First the disclaimer: it’s preseason so you try not to get too high or too low about anything. But the Nets showed why there is reason for optimism and reason for concern.
The optimism first after today’s 115-107 loss to the Knicks at the Times Union Center in Albany:
Devin Harris and Brook Lopez look like they’re ready for the regular season to begin, as you would expect, and Chris Douglas-Roberts continues to show he can get to the basket, draw fouls or score. He'll take it to anyone.
Harris (16 points, four assists) got to the hole whenever he wanted and Lopez (19 points, 5-for-9 and 9-for-1 from the line) was a presence inside. Would have liked to see him rebound more, though. He grabbed just four and was scoreless in the second half.
The two played enough together to develop a chemistry and it showed the way Harris worked with Lopez on pick-and-rolls and dumped it into the post.
The Nets are tinkering with the offense again, but one thing they should do plenty of is post Lopez and play through him. They will, but probably not enough for most of our liking.
Douglas-Roberts led the Nets with 21 points. he took 15 foul shots.
Now the concern: the defense, especially on the perimeter, which is what they are concentrating on improving the most – so they say.
The Knicks shot 13-of-31 from three (41.9 percent). During one four-minute stretch between the first and second quarters, five of the six baskets the Knicks scored were threes.
“I’m disappointed defensively,” coach Lawrence Frank said. “This is a little bit of a litmus test in terms of seeing where we’re at defensively. Three-point field goal defense once again is a problem. It starts with our inability to contain that first dribble and puts a burden on everyone else. We’ve got to continue to work at it and find the guys who can get it done.”
***
No surprises with the starting lineup: Harris, Douglas-Roberts, Lopez, Yi Jianlian and Jarvis Hayes. Substitute Courtney Lee for Douglas-Roberts and barring injury and a wing player just playing off the charts the rest of the month and this is likely your starting five for the Oct. 28 opener at Minnesota.
First guy off the bench was Rafer Alston for Harris. Then Terrence Williams came in for Hayes and Josh Boone for Yi, Sean Williams for Lopez and Bobby Simmons for Douglas-Roberts.
Yi re-entered the game to start the second as Boone moved to center. Harris was the next substitution coming in for Williams. Alston and Harris in the backcourt together is something we could see plenty of this season until Keyon Dooling returns. Then some decisions will have to be made.
***
Williams struggled in his first NBA game, missing nine-of-13 attempts. He also had his shot blocked twice – by Darko Milicic and Wilson Chandler. Williams started 0-for-6 before hitting his first field goal, a three, in the third period. He had 11 in the second half.
***
Keyon Dooling was running and shooting before the game, shooting off the dribble, stopping and starting. It’s the first time he’s run and shot like that since he had arthroscopic surgery on his hip in May.
Dooling won’t do anything today. The schedule is a hard day and then and an off-day. They want him to continue to build up.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” he said.
Dooling hopes to be back sometime during the preseason.
“I’m trying to pick it up,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting back on the court.
***
At this time a year ago, some of us were writing how Sean Williams was having the best camp of anyone.
“That’s the kiss of death,” Frank said.
You won’t hear anyone say that this season due in large part to Williams’ blocked shots and energy he played with at the Open practice represented his best day of camp. Naturally, Frank is looking for consistency.
“That was his best practice,” Frank said. “That’s who he has to be on an everyday basis. As a team, as a coach, as a teammate it’s about what can we get from this individual everyday. It’s about expected preparation, effort and performance.”
Williams played with similar energy as in the scrimmage but had more fouls than points or rebounds. He fouled out in 14 minutes.
Frank doesn’t know, or wouldn’t say, who will be Lopez’s backup. He has Josh Boone, who should see action at power forward, too, Tony Battie and Williams in the mix. It will come down to who plays with energy, defends, plays consistently and makes the fewest mistakes.
***
There were some concerns about the court here. They had a hockey game last night – Carolina Hurricanes’ affiliate the Albany River Rats play here - and the court was a little “slick” according to Dooling.
They had two huge fans going and the doors open to try and dry it out.
Two years ago, the Nets had a preseason game against the Celtics cancelled at halftime in Worcester, Mass., because of a damp court. That building was home to the Worcester Sharks, an affiliate of the San Jose Sharks.
***
The Nets will visit West Point tomorrow. When they practice at home on Tuesday, Courtney Lee and Eduardo Najera are expected to participate. Frank isn’t sure how much Najera, who hasn’t practiced with the Nets since January, will be able to do but said, “hopefully he can do something. … He should get on the court.”
al
YOU MUST BE JOKING OR ON MIND ALTERING DRUGS TO CALL
YI SKILLED AND ATHLETIC IN YOUR ARTICLE YESTERDAY!!
AS YESTERDAYS GAME SHOWED ,YOU CANT MAKE A POWER FORWARD OUT OF A WIMP!!
i was jokingthis past summer with a friend of mine who is currently an asst coach for another nba teamthat i would like to trade yi to his team,the asst coach said WHY DO WE WANT YOUR GARBAGE!!
THEREFORE YOUR STATEMENT THAT NO ONE QUESTIONS YIS SKILLS NOR ATHLETICISM IS ERRONEOUS!!the league knows he is a bust!!playing him will cause opponents to grim and doom the nets to lose!!!
Posted by: TT | October 05, 2009 at 10:15 AM
TT or should I say Hugh,
We get it. You hate Yi and anytime anyone writes something positive you are going to criticize them and scream in CAPS to prove your point.
Who you talk to and what they think is all well and good. But I go by whom I SPEAK TO and WHAT I KNOW.
Execs and coaches on the Nets have said Yi is skilled and athletic. Execs and coaches from other teams have said the same and I can see, as can you, that at 7-foot he is skilled and athletic. That doesn't mean he's going to be a great or even a good player. There are plenty of questions. He may be a bust. You may be right in the end, but at least I'm willing to say your opinion matters. You just tell everyone else they know nothing, they're wrong and you're right.
YAWN.
Posted by: Al Iannazzone | October 05, 2009 at 10:53 AM
hi al
i appreciate your input.it is quite possible that you may be among the last people the powers at be will talk upfront to!!
i reaffirm what i have written above that NO ONE connected to this team actually believes that yi will end up a good player.
IF THEIR INTENTION IS TO TRY AND PACKAGE HIM AS A THROW IN WITH ANOTHER PLAYER,THEY OBVIOUSLY NEED TO PRAISE HIM IN PUBLIC INCLUDING THE MEDIA!!
I MUST ALSO REAFFIRM THAT ANY MATCHUPS WITH YI AT POWER FORWARD WILL BE DISASTROUS IN TERMS OF WINS AND LOSSES!! LOPEZ NEEDS A TRUE POWER FORWARD TO MAXIMIZE HIS OFFENSIVE ABILITY AND TAKE PRESSURE OFF HIM AT THE DEFENSIVE END.I BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL AGREETHAT YI IS NOT THAT KIND OF PLAYER TO HELP OUT WHERE LOPEZ IS WEAKEST(DEFENSE,SLOW FOOT SPEED ON DEFENSE,AND POWER REBOUNDING IN A CROWD).AN AGGRESSIVE,PHYSICALLY STRONG WITH GOOD FOOT SPEED TYPE PLAYER WOULD HELP IMMESURABLY WITH LOPEZ DEVELOPMENT!!UNFORTUNATELY THIS TYPE OF PLAYER(SOUNDS LIKE KENYON MARTIN)MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL THE NETS PICK NO1 OR 2 IN NEXT YEARS DRAFT!!
Posted by: TT | October 05, 2009 at 11:53 AM
IN ADDITION I DONT HATE YI AS YOU HAVE WRITTEN.
I BELIEVE THAT HE IS A DETRIMENT TO THE TEAM AND IS AN EMBARASSMENT ON THE COURT TO WATCH AS A FAN!!!GAME AFTER GAME HE IS MARKEDLY OUTPLAYED BY EVERY OPPONENT WHO GETS THE SLIGHTEST BIT PHYSICAL WITH HIM!!WHEN TEAMS PLAY HIM LIKE THIS,HE LOOKS LOST AND IS ESSENTIALLY A NON FACTOR!!WHETHER OR NOT HE CAN HIT AN OPEN OUTSIDE SHOT IS IRRELEVANT,WHAT HE DOESNT DO (IN THE TRENCHES) UNDERNEATH THE BASKET IS THE PROBLEM!!
Posted by: TT | October 05, 2009 at 12:26 PM
tt, you speak as if we're a PF away from a championship, we're no way close. What part of rebuilding don't you get? Until the Money's to be have fully taken over the Net's as an organisation, we're in expermental mode, why not play him? Who else on the roster do you suggest we play? I'm not sure if you've notice, but we didn't make one single addition to the roster outside of the rookie, and he's not a PF. Net's fan have to take the brunt of insults from every so called Pundit, Whatever little optimism we get from Al, is very much appreciated. If you wanna dog us go leave a comment on ESPN site and lay off Al. And also let me leave you with some names to ponder on J'O Neil, C Billips, Hedo Turkelo. All late bloomers.
Posted by: Richard | October 05, 2009 at 09:36 PM
I hope the Nets trade Yi and in a year or two he becomes a quality player with another team. It would serve all the Yi bashers their just rewards.
Posted by: Mike | October 06, 2009 at 01:11 PM
UNFORTUNATELY RICHARD CLEARLY IS CLUELESS!!
FIRST ONEILL WENT TO THE NBA FROM HIGH SCHOOL.THE TALENT WAS THERE BUT HE WAS ONLY 18.IN CONTRAST ,YI DOES NOT HAVE AND WILL NEVER HAVE ANY LEVEL OF PLAY LIKE ONEILL DID!
SECOND,TURKOLU HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FINE PLAYER.HE WAS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON THE MULTITALENTED SACROMENTO TEAMS FROM YEARS AGO!!
AGAIN YI DOES AND NEVER WILL HAVE TURKOLUS LEVEL OF TALENT!!
LASTLY,BILLIPS ALWAYS HAD THE TALENT AND SKILL!IT TOOK LARRY BROWN TO HARNESS THIS INTO A GREAT PLAYER!!AGAIN I MUST REITERATE YI NEVER HAD NOR WILL DEVELOP BILLIPS SKILLS!!!
IF ANY OF YOU GO TO GAMES OF THE NETS YOU WILL EASILY SEE OFF THE CAMERA HOW OUT OF LEAGUE YI IS COMPETING AGAINST OTHER PLAYERS!!
TO MIKE,
PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT DRUGS YOU ARE TAKING!!IT CLEARLYHAS AFFECTED YOUR REALITY!!I KNOW PROBABLY 15 TO 20 FORMER NBA PLAYERS.NOT ONE BELIEVES YI HAS ANY SIGNIFICANT FUTURE IN THE NBA!!
TO AL,
OPTOMISM IS FINE,BUT AS A REPORTER READERS FIRST WANT TO HEAR REALITY.IF YOU THINK REALITY IS TOO HARSH,THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD title your colums nets fantasy!!
anyone including yourself who writes that yi is athletic and skilled is not being real!!
Posted by: TT | October 06, 2009 at 01:37 PM
TT, Hugh, or Coach Wooden, whoever you are,
I will not get into a you-know-what contest with you. Yi is skilled and athletic. How many 7-footers can take guys off the dribble and drive to the basket? He may not always finish, but he's skilled and athletic. Now, as I said earlier, that doesn't mean he is or will be good. But he is skilled and athletic.
Lastly, just because people don't have your opinion, you should stop saying they're on drugs or clueless or whatever insult/accusation you choose. I'm going to go out on a limb here, but something tells me you are not always right. Does that mean you're clueless or on mind-altering drugs.
Oh, one more thing: It's O'NEAL and BILLUPS. Since you know everything about the NBA and 15-20 players and all these coaches I would expect you to know how to spell some prominent players' names.
Posted by: Al Iannazzone | October 06, 2009 at 08:06 PM
Al, we are cearly dealing with an idiot in "TT" I'm sure being the great scout he's claiming to be, saw all this talent in the players mention above before they became superstars. You have players such as LBJ, TD & KG that come into the league and dominate, some have to actually work on their games, and sometimes it takes a couple of season. Let's also add that Yi is a foreign product, the NBA is a different beast! I'm a die hard Net's fan and I'm at Net's game season after season, and that's why I get where Al is coming from, you don't need to be a GM to see the talent, and apparantly other GM's agree, for him to be a top 10 pick, now TT please read before you open up your pie hole!! NO ONE is saying he's impressed thus far, but you have to be an idiot to not think that a 7 footer who can probably one day push his range past the three point line and developing post moves worth atleast another full, hopefully injury free season, then you're not worth discussing BASKETBALL with. I'm guessing you also thought that Kristic was talentless as well. You sound like a Knick's Jackoff!!
Posted by: Richard | October 07, 2009 at 02:09 AM
lets get real richard
sounds like you writing your remarks at 2A.M. SAYS THINGS ABOUT YOU THAT I WILL NOT PRINT!GET A LIFE!
TO AL,
I REITERATE THAT NO ONE BELIEVES YI IS ATHLETIC!!HE IS SO MECHANICAL IN HIS PLAY THAT EVERY OPPONENT HE HAS TROUBLE WITH!!
IN TERMS OF BEING A TOP 10 PICK,ONE GM MADE THE MISTAKE OF DRAFTING HIM-THIS SAME GM DUMPED HIM AFTER ONLY ONE YEAR!!HE WAS EVEN WILLING TO TAKE ON JEFFERSONS CONTRACT TO GET RID OFHIM!!
RICH
IF YOU STATE THAT I AM AN IDIOT,THEN YOU MUST BE A RETARDED MORON!!!!
Posted by: TT | October 07, 2009 at 09:40 AM
TT, come on, you sound like a 14 year old on a coffee high, somehow you believe the more you write in caps the more sense you'll make....when on the contrary, with every post you sound more and more like the idiot everyone else reading this post thinks you are. Do yourself a favor and leave basketball talk to the grown ups, and stick to playstation, where most of your so called reliable sources comes from.
Posted by: Richard | October 07, 2009 at 11:44 PM
hi rich
you are getting better!
answeing at midnight!
YOU ARE A MAJOR LOSER!!!
Posted by: TT | October 08, 2009 at 09:53 AM
Hey TT, some people actually work, move out of your parents home and stop being a MAJOR LOSER!
Posted by: Richard | October 08, 2009 at 04:02 PM
hi rich
BIG LETTERS or not you are the loser!!
Posted by: TT | October 08, 2009 at 04:49 PM
TT, I think the real loser is your mom, for birthing you.
Posted by: Richard | October 08, 2009 at 11:31 PM
richard,
you are obviously paranoid and defensive!!
LET ME BE CLEAR: YOU ARE A MAJOR LOSER!!
FIND SOMETHING BETTER TO DO AT 1111P.M.
HA HA HA HA
Posted by: TT | October 09, 2009 at 03:46 PM
ｈｔｔｐ://ｗｗｗ.ｂａｎｋｎｅｔ.ｂｉｚ/
Posted by: tancy | July 21, 2011 at 12:22 AM