L Cleveland 91 New Jersey 96

[Karma]

vs

Cleveland Cavaliers (17-9) @ New Jersey Nets (15-12)

Tueday, December 27, 2005
Time: 7:30pm ET
TV: NBA-TV, WUAB
Radio: WTAM 1100
Location: Continental Airlines Arena

Head Coaches

Mike Brown / Lawrence Frank

Probable Staters

Eric Snow / Jason Kidd

Larry Hughes / Vince Carter

LeBron James / Richard Jefferson

Drew Gooden / Jason Collins

Zydrunas Ilgauskas / Nenad Krstic

Cleveland Cavaliers Bench

Damon Jones/Luke Jackson/Ira Newble/Donyell Marshall/Alan Henderson

New Jersey Nets Bench

Jacque Vaughn/Lamond Murray/Scott Padgett/Cliff Robinson/Marc Jackson​

Yahoo Game Preview
Two of the Eastern Conference's hottest teams meet when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers look to extend their winning streak to seven games against Vince Carter and the New Jersey Nets, who have also won six in a row.

James helped Cleveland move a season-high eight games above .500 with his latest superb performance, scoring 12 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter in the Cavaliers' 102-91 victory over Chicago on Monday night.

It was the 16th time this season, and ninth since Dec. 1 that James scored at least 30 points.

"We're on a great roll," said James, who is averaging 32.7 points in 12 December games. "For the first time I feel great because our team is playing real well."


Drew Gooden scored 20 points and Larry Hughes added 19 as Cleveland improved to an Eastern Conference-best 12-3 at home.

James, coming off a 4-for-16 performance with only 14 points in a win over Indiana on Friday night, shot 12-of-25 from the field against the Bulls, adding eight rebounds and six assists.

"We're very confident right now," James said. "We're winning games, playing good defense and executing on offense."

Carter had 27 points to lead the Nets to their sixth consecutive win, a 109-101 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday night.

Carter has led New Jersey in scoring in all six wins, averaging 34 points in that span.

It's New Jersey's longest winning streak since a franchise-record 14-game run in 2003-04.

"He's stepped it up," Nets teammate Richard Jefferson said of Carter. "His job is to be our scorer. We look to him and fall behind him. He needs to be as aggressive as possible."

STANDINGS (through Dec. 26): Cavaliers - 2nd place, 5 1/2 GB, Central Division. Nets - 1st place, Atlantic Division.

TEAM LEADERS: Cavaliers - James, 30.3 ppg and 5.5 apg; Gooden, 8.5 rpg. Nets - Carter, 24.4 ppg; Jefferson, 7.8 rpg; Kidd, 7.7 apg.

SEASON SERIES: Nets, 1-0.

LAST MEETING: Dec. 9; Nets, 109-100. At Cleveland, Carter scored 26 of his season-high 38 points in the first half and Jefferson added 18 for the Nets, including nine in the final 5:07.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Cavaliers - 5-6 on the road; Nets - 7-6 at home.

 

[PIP]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

Guard Vince Carter, PLEASE !!!!!!!!

Hopefully Z can stay with this Ladies Man

 

[natedagg]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

is mr. pisser delivering his stream right into VC's mouth?... sorry vince. Anyway, this would be an awesome win for the cavs, although i don't think we are going to pull this out, as our road record is still below 500 (so i am assuming we are beating the bad teams). The real question is: will we be able to keep our composure on the road and play at OUR tempo, or will we revert into chucking jumpers and trying to run with JKidd? I will be very very impressed if the cavs can pull this one out on the road against a surging nets team. It's hard to believe we would be that 'mature' of a team at this point, but on paper, we seem to have the matchups in our favor, esp. on the inside...
Bring us a win Z!!

oh yeah, happy hollerdays to all.

 

[Karma]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

As we all know we had all sorts of dramas trying to contain Carter that we ended up having Snow tag him. Having Newble back assists this task, but we need a better effort from Hughes this time around. New Jerseys front court are not strong on the boards so we need to punish them there to help stay in this one.

 

[PIP]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

is mr. pisser delivering his stream right into VC's mouth?...

Hopefully that is not offensive and distracts you from posting...

 

[LyXo]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

With Newble back we should have a decent chance. But Snow did a fairly good job perstering him.

VC is the sure X-factor here. Hold him to less than 40% shooting and we could pull it out.
Jefferson will also be no joke. Can't let him explode for 25+ points either.

 

[Karma]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

Nets big test for streaking Cavs

Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Branson Wright
Plain Dealer Reporter
The New Jersey Nets are one of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference, entering tonight's game on a six-game winning streak, having defeated the New York Knicks, 109-101, on Monday night. The Nets have won eight of their last 11 games.

The Cavs, on a six-game winning streak with Monday's 102-91 home win over Chicago, were nearly run over by the Nets on Dec. 9. All five starters scored in double figures for the Nets and Vince Carter led his team with 38 points. The Cavs will have their hands full tonight.

"They're starting to jell," said Cavs assistant coach Melvin Hunt. "They have all the parts and it's just been a matter of them meshing together."

Over their past six games, the Nets have wins at Miami, at Orlando, at New York and home wins over the Clippers, Golden State and Denver.

Microwave numbers:

During New Jersey's winning streak, Carter has had the hot hand. He has averaged 35.4 points a game, while shooting .491 from the field, 48 percent from 3-point range, made 59 of 63 free throws (.937), and grabbed 7.4 rebounds while dishing out 5.4 assists. Not bad for a guy turning 29 next month.

The kid:
The success of the Nets has everything to do with Jason Kidd. Cavaliers point guard Eric Snow considers him the best point guard in the league and one of the best ever.

"Jason Kidd makes everyone better," Snow said. "He does everything. Some people don't think he's a good shooter but he's the only guy who supposedly can't shoot who has to be double-teamed in transition. He's done it year after year. When I think of top players in the league, I think of someone like Jason, who has done it year after year."

Minutes man:

After New Jersey's 95-88 victory over Miami on Friday night, Nets forward Clifford Robinson moved into 18th place on the NBA's all-time minutes played list. He has a total of 40,316 after recording 22 minutes Monday night. It's season No. 16 and counting for Robinson, who just turned 39 on Dec. 16. This season he is averaging 23 minutes, 4.7 points and 3.2 rebounds.

Link

 

[Karma]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

Notebook: The Nets have beaten the Cavs four consecutive times, seven times in a row at Continental Airlines Arena.... The Nets swept last season's series 3-0 which got them into the playoffs when both teams tied for the eighth playoff spot.... Vince Carter scored 38 points in the first meeting, the most points the Cavs have given up to a player this season.

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/basketball/nba/cleveland_cavaliers/13492364.htm

 

[cavincali]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

should we put snow or hughes on carter.

snow is a better on-the-ball defender, and hughes can use his length to give kidd trouble passing.

 

[Hurl Bruce]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

This game is on WUAB not FSNOH.

 

[Karma]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

Thanks Hurl Bruce, I'll edit it now.

30 minutes till tipoff.

 

[Karma]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

Z opens the game with a hoop!

LeBron the charge!

 

[Karma]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

Z drawing mistakes on Krstic early.

LeBron gives us a 4 nil break.

 

[Karma]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

Nice give and go Z and Hughes, 5-0 Cavs.

 

[Karma]

Re: Cleveland @ New Jersey

Another foul on Collins, thats 2 and one on Krstic.