Toronto rolls into New York to take on Brooklyn’s finest.
The Brooklyn Nets make me sad.
It’s a sad team of aging to aged veterans that deserve better. It’s sad to see a near 40-year-old Kevin Garnett headbutting Dwight Howard. It’s sad to see ankle-less Deron Williams come off the bench (he won’t play due to a rib injury). It’s sad to see Joe Johnson toiling away as the no. 1 guy on yet another mediocre team. It’s sad to see a capped out team with no prospects of getting better in the short term, with no rising stars (save for Mason Plumlee) and no draft picks. It’s really sad.
The Nets’ record sits at just 18-27. Their offense ranks 25th in the league and their defense is average, clocking in at 16th per Basketball Reference. They play slowly, they like to isolate Joe Johnson (who is dealing with tendonitis) and Jarrett Jack (Raptors fans will remember him as Chris Bosh’s best friend) is inexplicably second on the team in terms of minutes played at 1,326, which is too many for a full season, let alone 45 games.
The Nets also make me sad because they’re not who they were last season. They’re a hollowed-out husk of their former selves. Jason Kidd’s failed coup landed him in Milwaukee, and he took the Nets’ identity as a smallball team as he went. Of course, some of that was aided by Paul Pierce and Shaun Livingston departing in free agency, but the Nets under Lionel Hollins are a much more traditional team, with lots of post play and a smattering of midrange shots, and it simply has not been nearly as effective.
Most of all. It sucks that the Nets suck because they were the closest thing the Raptors had to a rival. The seven-game playoff loss still rubs raw in my heart. With the Nets sinking, there will be no redemption for the Raptors, at least not by beating the Nets. And that sucks.
Player match-ups
Guards
Jarrett Jack, Joe Johnson, Sergey Karasev vs. Kyle Lowry, Greivis Vasquez, Lou Williams
Joe Johnson will be a mis-match. That’s not exactly a shock. Despite toiling through a down year, Iso-Joe is still a menace on the block, and James Johnson locked away on the bench, it will be tough to stop Johnson without committing a second defender. Still, the Raptors hold an advantage everywhere else, and with the Nets lacking reliable shooters, sending a double-team isn’t so unpalatable.
Advantage: Raptors
Wings
Bojan Bogdanovic, Alan Anderson vs. DeMar DeRozan, James Johnson, Terrence Ross
Bogdanovic is a sold player. He defends adequately and serves as a utility man on offense. He likes to shoot the 3, but isn’t particularly good at it. Alan Anderson is not the same player that he was in Toronto. He’s no longer shooting every time he touches the ball and is a little improved defensively. Still, DeRozan is the best player out of this group and it’s not particularly close.
Advantage: Raptors
Bigs
Kevin Garnett, Mason Plumlee, Brook Lopez vs. Jonas Valanciunas, Patrick Patterson, Amir Johnson, Tyler Hansbrough
The Nets’ frontcourt is solid. Plumlee is a hyper-athletic big who can toss in the odd post-move. Kevin Garnett is still a capable rim protector and an avid long jumpshot shooter. Brook Lopez can take over once in a while thanks to his gargantuan size and deft touch. It’s not going to be easy.
Advantage: Tied
Prediction
Vegas likes the Raptors to win by seven on the road. Given their recent turnaround, I think the Raptors can stretch their lead to double-digits. The Nets are relatively banged up right now and their lack of depth will hurt. Plus, Joe Johnson is struggling of late, shooting just 37 percent over his last seven games.
Raptors 104, Nets 93
