BigSm00th
Posts: 24504
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Joined: 12/9/2001
Member: #178 USA
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I guess I'll start it since nobody else has.
Game 1 -- 4/17 -- NY @ NJ -- 4:30 PM on ESPN Game 2 -- 4/20 -- NY @ NJ -- 8 PM on TNT Game 3 -- 4/22 -- NJ @ NY -- 7 PM on TNT Game 4 -- 4/25 -- NJ @ NY -- 7 PM on TNT Game 5 -- 4/28 -- NY @ NJ -- TBD Game 6 -- 5/1 -- NJ @ NY -- TBD Game 7 -- 5/3 -- NY @ NJ -- TBD
Positional Breakdown: PG: Jason Kidd and Zoran Planinic vs Stephon Marbury and Moochie Norris In my opinion, the series depends on this matchup. If Kidd is hobbled and Marbury can shoot over 42%, the Knicks will have a better than average shot to beat the Nets. The Knicks have to stop Kidd on the fast break as well. SG: Lucious Harris, Kerry Kittles, and Brandon Armstrong vs Shandon Anderson and Penny Hardaway All three are very good shooters for the Nets. Penny's all-around talent and playoff experience will be valuable to the Knicks. Anderson's "known" for his defense (I just shuddered at the thought of Shandon Anderson playing playoff basketball), so hopefully he can at least make these two shooters work to get their shot off. The ball should be kept out of Anderson's hands AT ALL TIMES. If the Knicks can push this series and get Allan Houston back, they'll have a chance. SF: Richard Jefferson and Brian Scalabrine vs Tim Thomas and DerMarr Johnson Jefferson caught fire when Kidd and KMart sat down. He's great on the fast break and has recently shown flashes of creating his own shot in the halfcourt. Super-athletic, Tim Thomas needs to step up. Also, with Houston probably out, Thomas needs to up his scoring average to the high teens. He's the second option, and he needs to produce in a big way. He was born in NJ, he should be a key contributor in the Knicks offense. DerMarr has come along recently, and is a sleeper in the series. If he gets in one the second unit against the unathletic redhead (Scalabrine), he might be able to do some work. Unfortuantely, Johnson is horrific on defense. PF and C: Kenyon Martin, Rodney Rogers and Aaron Williams vs Kurt Thomas, Mike Sweetney, Nazr Mohammed, Vin Baker, and Dikembe Mutumbo The Knicks depth on the front line gives the Knicks a chance to compete in this series. KMart is dangerous on both sides of the ball, but he's been hobbled by injuries. The Knicks should key in on their post depth and run various fresh defenders on KMart, as he's a superior athlete to all of the Knicks big men. Sweetney needs to establish himself and get time. If Sweetney can develop (a la Zach Randolph last year), the Knicks will get a chance. With their depth up front they must dominate the boards and limit the Nets' fast break.
Knicks utilize their depth in the frontcourt and outrebound the Nets, taking away their fast break for the most part. The Knicks homecourt advantage essentially in all seven games also helps, as do the hobbled Kidd and KMart. Houston comes back late in the series for some heroics. Knicks in 7.
Please add your thoughts.
[Edited by - bigsm00th on 04/15/2004 03:02:03]
#Knickstaps
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