| Game 28: 2014-15 NBA Season | ||
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| Series 0-0 | ||
| December 23rd, 2014 | ||
| Barclays Center – Brooklyn, New York | ||
| 5:30 PM MT | ||
| Altitude / 950 AM |
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| Ty Lawson | PG | Deron Williams |
| Arron Afflalo | SG | Bojan Bogdanovic |
| Wilson Chandler | SF | Joe Johnson |
| Kenneth Faried | PF | Kevin Garnett |
| Timofey Mozgov | C | Mason Plumlee |
| Notes | ||
| Denver Stiffs | Blogs | NetsDaily |
| JaVale McGee – Out (Leg), Randy Foye – Out (Quad), Danilo Gallinari – Out (Knee), Darrell Arthur – Questionable (Leg) | Injuries | Deron Williams – Questionable (Calf), Brook Lopez – Out (Back) |
| Both teams have won three games out of six over the previous three seasons. | Etc… | Deron Williams once called himself the “best point guard in the NBA“ |
The Denver Nuggets must be looking in a mirror. Across the country, nestled in the mountain skyscrapers of New York City sits their Eastern Conference brother, the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nuggets have dealt with a litany of injuries to key players since the offesason like JaVale McGee and Danilo Gallinari, they've had to be subject to trade speculation (like this) and a questionable future, and their play has been inconsistent, leaving us dazed and confused.
Brooklyn on the other hand is dealing with injuries to key players like Deron Williams and Brook Lopez, it's been declared open season for trades (here, here, here, here, and here), that has left the Nets looking for a sense of direction in the future, and their inconsistent play has led to a crumble from a somewhat promising start.
With Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Brook Lopez on the trade block, the next time these two teams meet, it could be a very different game. For now, the Nuggets can look to face a Nets lineup without two of their best players.
Williams did not play against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday and Lopez is out with a lower back strain.
Denver should look to run with Ty Lawson doing what he does best against a hobbled Williams or an older Jarrett Jack. Their strength being in their defense, the Nets are 1-6, this month, when they allow over 95 points. The Nets have scored only over 100 points in twice this month, and though both were wins, they were against the dumpster fire duo of the Pistons and struggling Charlotte Hornets.
This should be a game where the Nuggets bigs come to play. Brooklyn’s Mason Plumlee has played well in the eight games Lopez has missed, but Kevin Garnett is old and Mirza Teletovic provides no resistance. Kenneth Faried’s energy and effort, J.J. Hickson’s rebounding, the banging of Jusuf Nurkic, and the all-around effectiveness of Timofey Mozgov, should put constant pressure on the Nets front line (provided Shaw rotates them effectively). Faried in particular should look to get out and run on every rebound, missed, and made shot.
Joe Johnson still has enough in the tank to give Wilson Chandler resistance, but based on how Chandler has played in the month of December – excluding his last two clunkers (18.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.9 three-pointers made per game), he may play Iso Joe to a standstill.
Prediction
Ty Lawson and the bigs make noise on the break, as the Nets fall behind in the third quarter losing 107-98.
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