Joe Netsfan Round 2 Game 1 - Cavs 81, Nets 77

Are you the weakest link?

Cavs 81, Nets 77
Round 2, Game 1 File
In the first game of this Round 2 series, the Cavs get the upper hand thanks to some late game defense. It wasn't pretty, but the Nets couldn't make enough shots, couldn't grab enough rebounds, gave too many second chances to the Cavs, and couldn't get it together in the end game. An entirely winnable game for NJ goes by the wayside.
• Box Score

Series Record: 0 - 1

Nets High Men:
• Points: Vince Carter, 21.
• Assists: Jason Kidd, 9.
• Rebounds: Vince Carter, 13.
• Steals: Jason Kidd, 3.
• Turnovers: Richard Jefferson, 5.
• Blocks: Kidd, Carter, Moore, Collins and Nachbar each had 1.
• FG Percentage: Richard Jefferson, 58.3% (7 - 12).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 37.2%
• FT Percentage: 87.5%
• Rebounds: 37
• Rebound Differential: -14
• Turnovers: 15
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 16
• Bench points: 19
• Bench points Differential:+13
• Steals: 6
• Blocks: 5
• Points in the Paint: 30
• Double-Doubles: 1 (Vince Carter: 21 points, 13 rebounds)
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 4
• Nets Fast Break Points: 6
• Kidd's FG Percentage: 18.2% (2 - 11).
• Scoring Differential Kidd in the game: -7
• Scoring Differential Kidd out: +3 (Williams)
• Double-Doubles this Season: 33
• Triple Doubles this Season: 12
• Career Triple Doubles: 87
• Double-Doubles playoffs: 5
• Triple Doubles playoffs: 1
• Career Playoff Triple Doubles:10

Nets Media
Bergen Record | Nets
Newark Star-Ledger | Nets
Newsday | Nets
NY Daily News | NBA
NY Post | Nets
NY Times | Pro Basketball
YES Network | Nets

Nets Team Pages
CNNSI.com | Nets
ESPN.com | Nets
FoxSports | Nets
NBA.com | Nets
Sportsline.com | Nets

Cavs Media:
Cleveland Plain Dealer | Cavs

Round 2, Game 1: Cavs 81, Nets 77 – May 6, 2007
Weakest Link
it's probably too late for the Nets to grow any taller, so they have no one to blame but themselves after this Game 1 loss to the Cavs in which they gave up too many second chances on the glass. Despite playing a strong defensive game and not allowing LeBron James to take over (except in the end game, of course), the Nets find themselves down 1 - 0 because their weakest link in this series flat out broke.

Getting out rebounded by 14 was bad enough, but giving up 20 offensive rebounds was downright pitiful, and when combined with turnovers and missed shot attempts, the Nets really couldn't find a way to tighten any nooses around the Cavs throat, even when they were offering them up. Make no mistake, neither team was sharp, but the Cavs executed in the end-game, just about strangling the Nets last attempts at a score while making just enough shots to get the win.

It started out ugly, and never got much better, but the first half was a study in two teams feeling each other out, trying to figure out the angles and the possibilities. The Nets actually started strong before fading fast, with Cleveland ending on a 14 - 8 run keyed by Drew Gooden. But the Nets, despite struggling with shot selection as the Cavs through some different looks at them, battled back behind the second team, and with some good energy from Josh Boone and Boki Nachbar, the Nets took their largest lead of the day, 8 points, midway through the second. Even with Carter scoring 15 points in the half, though, the Nets struggled enough (eith 10 turnovers and a host of second chances allowed for the Cavs) after taking the 8 point lead to find themselves down 2 at the break thanks to a late Sasha Pavlovic run of 7 points.

It was a wrestling match in the third quarter, one that featured the re-awakening of Richard Jefferson but not much else for NJ, while the Cavs struggled just as much, and these long streaks of ineptitude by both teams found it a tie ball game at the end of three. Perfect position, actually, for the Nets, since they were getting beaten so badly on the glass.

But that fourth quarter was more undoing than doing for the Nets, as a four minute stretch of bad offense put them down four, and caused them to be back on their heels for the rest of this one. Going under five minutes to play, Carter had a shot blocked on an inside move, and when James was fouled on the ensuing breakout, it was a 6 point hole with 4:15 to play. But, willing the ball to the basket despite heavy defensive pressure, a basket by Jefferson and two Nachbar free throws pulled the Nets to within two with 56 seconds to play. With everything that had gone wrong to this point, the Nets were in perfect position to win the game.

Only, they couldn't throw the ball in Lake Erie. First, Kidd had a steal and a clear breakaway score, except that Pavlovic hustled back and blocked his layup attempt. Then, tough defense for 23 seconds only left Larry Hughes open as the shot clock was ready to expire, and he calmly sidestepped a charging Jefferson and nailed a jumper to put the lead back to 4. Not insurmountable, and it took the Nets 3 seconds to have Carter drive and get fouled to get back the points. Now, with 32 seconds to go, the Nets needed a stop, the Cavs put the ball in LeBron's hands, and he drove past Kidd, with Antoine Wright slow to rotate, and banged home a jumper off glass and over Kidd to boost the lead back to four with 19 seconds to go.

What would the Nets do now? Well, we're still not really sure, since they needed a quick basket, but got nothing but defensive pressure from the Cavs, and no matter where they moved the ball, they found nothing but choke points, and when Nachbar inally flung a harmless shot, it was blocked by LeBron with 7 seconds remaining, and from there, only a harmless fling by RJ at the buzzer was left.

Exceedingly disappointing, as this was a winnable game and a chance to steal the home court advantage. The Nets may have given the Cavs some unnecessary confidence as well, since they know they didn't play all that well, and still the Nets couldn't beat them. It's only one game, but the Nets better start eating some glass, and quickly, not to mention making some shots...for it's the weakest link that will get you killed in the playoffs. Game 2 is Tuesday night.

Unchained, And Nothing Stays The Same
Tangled Up And Blue – With no transition game to speak of, and the spacing on the floor might tighter than it was in the Raptors series, the Nets were forced to shoot contested jumpers for much of the night. Part of that goes to the refs, who let damned near everything short of a physical beating go, so many times the Nets rushed the paint, only to have the refs look the other way, the ball turned over, and the Cavs on the run the other way. Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson seemed incredulous that they couldn't get a call (to be fair, neither did LeBron or the Cavs, as only 27 free throws were attempted all game). The Nets need to figure out how to get free, how to break that 2 - 3 Cavs zone, and most importantly, how to keep them off the damned glass.
Superstar Car Wash - Not enough from the Big Three to get the win. Plain and simple. Having said that, aside from the rebound thing, no one on either side was too much to handle. So the Nets can take comfort that they can easily re-establish some semblance of normalcy with a big game from Carter (7- 23 from the field, only 6 FT attempts, and a total disappearance in the second half), Kidd (2 - 11 - 'nuff said) and Jefferson (7 - 12, but not enough in the first half) in Game 2. More paint attacks, some transition plays, and everything will be ok. If, however, the defense that forced the Nets into 39% shooting returns for Game 2, the Cavs will definitely be in the driver's seat for the rest of the series.
Choke Points - This isn't really a team to fear, these Cavs. They only shot 42%, but had 9 more FG attempts thanks to all those second chances (for the record, LeBron James, Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas all had at least 11 rebounds, and Gooden had 6 offensive, Ziggy 8). Otherwise, James, Larry Hughes and Ilguaskas didn't shoot all that well either... some credit must go to the Nets' defense, and Jefferson, Kidd and Antoine Wright in particular.
Wrapped Up With A Bow - There were 18 lead changes and 6 ties in this one, and no team got a lead more than 8 points. Overall, these teams are fairly evenly matched, so the team that makes the shots, controls the ball, and hits the glass will probably win. The Nets didn't do enough of any of those things (even the three ball that bailed them out against the Raptors wasn't there, as they went only 5 - 20 from behind the arc).
Running To Stand Still - Now that we've pointed out the fast break deficiency, let's quantify it: only 6 fast break points for the Nets tonight.
Chained And Love Stained - Maybe the Nets should foul the Cavs early and often in Game 2 - in 11 free throw attempts, the Cavs made only 6 tonight, for a whopping 54.5% achievement.

Chain Of Fools
So Game 1 is in the books, and despite a so-so game from LeBron James, the Cavaliers take a 1 - 0 series lead. The Nets, for their part, never seemed to get any rhythm offensively, watching as Carter disappeared in the second half and not enough shots could make their way to the rim. Defensively, the Nets did all the right things, except get stops at the end. A closely-fought game goes for naught, and now the Nets must be kicking themselves over oppoortunity lost. Time to figure out how to keep the Cavs off the offensive boards, and find the way to get the transition game moving again. Game 2 is Tuesday night - hope the Nets can fix that weak link in time...
-Joe