ducks
04-21-2005, 03:38 PM
Some reward: Nets are hot
BY ISRAEL GUTIERREZ, [email protected]
ORLANDO - The Heat won its 59th game Wednesday night (98-93 vs. the Magic), has been the most dominant team in the Eastern Conference all season, and locked up the No. 1 playoff seed in the conference more than two weeks before the regular season ended.
The team's first-round reward? It gets to face one of the league's hottest teams, with two All-Stars playing at the top of their games and a third All-Star-caliber player set to return from an injury.
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The New Jersey Nets clinched the No. 8 seed with a win at Boston on Wednesday, earning the right to play the Heat, beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday at AmericanAirlines Arena.
"[The Nets] were 15-4 over their last 19 games, certainly not what you're expecting out of an eight seed," said Heat coach Stan Van Gundy, who learned his first-round opponent minutes after the Heat's 98-93 win against Orlando at TD Waterhouse Centre. "We expect a major challenge, and we'll be ready."
Not only have the Nets turned around after a 15-26 start, but Jason Kidd and Vince Carter are playing as well as they have all season, and maybe even as well as they have in several seasons. And with Richard Jefferson expected to return to the Nets' rotation for the postseason after missing the past four months with a wrist injury, the Nets become even more formidable.
"Jason Kidd's probably playing as well as I've seen him play in his entire career," Van Gundy said. "He's really rejuvenated. Vince Carter's averaged 30 a game over the last dozen games. They've got two of the game's best perimeter players in the league -- and Richard Jefferson's going to play in the playoffs, which arguably gives them the best perimeter of anybody in the playoffs."
The Heat swept the regular-season series against the Nets 3-0, but only two of those games came with Carter and Kidd in the lineup.
It was after the Heat's 90-65 drubbing of the Nets that New Jersey began its 15-4 finish to the season. Carter averaged 31 points in that stretch.
In two games as a Net against Miami, Carter totaled 47 points and shot just 34.3 percent from the field. Shandon Anderson said the key is not giving Carter any clean looks at the basket.
"We just try to cut out his air space," Anderson said. "That's what he wants. He wants to be able to raise up and shoot the jumper, because he's been shooting the ball well."
DEFENSIVE CHORES
Defending Carter likely will be the responsibility of Eddie Jones, while Kidd falls in Damon Jones' hands. Damon Jones has been criticized for his defensive play at times this season, but he said he'll be prepared for Kidd.
"It's always been my opinion that he's the best point guard in the league because he's able to control the game in a lot of different areas, and he's won," Damon Jones said. "It's going to be a challenge, but I'm up for it."
While the Nets look to be peaking at the right time, the Heat will be gathering itself entering the postseason.
"It's been disjointed, so it's not ideal, but at the same time we've gotten some guys some minutes this week, so everybody is ready to go if need be," Van Gundy said.
SHAQ'S READY
That includes Shaquille O'Neal, who missed the final two games with a right quadriceps contusion.
Asked after Wednesday's game if he'll play Sunday, O'Neal responded, "Of course."
With O'Neal in the fold and a red-hot team on its way, Damon Jones said the key to success will be landing the initial blow.
"We're going to have to hit first," he said. "Jersey's coming in, they're playing really well, and you don't want to give those guys any confidence early."
BY ISRAEL GUTIERREZ, [email protected]
ORLANDO - The Heat won its 59th game Wednesday night (98-93 vs. the Magic), has been the most dominant team in the Eastern Conference all season, and locked up the No. 1 playoff seed in the conference more than two weeks before the regular season ended.
The team's first-round reward? It gets to face one of the league's hottest teams, with two All-Stars playing at the top of their games and a third All-Star-caliber player set to return from an injury.
ADVERTISEMENT
The New Jersey Nets clinched the No. 8 seed with a win at Boston on Wednesday, earning the right to play the Heat, beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday at AmericanAirlines Arena.
"[The Nets] were 15-4 over their last 19 games, certainly not what you're expecting out of an eight seed," said Heat coach Stan Van Gundy, who learned his first-round opponent minutes after the Heat's 98-93 win against Orlando at TD Waterhouse Centre. "We expect a major challenge, and we'll be ready."
Not only have the Nets turned around after a 15-26 start, but Jason Kidd and Vince Carter are playing as well as they have all season, and maybe even as well as they have in several seasons. And with Richard Jefferson expected to return to the Nets' rotation for the postseason after missing the past four months with a wrist injury, the Nets become even more formidable.
"Jason Kidd's probably playing as well as I've seen him play in his entire career," Van Gundy said. "He's really rejuvenated. Vince Carter's averaged 30 a game over the last dozen games. They've got two of the game's best perimeter players in the league -- and Richard Jefferson's going to play in the playoffs, which arguably gives them the best perimeter of anybody in the playoffs."
The Heat swept the regular-season series against the Nets 3-0, but only two of those games came with Carter and Kidd in the lineup.
It was after the Heat's 90-65 drubbing of the Nets that New Jersey began its 15-4 finish to the season. Carter averaged 31 points in that stretch.
In two games as a Net against Miami, Carter totaled 47 points and shot just 34.3 percent from the field. Shandon Anderson said the key is not giving Carter any clean looks at the basket.
"We just try to cut out his air space," Anderson said. "That's what he wants. He wants to be able to raise up and shoot the jumper, because he's been shooting the ball well."
DEFENSIVE CHORES
Defending Carter likely will be the responsibility of Eddie Jones, while Kidd falls in Damon Jones' hands. Damon Jones has been criticized for his defensive play at times this season, but he said he'll be prepared for Kidd.
"It's always been my opinion that he's the best point guard in the league because he's able to control the game in a lot of different areas, and he's won," Damon Jones said. "It's going to be a challenge, but I'm up for it."
While the Nets look to be peaking at the right time, the Heat will be gathering itself entering the postseason.
"It's been disjointed, so it's not ideal, but at the same time we've gotten some guys some minutes this week, so everybody is ready to go if need be," Van Gundy said.
SHAQ'S READY
That includes Shaquille O'Neal, who missed the final two games with a right quadriceps contusion.
Asked after Wednesday's game if he'll play Sunday, O'Neal responded, "Of course."
With O'Neal in the fold and a red-hot team on its way, Damon Jones said the key to success will be landing the initial blow.
"We're going to have to hit first," he said. "Jersey's coming in, they're playing really well, and you don't want to give those guys any confidence early."