New Jersey
Nets
Atlantic
| Team Rating | |
| Offense | Defense |
| 109.3 | 112.5 |
| 14th Overall | 27th Overall |
Statistics through 1/25/09
W
20
L
24
PCT
.405
GB
16.0
CONF
10-16
DIV
3-4
HOME
9-14
ROAD
11-10
LinksStatistics | Tickets
|
Category | Grade | ||
 Brook Lopez is the best rookie big man in the league, but the Nets do not get consistent production from their forwards, especially with Yi Jianlian out.
|
c |
||
 The Nets depend heavily on Devin Harris and Vince Carter, the highest scoring backcourt in the league.
|
a |
||
 The Nets' poor defense starts on the ball, but they also overhelp and leave perimeter shooters wide open.
|
f |
||
 Keyon Dooling, Jarvis Hayes and Eduardo Najera were solid veteran acquisitions this summer, who have each come up big at times.
|
b |
||
 Lawrence Frank deserves credit for designing his offense around his best two players, but he still hasn't been able to get the Nets to play much D.
|
b |
||
c
Summary
Behind the play of Harris, the Nets were a pleasant surprise early on. After the departures of Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, many predicted New Jersey would be at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Instead, the Nets were in playoff position for most of the first half of the season.
They've struggled a bit recently for several reasons. Their schedule has been tougher, defenses have adjusted to the Harris-focused offense, and they're missing Jianlian, who helped spread the floor with his ability to shoot from long range.
The Nets still have a shot at the eighth spot in the East, but they need their backcourt to stay healthy and at the top of its game. And they need to show some improvement on the defensive side. -- John Schuhmann
Explanation of Marking System
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