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Author: Scouts Inc.
Scounting Report: Pacers vs. Nets
I have always said that the playoffs showcase your strengths and weaknesses.
There is nowhere to hide or cover them up at this time of the season. You are who you are. We know exactly who the New Jersey Nets are. They are a team that has worked hard this season , directed by a tireless coach in Lawrence Frank to get this thing right. They fought through some adversity in the early stages of the season, and came out with a 49-33 record. They have three explosive perimeter players, they defend at a high level, and can play big or small, fast or slow.
On the other hand we have no idea what to expect from the Indiana Pacers. Are the Pacers a dangerous, talented team that will be able to salvage a disappointing season with a playoff victory? Or are they a team riddled with chemistry issues, a lack of cohesiveness and a major drop off in their defensive mindset from several years ago?
The Pacers won the season series 2-1 but that is irrelevant in this series because those games did not include the same players that will face each other on Sunday. Two weeks ago, the Pacers dropped seven of eight games, and were four games under .500. They went five for five down the stretch to get the sixth seed in the playoffs, but this team has been up and down all year. Game 1 must be a statement game for the Pacers. If the Nets get the Pacers down 2-0, this series might end quickly.
Point Guard: Anthony Johnson vs. Jason Kidd
Pacers: Let me put it to you this way. Anthony Johnson was the back up point guard to Kidd when he was with the Nets, enough said. Jamaal Tinsley has been injured all year and will miss at least the first two games with a nagging Achilles injury. Thus, the steady Johnson will be faced with the daunting task of running around with Kidd for close to 48 minutes.
Nets: Jason Kidd is the leader of his team, and makes the whole thing work in New Jersey. He is the consummate pro, supremely confident, and has the ability to will his team to victory. Statistics are only a small part of Kidd's importance to the Nets. This year he averaged 13.3 ppg, 8.4 apg (5th in the NBA) and led the Nets in rebounding with 7.3 rpg. In addition, Kidd is the leader of New Jersey's stingy defense. He is a lot healthier than a year ago, and just recently locked up Billups and Nash in back-to-back performances. This was the Kidd of several years back; and if he has the ability to do that during the Nets playoff run this team might be able to pull off a big upset.
Advantage: Nets
Shooting Guard: Stephen Jackson vs. Vince Carter
Pacers: Stephen Jackson can score and this year he averaged 16.4 ppg and shot .345 from beyond the arc. But he cannot dominate a game the way Carter can and rarely commands any type of double team the way Carter has throughout his career. Both of these players are suspect defensively.
Nets: Vince Carter is an All-Star guard, and can single-handedly take over a game. Carter has the ability to breakdown defenders at will and create his own shot. Carter scored 24.2 ppg, shot .341 from beyond the arc, and grabbed 5.8 rpg. In addition, Carter gets to the foul line 7.6 times per game.
Advantage: Nets
Small Forward: Peja Stojakovic vs. Richard Jefferson
Pacers: This might be one of the more interesting matchups of the series. The younger, more athletic wing player in Jefferson versus the older, scorer/3-point shooter in Stojakovic. This is a very important series for Peja Stojakovic, because at the end of the season he will opt out for free agency. He is playing not only for the Pacers, but for himself. Peja has put up nice numbers in his 40 games as a Pacer. In his 36.4 mpg, he has averaged 19.5 ppg, on .461 field-goal accuracy. Stojakovic has also attempted an average of 5.6 3-point shots per game, and he's hitting about 40-percent from that range. In addition, he's averaging 6.3 rebounds per game.
Nets: Richard Jefferson is athletic, wiry, and disciplined enough to make Stojakovic work hard to score. Jefferson will be a tough guard for Stojakovic or Danny Granger. His 19.5 ppg were second on the Nets' roster and his ability to get to the rim (an average of 7.4 free throw attempt per game) will create some defensive problems for the Pacers.
Advantage: Push
Power Forward: Jermaine O'Neal vs. Jason Collins
Pacers: Jermaine O'Neal needs a monster performance in this series, because New Jersey is vulnerable in the post. O'Neal averaged 20.1 ppg in only 51 games this season. It appears that he recently found his game again, and in the last game of the season versus Orlando he had 24 points, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks. This is the kind of performance the Pacers need from Jermaine to keep this series close. O'Neal must play with a renewed purpose if the Pacers want to even think about an upset.
Nets: Jason Collins importance to this team is not viewed in his stats, having only scored 3.6 ppg and 4.8 rpg in his 26.7 mpg this season. Collins is the front line glue of the Nets defense, he is their anchor. Collins does a lot of the dirty work and will always give himself up for the betterment of the team. In past years New Jersey put Kenyon Martin on O'Neal in their playoff series because he is a physical defender. New Jersey will use a combination of Collins, Nenad Krstic and Cliff Robinson banging with O'Neal to contain him.
Advantage: Pacers
Center: Jeff Foster vs. Nenad Krstic
Pacers: Jeff Foster is the ultimate overachiever. Injuries curtailed his performance this year, however. Still, Foster averaged 25.1 mpg and grabbed 9.1 rpg for the Pacers, which would have put him in the Top 20 in the NBA if he had played more games. Foster only averaged 5.9 ppg with high quality shots around the bucket.
Nets: Kidd said recently that Nenad Krstic has been "off the charts for us, and it is a pleasure to play with him and see his growth." Can there be a better endorsement? Krstic might not be a star but he is a factor. In fact, he might be the X-factor in this series. He has a tremendous work ethic and has made improvements in every facet of his game. Krstic has developed more confidence this year and it shows. His ability to step out and hit the 18-foot jumper opens up lanes to the hoop for the 3 perimeter players. If the Indiana big men decide to cheat off of him defensively and clog the middle, Kristic will make them pay dearly for it.
Advantage: Nets
Bench
Pacers: On the other hand, the Pacers can bring in waves of talented players with an abundance of playoff experience. Their best player off the bench will be Danny Granger. Granger has demonstrated to Rick Carlisle the need for more minutes on the court and Carlisle might need him to guard either Jefferson or Carter throughout the series. In addition, Carlisle can call on Austin Croshere, Fred Jones, Sarunas Jasikevicius, David Harrison, Scot Pollard and Tinsley if he gets healthy.
Nets: Luckily for the Nets, there are no back-to-back games in the playoffs. Frank has had to play his three perimeter guys high-volume minutes and then rotate Collins, Krstic and Robinson up front. Jacque Vaughn and Lamond Murray and Scott Padgett are the only other players who see significant minutes.
Advantage: Pacers
Coaching: Rick Carlisle vs. Lawrence Frank
Pacers: Both of these coaches have demonstrated the ability to lead their respective teams through tough playoff battles. Both teams will be prepared and ready. Carlisle has demonstrated better than any other coach in the NBA how to deal with adversity and distractions. He has guided this team through treacherous waters the last two years. Carlisle's biggest problem as he approaches this series is that his team has lost 8 of their last 9 road games. If Indy could steal one of the first two games in New Jersey, this could get interesting.
Nets: Frank's team goes into this series on much more of an up tick having just come off a 14-game winning streak during the month of March and early April. Lawrence will have to deal with the low post presence of O'Neal and strategically rest his perimeters throughout this series.
Advantage: Push
Prediction
We will find out in the first two games of this series whether Indiana will be a contender or pretender. As I mentioned earlier, in the playoffs all your warts are exposed. Which team will show up for the Pacers on Sunday? The talented team that can pull an upset in the opening round if they are clicking as a team, or the underachieving one with chemistry issues and a lack of cohesiveness throughout the year. If the Pacers can get their act together, this could be an interesting series. Otherwise, it could get ugly.
Pick: New Jersey Nets in six games.
Author: Scouts Inc.
Scounting Report: Pacers vs. Nets
I have always said that the playoffs showcase your strengths and weaknesses.
There is nowhere to hide or cover them up at this time of the season. You are who you are. We know exactly who the New Jersey Nets are. They are a team that has worked hard this season , directed by a tireless coach in Lawrence Frank to get this thing right. They fought through some adversity in the early stages of the season, and came out with a 49-33 record. They have three explosive perimeter players, they defend at a high level, and can play big or small, fast or slow.
On the other hand we have no idea what to expect from the Indiana Pacers. Are the Pacers a dangerous, talented team that will be able to salvage a disappointing season with a playoff victory? Or are they a team riddled with chemistry issues, a lack of cohesiveness and a major drop off in their defensive mindset from several years ago?
The Pacers won the season series 2-1 but that is irrelevant in this series because those games did not include the same players that will face each other on Sunday. Two weeks ago, the Pacers dropped seven of eight games, and were four games under .500. They went five for five down the stretch to get the sixth seed in the playoffs, but this team has been up and down all year. Game 1 must be a statement game for the Pacers. If the Nets get the Pacers down 2-0, this series might end quickly.
Point Guard: Anthony Johnson vs. Jason Kidd
Pacers: Let me put it to you this way. Anthony Johnson was the back up point guard to Kidd when he was with the Nets, enough said. Jamaal Tinsley has been injured all year and will miss at least the first two games with a nagging Achilles injury. Thus, the steady Johnson will be faced with the daunting task of running around with Kidd for close to 48 minutes.
Nets: Jason Kidd is the leader of his team, and makes the whole thing work in New Jersey. He is the consummate pro, supremely confident, and has the ability to will his team to victory. Statistics are only a small part of Kidd's importance to the Nets. This year he averaged 13.3 ppg, 8.4 apg (5th in the NBA) and led the Nets in rebounding with 7.3 rpg. In addition, Kidd is the leader of New Jersey's stingy defense. He is a lot healthier than a year ago, and just recently locked up Billups and Nash in back-to-back performances. This was the Kidd of several years back; and if he has the ability to do that during the Nets playoff run this team might be able to pull off a big upset.
Advantage: Nets
Shooting Guard: Stephen Jackson vs. Vince Carter
Pacers: Stephen Jackson can score and this year he averaged 16.4 ppg and shot .345 from beyond the arc. But he cannot dominate a game the way Carter can and rarely commands any type of double team the way Carter has throughout his career. Both of these players are suspect defensively.
Nets: Vince Carter is an All-Star guard, and can single-handedly take over a game. Carter has the ability to breakdown defenders at will and create his own shot. Carter scored 24.2 ppg, shot .341 from beyond the arc, and grabbed 5.8 rpg. In addition, Carter gets to the foul line 7.6 times per game.
Advantage: Nets
Small Forward: Peja Stojakovic vs. Richard Jefferson
Pacers: This might be one of the more interesting matchups of the series. The younger, more athletic wing player in Jefferson versus the older, scorer/3-point shooter in Stojakovic. This is a very important series for Peja Stojakovic, because at the end of the season he will opt out for free agency. He is playing not only for the Pacers, but for himself. Peja has put up nice numbers in his 40 games as a Pacer. In his 36.4 mpg, he has averaged 19.5 ppg, on .461 field-goal accuracy. Stojakovic has also attempted an average of 5.6 3-point shots per game, and he's hitting about 40-percent from that range. In addition, he's averaging 6.3 rebounds per game.
Nets: Richard Jefferson is athletic, wiry, and disciplined enough to make Stojakovic work hard to score. Jefferson will be a tough guard for Stojakovic or Danny Granger. His 19.5 ppg were second on the Nets' roster and his ability to get to the rim (an average of 7.4 free throw attempt per game) will create some defensive problems for the Pacers.
Advantage: Push
Power Forward: Jermaine O'Neal vs. Jason Collins
Pacers: Jermaine O'Neal needs a monster performance in this series, because New Jersey is vulnerable in the post. O'Neal averaged 20.1 ppg in only 51 games this season. It appears that he recently found his game again, and in the last game of the season versus Orlando he had 24 points, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks. This is the kind of performance the Pacers need from Jermaine to keep this series close. O'Neal must play with a renewed purpose if the Pacers want to even think about an upset.
Nets: Jason Collins importance to this team is not viewed in his stats, having only scored 3.6 ppg and 4.8 rpg in his 26.7 mpg this season. Collins is the front line glue of the Nets defense, he is their anchor. Collins does a lot of the dirty work and will always give himself up for the betterment of the team. In past years New Jersey put Kenyon Martin on O'Neal in their playoff series because he is a physical defender. New Jersey will use a combination of Collins, Nenad Krstic and Cliff Robinson banging with O'Neal to contain him.
Advantage: Pacers
Center: Jeff Foster vs. Nenad Krstic
Pacers: Jeff Foster is the ultimate overachiever. Injuries curtailed his performance this year, however. Still, Foster averaged 25.1 mpg and grabbed 9.1 rpg for the Pacers, which would have put him in the Top 20 in the NBA if he had played more games. Foster only averaged 5.9 ppg with high quality shots around the bucket.
Nets: Kidd said recently that Nenad Krstic has been "off the charts for us, and it is a pleasure to play with him and see his growth." Can there be a better endorsement? Krstic might not be a star but he is a factor. In fact, he might be the X-factor in this series. He has a tremendous work ethic and has made improvements in every facet of his game. Krstic has developed more confidence this year and it shows. His ability to step out and hit the 18-foot jumper opens up lanes to the hoop for the 3 perimeter players. If the Indiana big men decide to cheat off of him defensively and clog the middle, Kristic will make them pay dearly for it.
Advantage: Nets
Bench
Pacers: On the other hand, the Pacers can bring in waves of talented players with an abundance of playoff experience. Their best player off the bench will be Danny Granger. Granger has demonstrated to Rick Carlisle the need for more minutes on the court and Carlisle might need him to guard either Jefferson or Carter throughout the series. In addition, Carlisle can call on Austin Croshere, Fred Jones, Sarunas Jasikevicius, David Harrison, Scot Pollard and Tinsley if he gets healthy.
Nets: Luckily for the Nets, there are no back-to-back games in the playoffs. Frank has had to play his three perimeter guys high-volume minutes and then rotate Collins, Krstic and Robinson up front. Jacque Vaughn and Lamond Murray and Scott Padgett are the only other players who see significant minutes.
Advantage: Pacers
Coaching: Rick Carlisle vs. Lawrence Frank
Pacers: Both of these coaches have demonstrated the ability to lead their respective teams through tough playoff battles. Both teams will be prepared and ready. Carlisle has demonstrated better than any other coach in the NBA how to deal with adversity and distractions. He has guided this team through treacherous waters the last two years. Carlisle's biggest problem as he approaches this series is that his team has lost 8 of their last 9 road games. If Indy could steal one of the first two games in New Jersey, this could get interesting.
Nets: Frank's team goes into this series on much more of an up tick having just come off a 14-game winning streak during the month of March and early April. Lawrence will have to deal with the low post presence of O'Neal and strategically rest his perimeters throughout this series.
Advantage: Push
Prediction
We will find out in the first two games of this series whether Indiana will be a contender or pretender. As I mentioned earlier, in the playoffs all your warts are exposed. Which team will show up for the Pacers on Sunday? The talented team that can pull an upset in the opening round if they are clicking as a team, or the underachieving one with chemistry issues and a lack of cohesiveness throughout the year. If the Pacers can get their act together, this could be an interesting series. Otherwise, it could get ugly.
Pick: New Jersey Nets in six games.
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