Game #32
Cleveland Cavaliers [20-12] VS. New Jersey Nets [14-18]
Saturday, January 6th , 2007
7:30 PM ET
Radio = WTAM 1100
Television = FSN Ohio [HDTV]
“The Q” The Quicken Loans Arena [Cleveland, Ohio]
Head Coaches
Mike Brown | Lawrence Frank
Starting Backcourt
Point Guards
ESPN's Eric Snow Scouting Report
Snow is a very poor outside shooter -- he made one 3-pointer all year -- but in his prime he could make up for that with his ability to slash to the basket and finish. Unfortunately for the Cavs his prime was several years ago, and he no longer has the extra gear to get to the rim. Opponents leave him unguarded and dare him to shoot 15-footers; occasionally he takes them up on it.
Snow is a quality defensive player, and that ability would make an OK second stringer. He has the size, strength and quickness to handle players at either guard spot, although he's better defending the point, and he's a good help defender. The Cavs defended much better with Snow on the court last year, although that might be in part because the alternatives were so bad -- opposing point guards had a solid PER against him.
Season vs. Nets = 4 PTS | 6 AST | 4 REB | 1 STL | 20 FG% | 100 FT%
ESPN's Jason Kidd Scouting Report
Kidd's jets may not be quite what they were, but he's still very fast with the ball in transition and sees the floor on the move as well as anyone in basketball. He excels at throwing alley-oops and full-court bounce passes, and seems to have an especially good rapport with Jefferson.
Kidd isn't nearly as potent in the halfcourt. He's a weak outside shooter so opponents tend to lay off him, although he can be an effective 3-point shooter when his feet are set. He's also not nearly as elusive off the dribble as he is in transition. At 6-4, Kidd can shoot over most opponents so he's a good option at the end of the shot clock, especially when Vince Carter is off the floor. He'll occasionally back down smaller guards in the post, where defenders are reluctant to double him since he's such a good passer.
Kidd's first-team All-Defense selection was overly generous, but there's no question he's a top-notch defender. He's been first or second-team All-Defense for eight consecutive years, and one reason he was selected last season was because of how frequently he defended high-scoring shooting guards so that Vince Carter wouldn't have to. Kidd is very good at chasing players through screens, and with his size he can match up at off guard. However, small quick guards can give him problems with dribble penetration.
Season vs. Cavs = 9 PTS | 10 AST | 8 REB | 3 STL | 1 BLK | 44 FG% | 50 FT%
Advantage =
Shooting Guards
ESPN's Larry Hughes Scouting Report
Hughes has tremendous quickness for his size and is always a threat to score off the dribble or in transition. He's a strong finisher with a knack for drawing fouls, with the free-throw line often being his primary scoring vehicle. Hughes is a weak outside shooter who shoots 28.1 percent for his career on 3-pointers, and has a big problem with shot selection. When he's going badly he'll tend to force mid-range jumpers off the dribble, a shot he doesn't shoot particularly well. He's a good dribbler who can play point guard in a pinch, but all his drives tend to produce a high turnover rate.
Hughes' high steals total from two years ago looks like a massive fluke -- it's nearly twice what he's done in any other recent season -- but he's quick in the passing lanes and has good anticipation. He likes to gamble though, and his lack of strength makes him vulnerable to bigger shooting guards who can take him in the blocks. Hughes' focus tends to be on steals rather than stops, so his help defense isn't always up to snuff either. However, his quickness makes him a hardy defender against dribble penetration.
Hughes' injuries have become an increasing worry. He's missed 88 games in the past three seasons and hasn't played a full schedule since 1999-2000. At this point, it seems prudent to assume he'll only be around for 60 games or so.
Season vs. Nets = 19 PTS | 3 AST | 5 REB | 1 STL | 42 FG% | 50 3PT%
ESPN's Vince Carter Scouting Report
Carter is an explosive athlete who is one of the best dunkers of all time, but what really makes him dangerous is that he can shoot. Carter is a career 38.1 percent 3-point shooter, and has the leaping ability to get his shot off against anyone. The drawback to this ability is that he sometimes settles for too many jumpers instead of using his quickness and strength to attack the basket and score. As a Net he's avoided that tendency, but many still question his toughness and fear he'll regress.
Carter had a strong season at the defensive end, playing much harder than he had in Toronto. His quickness is more the explosive kind than the short-step, side-to-side variety so he's never going to be a stopper, and he tends to fall asleep on the weak side. However, his size and leaping ability make him an obstacle for opponents to shoot over and he's strong enough to switch onto bigger players. Fortunately for Carter, he has Kidd and Richard Jefferson around so he rarely has to defend a good scorer.
Season vs. Cavs = 38 PTS | 5 AST | 6 REB | 55 FG% | 80 3PT% | 77 FT%
Advantage = TIE
Starting Frontcourt
Small Forwards
ESPN's LeBron James Scouting Report
James is a breathtaking talent who has as much straight-line speed as any player in the game despite being built like a power forward. He understands the game phenomenally well for a player his age and can be a spectacular passer, which combined with his ballhandling skill makes him capable of playing point guard -- where he creates monstrous match-up problems because of the size differential.
The scary thing is that he's about the best player in the league, and yet you get the sense he could be a lot better. For instance, James is still developing as a jump shooter. He has a nice stroke with a high arc and can comfortably fire away even with a hand in his face, but his accuracy remains middling. He started developing more of a post game last season and he should continue working on it to take better advantage of his size.
Another quibble with his offensive game is how he runs the pick-and-roll, because he tends to bring the offense grinding to a halt. Detroit exploited this beautifully in the playoffs -- when a big man shows hard on the screen, LeBron's instinct is to retreat almost to half court and then just go one-on-one with whomever is left guarding him. That breaks down any other movement going on with the play and makes the Cavs easy to defend. James is good enough that he still can score occasionally when he does this, but he needs to either split the trap on this play or get rid of the ball sooner.
James also needs more work on the defensive end. He's a decent on-ball defender, though a bit overaggressive, and nobody even bothers trying to post him up because of his size. But he has to get better from the weak side. James will play passing lanes and go for steals, but the basic help-and-recover moves are still developing.
Season vs. Nets = 37 PTS | 1 AST | 8 REB | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 45 FG% | 33 3PT% | 76 FT%
ESPN's Richard Jefferson Scouting Report
Jefferson is one of the game's most athletic wingmen, with great quickness going to his right off the dribble that earns him numerous opportunities from the free-throw line. He's mostly a right-wing player who is especially fond of driving the right baseline, but in recent years has become more adept at getting his man to back up and then shooting a midrange jumper. Jefferson is a poor 3-point shooter (32.1 percent), but his ability to hit free throws augments his best skill -- he's outstanding at running the floor, almost always down the right side, and benefits hugely from Jason Kidd's ability to find him in transition.
Jefferson had to be the Nets' perimeter stopper last season and that worked as long as he defended bigger forwards. He has good size and can contest shots, but his lateral movement isn't as good as his straight-line speed so quicker players can give him trouble. Overall the Nets defended better with him on the court, and he held his men to a 13.5 PER.
Season vs. Cavs = 14 PTS | 3 AST | 5 REB | 57 FG% | 100 FT%
Advantage =
Power Forwards
ESPN's Drew Gooden Scouting Report
Gooden makes for a good role player because he can score without having plays run for him. He's a quick leaper who can finish around the basket, and he has a decent mid-range jump shot despite his somewhat awkward form. He's not as adept in the post because he lacks strength and can get bodied out of the lane, but he does have a nice jump-hook move.
Defensively, Gooden's quickness makes him very good at picking up guards on switches, and he has long arms that earn him lots of deflections. He doesn't have the power to deal with some of the league's bigger power forwards, but he partly makes up for it by helping on the defensive glass. Despite his leaping ability and quickness, he's not a shot-blocker.
The biggest criticism of Gooden has been his lack of focus. Whether it's losing track of his man at the defensive end or not knowing a play on offense, Gooden has baffled coaches with his mental miscues, and that's one reason he hasn't played as many minutes as you might expect for a player with such a high PER.
Season vs. Nets = 10 PTS | 9 REB | 1 STL | 44 FG% | 100 FT%
ESPN's Bostjan Nachbar Scouting Report
Nachbar was drafted with a reputation as a shooter but has yet to hit 40 percent from the field in four NBA seasons. He's better from long range, with a 35 percent career mark on 3-pointers, but completely lost the touch last season. He also runs the floor fairly well and can get the occasional transition basket, but he has no ability to score off the dribble or in the post.
Nachbar's length should theoretically make him a good defensive player, but his footwork is average at best and he has zero strength. That lack of strength also accounts for his shoddy work on the boards. His subpar athleticism doesn't help any.
Season vs. Cavs = 7 PTS | 1 REB | 1 STL | 60 FG% | 33 3PT%
Advantage =
Centers
ESPN's Zydrunas Ilgauskas Scouting Report
Ilgauskas is one of the best post players in basketball. Though 7-3, he's fairly mobile and has range out to 17 feet. He likes to set up camp on the left block and shoot a turnaround going to either side, although of late he's added a sweeping hook shot where he dribbles right and never puts his left hand back on the ball as he goes up.
Ilgauskas is a good shot-blocker and his size makes him difficult to score against in the blocks, but he has trouble farther away from the basket. Teams try to involve him in screen-and-roll plays and take advantage of his poor lateral movement. He gives a good effort, though, and overall the Cavs defended better with him on the court last season. He's also not a good defensive rebounder -- an unusually big chunk of his boards come at the offensive end.
If I could choose one player to be on my team for a five-minute overtime, Ilgauskas might be the guy. Not because he's a great clutch player, but because he's perhaps the best jump-ball taker in the game. His height helps, but his real genius is in the art of stealing the tap without being so blatant about it that the ref calls a violation. They must teach this in Lithuania or something -- Arvydas Sabonis was great at it too.
Season vs. Nets = 18 PTS | 11 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 50 FG% | 100 FT%
ESPN's Mikki Moore Scouting Report
A rail-thin 7-footer, Moore is a fairly effective defender in zone defenses because he's long and reasonably athletic. In fact, the Sonics used him at small forward on occasion, as did the Clippers a season earlier. Moore is a decent jump shooter from the foul line area and normally plays in the high post, as his 220-pound frame can't absorb the pounding inside. His lack of muscle also makes him a poor post defender -- he's much better helping from the weak side where he can use his length to alter shots.
Season vs. Cavs = 2 PTS | 1 AST | 5 REB | 1 BLK | 100 FT%
Advantage =
Key Cavalier Injuries
Advantage =
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Smooth32's 3 Keys To Get The "V"
1). Get it to the big man – Both Nenad Kristic and Jason Collins will be out for tonight’s game. That is a big blow to the Nets on the defensive end, on the interior. Ilgauskas will be matched up with Moore whom he should have no problem with and Gooden should own Nachbar. The key should be get it inside and make them send you to the line.
2). Get the guards in foul trouble – If we can get any of the big 3 in foul trouble, the better. Getting one of their main playmakers/scorers in foul trouble will make it even harder for them to put up a good fight. We should take the ball to the hole and make them foul us.
3). Transition Defense – With the Nets going small, I’d imagine that they are going to want to push the ball instead of playing a more half-court oriented game. They don’t have that good of post scorers to begin with, so I think the run-and-gun game will be more attractive. We need to get back on defense and not allow any baskets. If we can do that, we can win this game. Kidd, Carter and Jefferson are all dangerous in transition, we need to limit their opportunities to get out and run the break.
Prediction
Cavs - 99
Celtics - 87
GOCAVS !!
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Note - The scouting reports are from ESPN. So credit should be given there.
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