Mark Ginocchio of Nets Are Scorching and I exchanged questions about the teams we cover in anticipation of tonight’s game. Here’s my Q&A with Mark.
The Nets are yet to win a game. What is New Jersey’s biggest problem so far and how can they turn it around?
"While no one was expecting the Nets to be very good this season, I think their 0-8 start is due in large part to just an uncanny number of injuries to key players. For the past two games, the Nets have suited up 8 players and have gone with a starting rotation that features career bench players and journeymen like Eduardo Najera, Trenton Hassell and Bobby Simmons. Devin Harris hasn’t played since the second game of the season. Yi Jianlian will likely miss another month. Guys like Keyon Dooling and Tony Battie haven’t even played a game yet this season. I mean, the injuries are so absurd the Nets actually have the first player in the NBA to contract the H1N1 (swing flu) virus in Chris Douglas-Roberts. I hate to sound like a cry baby, but there is no team that has been more unlucky than the Nets so far."
What do you think about the development of Brook Lopez? Where has he improved? What do you expect from him for the rest of the season?
"I’m a huge fan of Brook Lopez, though the jump in his numbers may be due in large part because he’s the only legitimate scorer left on the roster right now. In terms of improvement, his outside jumper is definitely becoming more consistent, and the Nets are also doing a lot more to work him in the post. On the flipside, the pick and roll game with him has suffered without Devin Harris, and Brook still doesn’t look very comfortable passing out of a double team in the post. But again, what can you expect when defenders can cheat on him in the post because it leaves someone like Trenton Hassell wide open. Are opposing teams really thinking about Trenton Hassell beating you?"
Early on, it looked like there was going to be a battle between Courtney Lee and Chris Douglas-Roberts for a starting spot, but both players start. How is having both Lee and Douglas-Roberts in the lineup working out?
"Well neither has played in a week so it’s hard to say how it’s ultimately going to shake out but in the short samples we’ve seen, Courtney Lee has really struggled hitting open jumpers early on, and may be pressing a bit. CDR has been a decent scorer but he also tends to dribble the ball a lot, and there’s still a long-term concern about his ability to defend bigger threes in this league. I think down the line, the Nets are a better team with one of these guys on the bench, more likely CDR since he’s more of an “instant offense” type that’s perfect for 6th man spots. But it’s not like the Nets have any real options to play the three right now in his place."
Devin Harris has been banged up and has only played in two games this season? How important has the acquisition of Rafer Alston been and how has he looked? He was key for the Magic when All-Star Point Guard Jameer Nelson went down with an injury.
"Rafer Alston is the only true PG active on this team right now, so obviously the fact that he’s a healthy and able body is huge. As for his play, he’s been up and down and I can’t really praise him as some kind of key to success because the Nets still haven’t succeeded with him running the point. He’s had a couple of nice games, and came up huge drawing a charge in the closing seconds Wednesday night against Philly to give the Nets a shot to win the game, but on the last play of the game, totally miscommunicated with his teammates and passed the ball right back to the Sixers on the inbounds pass. From what I’ve been told, that’s just Rafer being Rafer."
Click here to see Mark’s Q&A with me.
(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger and a contributor at NFL Mocks Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)