Before we get to the game tonight, I wanted to talk about a contest that the Nets are holding real quick. There is a Jay-Z concert on March 6th at the Izod Center. The Nets are giving away free tickets, and it is pretty easy to qualify for a chance to win. According to the site:
All one has to do is follow the Nets on Twitter (@netsbasketball) or Become a Fan on Facebook by March 1st, and retweet a message (Twitter) or fill out a brief form (FB).
Just thought some Nets fans would be interested in this info.
As for the game, no Chris Bosh tonight for the Raptors. Nets’ fans shouldn’t really be celebrating yet, because Bosh’s great play isn’t the reason why the Nets have been losing to the Raptors. Don’t get me wrong, he has been a factor, but the Raptors running and gunning is what has been giving the Nets problems. We shall see if the Nets can keep this from happening tonight. Onto the lineups…
Devin Harris vs. Jarrett Jack
Mark summed it up perfectly earlier today. Devin Harris is back, and it isn’t just because of the numbers either (I believe sometimes the numbers can lie to you), but if you watch him, he just looks better now. He looks like the same player as last year, and that is important.
Advantage: Devin Harris
Courtney Lee vs. DeMar DeRozan
Courtney Lee had a really good game in the Nets’ win against Charlotte. He then had a truly awful game against the Heat. That seems to be Courtney’s problem this year, consistency. It is understandable though. Last year, as the 5th or 6th option on that Magic team, Lee could afford to have a bad game here or there because the Magic weren’t relying on him. The Nets rely on him. He is this team’s third option, and he is going to have to be more consistent for the Nets.
Advantage: Push
Jarvis Hayes vs. Hedo Turkoglu
Hedo Turkoglu is one of the biggest flops (in terms of Free Agent signings) this year so far, and part of it is the way that he plays on the Raptors. Hedo is a guy who is at his best with the ball in his hands, he just seems more comfortable with that. The Raptors have a true-point guard, and they like to run their sets (not saying it is a bad thing), but this kind of keeps Hedo out of the loop.
Advantage: Hedo Turkoglu
Yi vs. Amir Johnson
I think Amir is going to be the guy who is going to replace Chris Bosh tonight, thought I am not really positive. Johnson might end up being a nightmare match-up for Yi, because he is a very athletic guy, and those are the guys who seem to give him the most problems.
Advantage: Push
Brook Lopez vs. Andrea Bargnani
Andrea Bargnani is going to present a unique problem for Brook Lopez. Bargnani isn’t going to bother him on the defensive end, but when on offense, Brook is going to have a tough time covering Bargnani. He said it himself (via @netsbasketball):
Brook, on Bargs: “It’s tough b/c he can shoot the ball, he’s big and can play in the post. You’ve got to try to make him rely on counters.”
To offset this, Brook really needs to get working in the post on the offensive end. Hopefully the contact and all that will tire Bargnani out and that will end up leaving his shots short. If not, this can happen.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
