The essentials:
Nets (9-11) at Wizards (9-10)
7 p.m.
Verizon Center
CSN
Last year:
November 12: Nets 105, Wizards 93 (OT)
February 27: Nets 113, Wizards 103
April 7: Nets 120, Wizards 114 (OT)
April 10: Nets 96, Wizards 92
This Year:
November 8: Nets 87, Wizards 85
Notable Nets numbers this season (pound the salt):
22nd in expected winning percentage (.302).
24th in pace factor (89.1 possessions per game).
27th in offensive efficiency/offensive rating (100.8)
26th in defensive efficiency/defensive rating (107).
Notable Nets numbers last season
T14 in expected winning percentage (.506).
16th in pace factor (89.9 possessions per game).
15th in offensive efficiency/offensive rating (108.0).
14th in defensive efficiency/defensive rating (107.8).
Key links (drop any others in the comments)
Nets Daily.
Hooplah...Nation
Hooplah...Nation blog preview.
Competition discussion: New Jersey.
Eddie Jordan wants more rebounds.
Mister Irrelevant wants to decide on a nickname for Nick Young. I'm still partial to Nick Skywalker, but they're all good.
Starting lineups:
Nets
PG: Jason Kidd.
SG: Vince Carter.
SF: Richard Jefferson.
PF: Nenad Kristic.
C: Jason Collins.
Wizards
PG: Antonio Daniels
SG: DeShawn Stevenson
SF: Caron Butler
PF: Antawn Jamison
C: Brendan Haywood
Tonight's lines:
Nets at Wizards: Wizards by 2.5.
Over/Under on Big 2 scoring: 43.9 points.
To be honest, I have absolutely no idea how this game is going to turn out. On one hand, the Nets and Wizards have very similar records, but New Jersey is a lot worse than their record would indicate. As you can see up top, despite the fact they're only 2 games under .500, the Nets have an expected winning percentage of .302. Even Richard Jefferson is baffled by the Nets record:
Then again, as you can also see the Nets have won the last 5 against the Wizards because Jason Kidd always creates match-up problems and shoots well against us. If the Wizards can't contain him then we're going to see a lot of what we saw on Friday, just at a much, much slower pace.
This is an open thread, so if you are on strike have a migraine that's going to keep you out of action tonight, let us know here.