In what can only be described as a bad collapse, the Bulls had everything to play for, but couldn’t deliver. In a game I would have bet a lot of money on that they would win, the Bulls didn’t even show up. They went from facing the Wizards then Toronto (at home) to get the Eastern finals, to being on road against Miami and Detroit.
I imagine it is a testament to the Nets. They have coasted for most of the season, suffering injury after injury, and when the iron was hot, they struck, and secured an easier road in the playoffs.
So the circus begins. Carter, the steward of Bosh’s throne, returns to the ACC for first round series that has everyone in T-Dot buzzing. I wonder how much those blood sucking scalpers are going to get for their tickets now? Would I rather have had faced the Wizards? Yes. Can the Raptors beat Jersey? Yes. Will they beat them? Hopefully.
The Nets have put it together down the stretch, short of Krstic, they have everyone in the line up healthy, and ready to go. Mikki Moore has been a handful for the Raptors all season, and now with Josh Boone back in the lineup, things only get a bit tougher in the front court. My key to this series is how we defend Kidd, Carter and Jefferson. My tentative matchups look as so:
PG:
Toronto – TJ Ford, Jose Calderon, Juan Dixon
Jersey – Jason Kidd
SG:
Toronto - Anthony Parker, Morris Peterson
Jersey – Vince Carter
SF:
Toronto – Joey Graham, Anderea Bargnani, Morris Peterson
Jersey – Richard Jefferson
PF:
Toronto – Chris Bosh, Kris Humphries
Jersey – Bostjan Nachbar
C:
Toronto – Rasho Nesterovic, Kris Humphries
Jersey – Mikki Moore
Bench:
Toronto – Jose Calderon, Juan Dixon, Morris Peterson, Kris Humphries
Jersey – Clifford Robinson, Jason Collins, Eddie House, Josh Boone, Marcus Williams, Antoine Wright
I don’t like how we match up at the point. Kidd will be abusing Ford, Calderon and Dixon in the low post. They are dangerous on the wings, but we can keep up. The Raptors shine in the front court, but guys like Mikki Moore (Renaldo Balkman) have been a scourge on our house all season…as Big John McCarthy would say “LET’S GET IT ON!”
Technorati Tags: Chris Bosh, TJ Ford, Jose Calderon, Juan Dixon, Anthony Parker, Morris Peterson, Joey Graham, Andrea Bargnani, Kris Humphries, Rasho Nesterovic, Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, Bostjan Nachbar, Mikki Moore, Clifford Robinson, Jason Collins, Eddie House, Josh Boone, Marcus Williams, Antoine Wright, New Jersey Nets
April 19th, 2007 at 9:29 am
so chuck wants the nets huh. i would have preferred the wiz in the 1st round.you know.just so the young raps will ease thru the 1st rd b4 the real battle begins.
the nets will play a fast game like last night.sam better prepare for that.the nets’ pick n roll , w/vc passing to a sliding moore or boone, will be a headache.much like calderon to bosh pick n roll.
i think if bosh is able to handle collins/robinson defense, the raps shd. win.
on the other side, frank will resort to ANYBODY BUT BOSH mentality so the other raps needsto play really well.
April 19th, 2007 at 9:52 am
it is the raptors defense that has me worried. they haven’t been able to make the crucial stop on a consistent basis. on the other side, the nets wont be able to stop the raptors offense either. it is an interesting matchup, that is for sure.
frank will definately try to impose the ‘ANYBODY BUT BOSH’ philosphy, but the rest of the guys have been able to hit off of bosh’s kick outs all year, i don’t see why that would stop now, i hope anyway…lol.
April 19th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
The raps will beat the Nets. It will come down to containing VC and Kidd. I wouldnt worry too much about RJ because there isnt anyway the Raps can shut down 3 scorers. VC will be playing with an extra big chip on his shoulder, but that could be good or bad. Kidd will do his best to average a triple double and that is just what he does. I like the Ford/Kidd matchup, the VC/Parker matchup, and the Bosh/anybody matchup. The Raps have a distinct advantage because they’ll be able to go a little smaller to play with the Nets, which means that Bargnani will see a lot of the floor.
Bargnani and Moore will be the X factors of the series. Bosh, Ford, and Parker will get theirs, as well as Kidd, VC and RJ, but Bargs and Moore will make the difference.
Raps in 6, the ACC will be insane…damn living in North Western Ontario.
April 19th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
nets in 5 - vince screws the franchise once again. I’m seriously not trying to stir up contreversy but they are healthy, playing amazing, have experience - the raps have been playing “well” - but have struggled to start games, have lost garbajosa, bargnani has played one game, and one of their best defenders mopete doesn’t play and/or is injured - we needed the wiz and it didnt happen. its still a successful season no matter what happens - I am hoping for the best and to be proven wrong. I will be cheering my heart out - in front of the TV.
April 19th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
they are missing krstic - that guy is their anchor in the post, and they haven’t won at the acc yet this year…so they wont win in 5. i think this series goes 7 either way.
what makes me nervous is over the last little while, the raptors have gotten off to slow starts, and had to claw back to get the win. that luxury will not be afforded to these cats in the playoffs. has to be a full 48 minute effort, otherwise the nets take our spot in the second round.
April 19th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Admittedly I haven’t seen much of the Nets but I don’t think Kidd will be abusing anybody. He’s the one who might get abused on the defensive end. Maybe a few years ago he might’ve taken advantage of this matchup, but not this year.
April 20th, 2007 at 7:29 am
grunwald takes nets in 7
April 20th, 2007 at 9:14 am
Of course he would. Everyone is making the safe pick here.
April 20th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
hey ves what is “amazing” about the Nets play lately compared to the raptors playing “well”? the raps went 7-3 down the stretch and 2 of those games were meaningless (Bosh and Parker didnt dress for 1 of the games)because they had already wrapped up 3rd and the Atlantic. also, in those 10 games the Raps played against 6 playoff bound teams. The Nets went 7-3 because they were fighting for their playoff lives and only played 4 games against playoff bound teams.
the factor in this series will be each teams bench. The isnt anyone downlow to handle Bosh and he’ll get everyone in foul trouble. The Raps have been rebounding better as a team lately and in a 7 game series with home court advantage…i dont see the Nets beating the Raps, especially not in 5 games. GO RAPS GO
April 20th, 2007 at 3:04 pm
amazing is relative. compared to how they were playing for most of the season, the final 10 or so games, the nets were amazing. the nets defense on bosh will be by comittee, they will keep throwing people at him, in hopes of slowing him down. this series is going to be won or lost at shooting guard/small forward position. if the raptors can contain carter/jefferson…lights are out. it looks good, but like i said, i have a bad feeling abotu it. cant wait till tomorrow!