Write On Sports LLC - "Determined Nets show offensive versatility" by Jake Lloyd

Determined Nets show offensive versatility

2007-05-06 23:57:04 | By: Jake Lloyd

It may have been painful for the average TV viewer to watch, but Friday night's fourth quarter between New Jersey and Toronto exemplified why the Nets can be such a dangerous team.

As long as the refs are blowing their whistles.

In what seemed like a seven-hour final quarter -- which was only acquitted by an exciting finish -- New Jersey refused to relent to a determined group of Raptors who played like they were facing elimination (answer: they were). Just about every time Toronto scored to threaten New Jersey's lead, the Nets came back down and attacked the basket, drawing a foul and shooting two.

It was about as predictable as a NASCAR race, with a few missed free throws (crashes) mixed in for good measure. Partly because of those crashes, Toronto finally took the lead in the final minute on a Chris Bosh jumper, but Richard Jefferson assailed the rim one last time, spinning off his defender and looping a beautiful left-handed finger roll over a slow-reacting Bosh to give the Nets a 98-97 lead with eight seconds to play.

Jefferson then stole Jose Calderon*s poor pass on the other end -- if thrown a little higher, it would have resulted in a game-winning layup for Bosh -- sealing New Jersey's 98-97 victory and first-round series win in six games.

New Jersey's ability to get to the free throw line showed how versatile it is offensively and why it has just as good a chance as just about everybody else remaining in the playoffs of making the NBA Finals.

In the first half, the Nets tended to settle for outside shots -- including two 3-pointers in a row by Jason Kidd, who has been a man on a mission these playoffs. The Nets finished the game 10-for-19 from 3-point range.

But in the final quarter, with everyone's legs a little tired, New Jersey's veterans played smart. They recognized that the officials were calling the game closely, so they drove the ball almost every time down the court. And, believe me, when Vince Carter and Jefferson set their minds on reaching the basket, they're not going to be stopped -- unless it's by a foul. The two slashers combined for 46 points, including an 18-for-20 performance from the free throw line (as a team, New Jersey was 24-for-29 from the stripe, a stellar 82.8 percent).

At one point in the final quarter, the Nets went to the free throw line on six of seven possessions. That was the only way they were able to survive nine straight points by Bosh to hold onto a slim three-point lead instead of falling behind. Of course Toronto couldn't have asked for a better scenario. You know what the experts always say: As the road team, you simply want to be in the game in the fourth quarter, and Toronto was one bad pass away or one Richard Jefferson layup away from forcing a Game 7 back home.

But at the same time, you can't say that the Nets victory was lucky because they didn't make any miraculous shots. There were no 20-foot fadeaways by Carter or 30-foot 3-pointers by Kidd. Of New New Jersey's last 15 points, 11 came at the free throw line and four on Jefferson's layup and a driving dunk by Carter. That's not serendipity. That's determination.

Now Cleveland has a day to prepare for these Nets. And the Cavaliers have a lot to prepare for. On the one hand, they must know that Carter, Kidd, Jefferson and Bostjan Nachbar can all catch fire from 3-point land. At the same time, however, they better be able to move their feet, because the first three players mentioned can all get to the basket when they want to. This series will test Cleveland's defensive versatility like never before.

Should be fun to watch -- even if the fourth quarters take an hour to be played.

Very bright future

The Nets might have won Friday night, but Toronto fans have to be extremely excited about the future of their team. A group of untested players with close to no playoff experience played what analysts were calling a close to a perfect game Friday night, almost pulling off an upset that no one thought had a chance of happening.

Bosh, just 23 years old, played like a superstar in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 of Toronto's 29 points. He finished with 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds despite frequent double teams whenever he attacked the basket. If he can further develop his mid-range jumper, he'll be a perennial All-Star.

T.J. Ford, usually Toronto's starting point guard, came off the bench because of a back injury that was supposed to keep him out of the game and scored 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting. Ford, just 24, has great potential as long as he stays healthy. He could be a stud point guard for another 10 to 12 years.

Speaking of the point guard position, Jose Calderon, 25, filled in quite nicely for Ford on Friday, scoring 14 points, dishing out six assists, making four steals, and most importantly orchestrating Toronto's comeback from a seven-point deficit in the final quarter. Outside of Phoenix's Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa, he and Ford make up the NBA's best young point guard tandem.

Finally, the Raptors are fairly young and talented at the forward positions as well. Parker, 31, and Morris Peterson, 29, are their oldest players -- but both haven't exactly played huge minutes in the league (Parker hadn't played in the NBA for six years before joining the team this season and Peterson has averaged less than 30 minutes a game for his career).

And then there's last year's No. 1 draft pick, Andrea Bargnani, 21, who showed flashes of his potential this season, including his ability to score from both down low and the outside. If he adds some muscle and hones his skills, he'll only get better, which is a scary thought for the rest of the rather anemic Atlantic Division.

Yes, things are looking up in Toronto. If the Raptors can add some depth this off-season and return everyone healthy, expect them to be in the playoffs again a year from now, possibly playing beyond the first round.

After all, they were one poor pass away from hosting a Game 7 in front of their wild fans this Sunday.

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