[narek]

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (22-35) vs. New Jersey Nets (25-32).

When: 6:30 tonight.

Where: IZOD Center.

Broadcasts: TV - None. Radio - AM-620.

About the Nets: Team president Rod Thorn has begun the retooling process by sending veteran guard Jason Kidd to Dallas before the trade deadline. Former Mavericks guard Devin Harris was the key player obtained in the deal and could make his Nets debut tonight, but he may be brought along slowly after missing a month due to a left ankle sprain. Veteran Darrell Armstrong has been playing backup minutes at point guard in Harris' absence.

PLAYER TO WATCH
VINCE CARTER, Nets

With the departure of Kidd to Dallas, it's Carter's team now, and he will have to carry an even greater load to keep New Jersey in the Eastern Conference playoff chase. The former Tar Heel scored a season-high 33 points in an overtime victory against Chicago last week, and he had 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the Nets' 102-92 loss to Orlando on Tuesday. Carter scored eight points in the final 4 minutes of the Nets' 97-95 victory over the Bucks on Dec. 29.

LINEUPS
PROBABLE NETS STARTERS

Player Ht. From
G-Vince Carter 6-6 North Carolina
G-Marcus Williams 6-3 Connecticut
F-Richard Jefferson 6-7 Arizona
F-Nenad Krstic 7-0 Serbia
C-Josh Boone 6-10 Connecticut

Coach: Lawrence Frank (fourth season, 182-161).

Injury report: Devin Harris (left ankle sprain) is day-to-day.

PROBABLE BUCKS STARTERS

Player Ht. From
G-Mo Williams 6-1 Alabama
G-Michael Redd 6-6 Ohio State
F-Desmond Mason 6-5 Okla. State
F-Charlie Villanueva 6-11 Connecticut
C-Andrew Bogut 7-0 Utah

Coach: Larry Krystkowiak (second season, 27-48).

Injury report: Ramon Sessions (left-hand fracture) is out.

THE SERIES
The Bucks are 0-2 against the Nets this season. The Nets have won four straight against the Bucks in New Jersey.

I wish we could have traded for Devin.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=722861

[narek]

Wish I could have seen Devin play.

Harris bops Bucks

East Rutherford, N.J. - Devin Harris simply couldn't wait to get on the court with his New Jersey Nets teammates.

And it showed in the newcomer's stellar performance Thursday night. The Milwaukee native scored 21 points in just 21 minutes off the bench while carving up the Milwaukee Bucks defense, leading the sizzling Nets to a 120-106 victory at the Izod Center and slowing the Bucks' momentum after the all-star break.

Jason who?

Although Nets fans won't soon forget guard Jason Kidd, who went to Dallas in the eight-player deal that brought Harris to the Meadowlands last week, they were feeling pretty good about Harris after his stylish debut.

"It's not hard to play with these types of guys," Harris said after getting his first opportunity to set up Nets stars Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson. "I believe we can keep it going and there will be many wins to come."

The Nets scored a season-high point total as they riddled the Bucks' interior defense and went 11 for 23 from beyond the three-point line. New Jersey shot a torrid 63.4% in the first half while piling up a 68-55 lead.

The Nets (26-32) showed off a balanced attack with Jefferson and Carter each scoring 19 points, Josh Boone adding 14 and reserve forward Bostjan Nachbar contributing 13 and hitting 3 three-pointers in the fourth quarter.

"We've just got to guard better," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "Basically from the point of attack all the way to the rebound at the end of it, we were very poor tonight.

"We're getting outslugged a little bit inside, there's no doubt about it. We've got to get to the point where we hit first. If you're a little bit undersized, outmuscled in there, you can't be a reacting kind of guy.

"We've got some skill with our 4 men (power forwards) that are able to compensate for that, but without us having a little bit more toughness, it's kind of a wash."

[narek]

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Former University of Wisconsin and Wauwatosa East star Devin Harris couldn't have scripted a better debut with the Nets. He shot 7 for 13 and finished with 21 points and five assists in 21 minutes. "I'm glad I had the start I had and everything was going in," he said.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Providing a glimpse of highlights to come, Harris threw a lob ahead to Vince Carter for a crowd-pleasing, one-handed dunk, giving the Nets an 84-73 lead with 4:33 left in the third quarter.

STATISTICS SHEET: Harris was 6 for 6 in the first half, including 3 for 3 from three-point range, as the Nets shot 64.3% (26 for 41).

OFF THE BENCH: The Bucks' reserves were missing in action for the second straight game, being outscored, 49-8. Yi Jianlian was 0 for 2 in 10 minutes and Bobby Simmons did not play for the second straight game (coach's decision

).


http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=723288