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| Tuesday, October 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last year: 16-34, seventh place in Atlantic Coach: Don Casey Arena: Continental Arena (20,049) Last NBA title: None Record the last 5 years/NBA rank: 145-233 (21st)
Outlook By Don Burke Basketball News They were supposed to be on the verge last season. But on the verge of what? After making the playoffs for the first time in four seasons following the 1997-98 campaign, the Nets were poised to make their move following the NBA lockout. And move they did-straight to the bottom of the Atlantic Division, a freefall that cost coach John Calipari his job and forced the franchise to start over. Again. Not from scratch, however. Say what you want about Calipari, but he left the organization in infinitely better shape than the way he found it. Now armed with some of the best young talent in the game -- Stephon Marbury, Keith Van Horn, Kerry Kittles -- and with one of the league's oldest coaches in Don Casey, the Nets are expecting great things of themselves once again. But just like last season when injuries wrecked any chance the team had of making the shortened season a successful one, the team's health will once again play a prominent role. The Nets used 23 different players as they tried to patch last season back together after a series of season-ending injuries and finished the year with four players originally signed to 10-day contracts. And they'll start this season in a hole, with Jayson Williams expected to be sidelined until at least January as he rehabilitates a badly broken leg and a (twice) surgically repaired knee. And Kittles, who underwent offseason knee surgery, is not expected to be back until some time after the start of the regular season. Still, no one is conceding anything. "We want to win," says Marbury, who tasted the playoffs with Minnesota and did not like going home early last season at all. "We're young, dynamic and determined. If we can go out and play like that, I think we can definitely do something this year."
At 21, Marbury may be the best point guard in the game. Certainly in his three seasons in the league, he has shown that he's well on his way to joining Gary Payton and Jason Kidd at the top of the list. After coming to the Nets in a blockbuster deal and signing a six-year, $72 million contract extension, Marbury wasted little time in placing his stamp on the team. After registering 21 points and five assists in his Nets debut, which, coincidentally, was also Calipari's final game as New Jersey's coach, Marbury went on to average 23.4 points and 8.7 assists per game with the team. "With everyone knowing me and knowing how I am, it's going to be a lot easier to go out and perform," Marbury says. "When I first came from Minnesota everyone was like, 'How is he? What is he going to do? How does he play?'" The Nets were delighted they could bring back Sherman Douglas, who was vital to the team's '97-98 playoff run. He's a capable starter or backup and is as good as it gets for insurance on Marbury.
Shooting guard "I just want to get back to my position and you'll see what I can do," says Gill. "I'm expecting a great year. I've prepared myself for it. I'm ready to move back to shooting guard. That's what I am." After offseason knee surgery, Kittles has been slow to return. If Gill can perform and Kittles can adjust to his demotion -- there's no way to sugarcoat his move to the bench -- the Nets will be the better for it.
Small forward "I feel like if I go out there and do the things I can do, (the job) should be mine," says Burrell. "It could be mine. I'm not saying that's guaranteed or anything. I have to go out there and prove myself." If Burrell falters, Casey can always go to veteran Johnny Newman, who was acquired in the September trade that sent point guard Eric Murdock to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Power forward
Center The Nets are also hoping to get something from Gheorghe Muresan, the 7-7 giant who has played just one minute in the last two NBA seasons, and defensive specialist Jim McIlvaine, who is back from shoulder surgery that caused him to miss the final 27 games last season.
Coaching Casey has surrounded himself with a strong staff that includes former NBA head coaches Eddie Jordan (defense) and Jim Lynam (offense). An NBA lifer who speaks often about how close he is to earning his pension, the 62-year-old Casey appears content knowing this is his final shot to guide an NBA team. Material from Basketball News.Visit their web site at http://www.basketballnews.com |