: Nets .284 (10th), Heat .267 (19th)
FT/FGA: Nets .212 (13th), Heat .242 (4th)

Defensive Four Factors

Opp. eFG%: Nets .513 (28th), Heat .479 (10th)
Opp. TOV%: Nets .139 (13th), Heat .158 (3rd)
DRB%: Nets .703 (28th), Heat .732 (13th)
Opp. FT/FGA: Nets .207 (15th), Heat .205 (13th)

From the other side: The Heat Index

Starting Lineups: Sundiata Gaines, MarShon Brooks, Gerald Green, Kris Humphries, Jordan Williams; Mario Chalmers, Terrel Harris, LeBron James, Udonis Haslem, Chris Bosh

Last time: Which one do you want? The Nets haven’t beaten the new-look Heat since they became the new-look Heat, losing all five games by double digits and by an average of 18 points. Most recently, the Heat drubbed the Nets from start to finish, 108-78. Dwyane Wade left with an injury in the second quarter and the Heat didn’t need him one bit.

This time: Wade’s sitting the entire night tonight, technically with a sprained right ankle, but mostly because what the hell do the Heat need Dwyane Wade for against a team that hasn’t contended with them once in two years. (Eric Spoelstra calls this a “maintenance program.”)

Deron Williams will also sit to rest his sore calf, which bothered him for four games in March and apparently has cropped up again. (BTW: If anyone ever deciphers the Taman Shud code and learns that “sore calf” translates to “I’m sick of my perfect passes bouncing off my teammate’s hands,” shoot me an e-mail pronto.) Gerald Wallace is still out, leaving an opportunity for Gerald Green to finally start his first game this season.

Despite nursing a strained ankle, LeBron James is also in uniform, which is fortunate for everyone in the world except the New Jersey Nets.