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News » Warriors-Nets Preview


Warriors-Nets Preview


Warriors-Nets Preview
One starter and three players from last year's opening night roster returned to the New Jersey Nets, but the new cast worked well together in recording a debut victory.

The Nets will try to continue that teamwork Saturday in their home opener against the Golden State Warriors, who have dropped 10 straight in New Jersey.

New Jersey (1-0) opened its season Wednesday with a 95-85 victory at Washington as newly named captain Vince Carter led the way with 21 points. Carter was the only starter from last season's opener on the floor, and only Carter, Josh Boone and Sean Williams were on the team at the beginning of last season, the fewest number of returners in Nets' history.

With so many newcomers, New Jersey coach Lawrence Frank said he installed less than half of his offense for the game.

"We're not going to be a finished product now," the coach said. "This is going to be an evolving thing - clean up and improve and continue to put in things whenever the group is ready for it. We have hardly anything in."

What they had was enough against the Wizards. Yi Jianlian, who came with Bobby Simmons in Milwaukee's trade for Richard Jefferson in June, scored 17 points. It was just the fifth time in 67 career games that Jianlian reached the 17-point mark. The Chinese forward, who was the sixth pick in the 2007 draft, averaged 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in his rookie season with the Bucks.

Jarvis Hayes, who never averaged more than 10.2 points per game in five seasons with Washington and Detroit, got 14 points off the bench. In his NBA debut, Nets' top draft pick Brook Lopez added a team-leading eight rebounds and eight points in a reserve role, and starting point guard Devin Harris, who came to New Jersey from Dallas in a four-player trade for Jason Kidd in February, scored 13.

The Nets picked up the contract options on Boone, Williams and Jianlian on Thursday, and know they need numerous contributions to make up for their lack of experience.

"We feel we have great depth," Frank said. "There's no falloff in a lot of positions."

For the second straight game, the Warriors (0-2) couldn't hold on to a late lead.

In a 112-108 overtime loss Friday at Toronto, Golden State led by two with 14.5 seconds left in regulation, but Stephen Jackson, who will see considerable time at point guard for a suspended Monta Ellis, fouled the Raptors' Chris Bosh.

Bosh hit both free throws, and the Warriors' Corey Maggette missed on a runner in the lane near the end of the fourth quarter. Toronto never trailed after scoring the first eight points in overtime.

Al Harrington led Golden State with 26 points, scoring eight of his team's 12 points in the extra period.

In the season opener against New Orleans, Golden State led by one with 28 seconds left before giving up six straight points to the Hornets.

"In the preseason, we weren't playing 40 minutes," Harrington said. "Right now we are, so it's something we've got to get used to, get adjusted to, and quick."

After getting 27 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the field in his Warriors debut, Maggette made just four of 15 attempts in a 14-point night Friday.

Golden State, which has split the past six meetings with the Nets, last won in New Jersey on Feb. 28, 1997.


Author: Fox Sports
Author's Website: http://www.foxsports.com
Added: November 1, 2008

 

 
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