Aurelino

Please pick one from each category.

(1) Player of the Game

Cuttino Mobley: 20 points on 8/9 shooting and 4 assists.

Steve Francis: 17 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists.

Maurice Taylor: 14 points on 7/10 shooting and 7 rebounds in 28 minutes.

2)Most improved performance

Maurice Taylor: 14 pts, 7 boards ( was averagin 8.33 ppg/3.66 rpg)

Cutino Mobley: 20 pts/4 assts ( was averagin 14.66ppg/2.33apg)


(3)Most Disappointing Performance

Alonzo Mourning: 8 pts, 4 rebounds, 3/1o shooting

Kerry Kittles: 11 pts, 3/9 shooting

Brandon Armstrong: 0 pts, 0/3 shooting

Aaron Williams: 6 points in 19 minutes.

NYCbballFan

I would vote for the Rockets 12-1 run to end the game as the key stat, if it was a choice. More than just the game itself, HOW the Nets lost at the end reminded me of the pattern of the Finals' losses against the Spurs - a close, defensive game in which the Nets finally just wore out on a game-ending run.

PotG: Mobley. He was creating scores for the Rockets when both team offenses were shut down.

MIP: Taylor (and Cato). The Nets understandably prioritized Yao and the Rockets perimeter players, and helped off of the Rockets PFs. Both Cato and Taylor were able to punish the Nets post help defense with jumpers. In the 4th Q, Taylor made a tough shot over Veal in the paint and a nice pass to Francis for a late score. I want to credit Mobley, too - his game showed a great improvement over last season as a nice show of under-control one-on-one ability.

MDP: Armstrong. Although, of the choices, he's the lowest player in the rotation, BA's skills were the most needed by the team given Kittles' injury. BA needed to match-up with Mobley's perimeter scoring, but he disappeared. A game after taking a big step forward, he took the same step back.

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Carina Perelli, who has been organizing U.N. assistance for Sunday's election in Iraq, said on Wednesday that U.S. soldiers "have been extremely, I would say, over enthusiastic in trying to help out with this election."

Aurelino

My choices:

1)Player of the Game: Cuttino Mobley
He shot 8/9 from the field and was their main offensive weapon in the first half.

2)Most improved performance: Morris Taylor

He along with JJ, Cato and Moochie Norris provided a multi-edged offense that eventually won them the game.

3)Most Disappointing performance: Alonzo Mourning (with Armstrong a close second). Didn't pass the ball enough and didn't make quick decisions in the post.

Aurelino

Yes, I agree but the Nets were partly responsible for that. There was a play where Jefferson couln't finish a layup on a break (that was really close) and then at the other end, Francis drew a foul and shot two. That was, to me, the beginning of the slide and then the Nets never recovered from there as Francis shot the ball well and Kidd made some costly mistakes.

NYCbballFan

That WAS a big swing play. I don't know what happened to RJ on that play. Maybe his leg got clipped on the jump? There were a few bodies on the floor. Veal made a heck of a sprint to pull ahead of Franchise AND set up in time for a charge, but his left heel did slip over the line while he was trying go instantaneously from full-sprint to full-stop.

I guess of the three choices, it has be (Maurice) Taylor's and Mobley's shooting. In a drag-out defensive game, hitting shots counts.

__________________
Carina Perelli, who has been organizing U.N. assistance for Sunday's election in Iraq, said on Wednesday that U.S. soldiers "have been extremely, I would say, over enthusiastic in trying to help out with this election."

ToddMacCulloch11

Gotta be the shooting. We fell apart in the second half, and they went on a huge run to end the game.

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hi.

MightyReds2020

POG - Francis. After the first made field goal he returned to his normal self and made a couple of key plays in the expense of Kidd. Mobley gets considerations too because it was 2 nights in a row he fits in real well with the team and steps up when it matters.

MIP - Cato + Mo Taylor. Both of them made most of their mid-range jumpers that they (especially Cato) don't normally takes. That altered the Nets' defensive schemes a little bit I assumed.

MDP - Everyone's shooting touch.

schub

Stat: Nets shooting.

Player of the Game: Mobley. Had some huge buckets in the 4th, and was solid throughout.

Most improved: I guess Taylor, but I haven't watched any other Rockets games.

Most Disappointing: Jason Kidd - 0 pts. in the 2nd half.

ToddMacCulloch11

POG- Mobley
MIP- Taylor
MD- the shooting

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hi.

Aurelino

I wonder how many times that will be the case this season Someone has to shoot and sink it it. Games are won by points and not by missed FG attempts!!

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Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

NYCbballFan

With respect to Veal (who actually went 3 for 5 in the 4th Q - I didn't count the last 3-pter he took), when Scalabrine became the 'hot read' for Kidd at the end of the game, that said volumes about how badly the team - including Kidd - was shooting.

Armstrong, Overton and Planinic are occupying a lot of roster space for guards who don't score.

__________________
Carina Perelli, who has been organizing U.N. assistance for Sunday's election in Iraq, said on Wednesday that U.S. soldiers "have been extremely, I would say, over enthusiastic in trying to help out with this election."

Ballscientist

I thought Mourning is done, but he still can play a bit.

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mofo202

I must have fallen asleep right before that happened.

Damn...