MIAMI – Throughout history, certain questions have baffled the greatest minds. What came first, the chicken or the egg? Why are we here? Is pro wrestling legit? How do you guard a Shaquille O’Neal team that spreads the floor with competent shooters?
“That’s the question of the day,” said Travis Best, one of the Nets who hopes someone comes up with a way to combat Shaq and his Heat pals in Game 2 of this first-round series here tonight. “That’s the reason they have Damon Jones. He complements Shaq so well. They have the perimeter shooters in place to stretch the floor. We’ll have to figure it out. A lot is a matter of picking your poison.”
So Nets, do you want to get crushed inside by Shaq? Or shredded outside by the likes of Jones who lives off Shaq’s double-team passes and Dwyane Wade’s pick and rolls? Wade is a whole different animal, a guy with a first step that seems to make penetration his God-given right.
“You have to be aggressive up top. If you give him any room as soon he comes off the screen, he’s going to split it. He’s going to get around it. He’s too fast and too strong and too athletic,” Best said.
The Nets, clobbered 116-98 in Game 1, seemed confident yesterday they would come up with some answers for Game 2. They’ll try to attack the rim more, look to push it behind Jason Kidd. But to run, they need stops.
Everything starts with Shaq. The Nets will throw numerous different looks and hope to confuse him. “He’s seen everything. And he’s seen it more than once,” said Jason Collins.
“I’ve seen it all. There’s nothing new we haven’t seen before,” confirmed O’Neal, who rated himself about “50 percent” following a thigh bruise that put him at 40 percent for the opener.
Shaq was not a statistical problem. He had 17 points as the Nets seemed determined to shut him down. But Jones was destructive from the perimeter, scoring 30, making 7 of 9 3-point attempts.
“I’m not knocking him, (but) it’s highly unlikely a person is going to go 7-for-9 from the 3-point line again. Highly. I’m just playing the percentages,” Richard Jefferson said.
“A lot of times we came in so far that it was a long run to get back out there. You have to put yourselves in a position where you can help but yet get back out,” Cliff Robinson said.
“Damon and Eddie (Jones), once they get into a rhythm, they can get going with the best of them,” Kidd said. “We got to find a way to run those guys off the three-point line.”
All while paying respect to Shaq. And O’Neal’s presence wasn’t destructive just on one end.
The Heat again forced the Nets into jumpshot mode. Throw in a near-mandatory Nets’ cold spell which set in for 11:30 from the first to second periods and the Nets fought uphill for the majority of the game.
“Just keep attacking. You just have to pick your spots. You have to do one thing to get to another thing. So it’s also being patient, keep attacking,” said Vince Carter, who then stressed eliminating the defensive breakdowns. “All of those guys were making shots. It’s kind of hard to run the fast break when they keep making them.”
See? It always comes back to the defensive end.
“Any time guys are making the type of shots they made, then looking back you can say (there was too much focus on Shaq),” coach Lawrence Frank said. “But we also have to be honest and say Shaq is one of the most dominant players ever to play. It’s not like you’re giving attention to a guy who’s not pretty good.”
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Postseason problems
Since a dramatic 127-120 overtime victory over Detroit in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last season, Richard Jefferson and the Nets have now lost three consecutive playoff games. A closer look:
YEAR ROUND GAME RESULT
2005 First No. 1 Heat 116, Nets 98
2004 Second No. 7 Pistons 90, Nets 69
2004 Second No. 6 Pistons 81, Nets 75
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Nets vs. Heat
At a glance
Game Date Site Res./Time Series/On air
Game 1 Sunday Miami Heat, 116-98 Heat, 1-0
Game 2 Tonight Miami 8:00 TNT/WBBR
Game 3 Thursday NETS 7:00 p.m. TNT/WFAN
Game 4 Sunday NETS 3:30 p.m. Ch.7/WFAN
Game 5* May 4 Miami TBD TBD
Game 6* May 6 NETS TBD TBD
Game 7* May 8 Miami TBD TBD
*if necessary