Tonight Brook Lopez is going up against his old nemesis Roy Hibbert. I’m serious, Roy Hibbert gives Brook fits. Hibbert is big enough to be able to push Brook around and on the offensive end, he seems to get pumped for this match-up and plays well. Against the Nets, Hibbert has just plain dominated. He has shot 60.7% from the field, scores 19.5 points, and gets 9.5 rebounds per game. On the other hand, Brook Lopez’s numbers are poor against the Pacers. In 2 games Brook has only shot 36% from the field. Ouch. Anywho…onto the matchup!
Devin Harris vs. Earl Watson
Earl Watson is a favorable matchup for Devin, and I am hoping that Devin can use his speed to get into the lane and cause some problems. You might get tired of reading this, because I say this a ton, but in my opinion getting to the middle of the lane is key for Devin. He can draw fouls (which is something he is very good at), get easier attempts, and draw help (this leads to easy baskets for his teammates).
Advantage: Devin Harris
Courtney Lee vs. Luther Head
Dahntey Jones seems to have fell off on the offensive end, which is why Luther Head has replaced him in the lineup. Head is a very good shooter who can attack the basket as well. I think Courtney should be able to contain Head because he has the size to keep him in check.
Advantage: Push
Chris Douglas-Roberts vs. Troy Murphy
CDR is in a no-win situation tonight. If he takes a lot of shots and scores, he will be called a selfish player by the media. If he plays within the offense, only takes a couple shots, and picks up a few assists, the media will talk about how he hates his teammates for not getting enough shots. The only way this stuff will cool down is if the Nets get a win, I hope that happens.
Advantage: Push
Yi vs. Danny Granger
Danny Granger is going to give Yi fits on the defensive end. However, I expect Yi to make Granger work. Granger is back and healthy, and will probably go off against the Nets tonight. If he does, the Nets need to contain everyone else if they want a chance to win.
Advantage: Danny Granger
Brook Lopez vs. Roy Hibbert
We already talked about this up top, but I wanted to talk about why Hibbert gives Brook trouble. Hibbert is big enough to push Brook farther out than he wants to be. This makes Brook catch it farther out, and when that happens, he either settles for the shot, or he makes a move too far away from the basket and he takes an awkward shot.
Advantage: Push
