In the 'Zzone

Carter Update

The e-mail came in this morning, but we've been having computer issues. Sorry for the delay.

Here is the update: the Nets arrived London and didn't practice. Vince Carter received treatment, said he feels pretty good and they should know more tomorrow about whether he plays Sunday.

If he doesn't for precautionary reasons, no biggie. It gives someone else a chance. We know what Carter can do. Everyone wants to see more of Chris Douglas-Roberts, Ryan Anderson and everyone wants to see Yi Jianlian and Brook Lopez - the two bigs who didn't play yesterday but should Sunday barring injury.

But if they play, and Eduardo Najera returns from his wrist injury, other bigs are likely to sit based on the scenario coach Lawrence Frank laid out yesterday.

Reminder: Sunday's Game is on NBATV at 2 p.m.

Game 1: Initial Thoughts

From the initial reactions, Vince Carter’s left hamstring injury suffered in the second quarter of today’s preseason game doesn’t seem serious.

After the Nets 100-98 overtime win over the Heat in Paris, Carter told the reporters at the Bercy Arena that he felt he caught it before it got serious. And coach Lawrence Frank called it a “little strained hamstring.”

Carter Hurts Hamstring

Vince Carter strained his left hamstring on a second-quarter drive in today's preseason opener against the Heat in France. Carter is out for the rest of the game.

We'll know more later when we get on the conference call with coach Lawrence Frank.

In Carter's place rookie Chris Douglas-Roberts is playing well. He scored 12 consecutive points in the second after replacing Carter and has scored two quick buckets, including one on a fastbreak slam after a steal, early in the third. Douglas-Roberts has three steals to this point.

The Nets started Carter, Devin Harris, Sean Williams, Ryan Anderson and Bobby Simmons. To this point, first-round pick Brook Lopez and Yi Jianlian hasn't played yet. There's about eight minutes left in the third with the Nets down 55-53.

Out for the Nets were Eduardo Najera, who re-aggravated his left wrist in practice yesterday, Jarvis Hayes (hamstring) and Keyon Dooling (sprained left ankle).

For Starters

Bonjour from Paris. Actually, what’s up from New Jersey.

It only felt like we were in Paris this afternoon because we got some flavor and culture from France and from the coach of the Nets.

Carter Country

The Nets touched down in Paris at about 7:30 a.m. this morning, got to the hotel around 9:30, had a team breakfast and hit the practice floor by 1 p.m.

Right to work is probably the right thing. They have the rest of the day to relax and catch up on sleep since the next practice isn’t until tomorrow at 1 p.m., or 7 a.m. for those in the East.

Nets Hope to Click in Europe

The Nets said au revior to New Jersey and will be saying bonjour to Paris around the time most of us are waking up tomorrow.

And they will get right to work, essentially.

They’ll fly this evening, land in the morning over there, have a team breakfast and NBA meeting, media availability, a little break and then practice.

Here's Yi, Here's Yi

I know I used that headline over the summer - and I probably will again - but it works today because Yi Jianlian went through his first full practice as a Net.

He had gone through shooting and running and five-on-zero work, but when we were let in the gym, Yi was out there, banging bodies and scrimmaging with his team, not thinking about or being hampered by the sprained left ankle that has made him mostly a spectator during this training camp.

The Rookie Is the Teacher

Talk about a switch.

Vince Carter, a perennial All-Star, one of the most electrifying players in the game and 10-year veteran, asks rookie Chris Douglas-Roberts questions.

That says a lot about Carter that he isn’t a big-timer or anything like that, which we knew he wasn’t. With coach Lawrence Frank adding principles of the dribble-drive offense to the Nets’ scheme, Douglas-Roberts, who played it as Memphis and throughout the summer here, is the most schooled at this system. So Carter isn’t too proud to pick his brain.

Day 5: Going Overtime

The longest scrimmage we’ve seen this camp – eight minutes-plus and no interruptions - went into overtime when Devin Harris hit a buzzer-beating three.

In the sudden-death OT, Awvee Storey knocked down a three over Vince Carter to give the white team the win.

Day Four: The President Is In

The familiar face standing in the doorway of the Nets’ training room, the one wearing a big smile as he watched the team false start a few times on sprints was Rod Thorn.

It was the first time we had seen Thorn since one of the Nets’ press conferences introducing new players and first time we had spoken to him since Nenad Krstic decided to sign with a team in Russia.