March 23rd, 2010
Lee, Nets Set for Kings' Arrival
This is a big opportunity, tomorrow’s game. The Nets host the Kings for the only time this season (Buy Tickets) and will be without Rookie of the Year candidate Tyreke Evans, whom the Sacramento Bee reports is still recovering from an inadvertent elbow to the face. Evans suffered a slight concussion, chipped teeth, gum laceration and a bruised jaw when Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova hit him last Friday; he won’t return until this Friday’s game in Boston at the earliest.
“We look at every game like, ‘We have to win this one,’” said Nets shooting guard Courtney Lee. “But tomorrow, those guys are banged up and a couple of their guys aren’t playing, so that’s a game we should win and that’s a game we have to win.”
Evans’ absence removes a major offensive component from the Kings’ attack – the point guard provides team-leading averages of 20.3 points and 5.6 assists, along with 5.2 rebounds and a .461 shooting percentage. Yet Beno Udrih, already posting career-best numbers, has adeptly slid over to handle primary distribution duties. In two games, the Slovenian guard has averaged 19.0 PPG and 13.5 APG while shooting .500 (17-32).
And the trade acquisition of Carl Landry (in the three-team deal that sent Kevin Martin to Houston), has provided the Kings with a steady low-post presence while hurting his Sixth Man of the Year candidacy by proving a capable starter. In 17 games with the Kings, all starts, Landry has averaged 17.3 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting .547 in 37 minutes per game.
“(Landry) brings a presence down low, and we don’t get to play against Tyreke, so they’ll be more focused on him,” said Nets center Brook Lopez. “They’ll try to pound it in to him, and there’s a lot of stuff he can do down there.”
The Nets will have to build on another strong first-half performance, blocking out the third-quarter woes that have put them behind entering the final period of the last two games. They’re encouraged by the effort and focus shown during recent practices, and Tuesday’s session was again overseen by assistant John Loyer as coach and general manager Kiki Vandeweghe remains in California tending to his ill mother. (Currently, Vandeweghe’s status for Wednesday’s game is unknown.)
There’s a chance they’ll have to do it without Terrence Williams, who sprained his ankle and foot in the third quarter of Monday’s loss to Miami. Williams came in for treatment, but didn’t practice. He’s listed as “day-to-day” overall and questionable for the Kings game. Backup point guard Keyon Dooling (flu-like symptoms) didn’t practice and will be a gametime decision after missing Monday’s contest. If Dooling’s out, Chris Quinn would again fill in behind Devin Harris.
Whichever Nets end up taking the floor will be ready to win. The tricky part remains the execution. With only 12 games left, time ticks ever louder as they try to win the three games necessary to avoid ignominy.
“This is one we have to have, simple as that,” Harris said. “We’re running out of opportunities. This is one we have to have.”
--Posted by Ben Couch at 4:39 p.m.
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