The Lakerhead

New Jersey to Test Laker Defense, Attention Span

The Nets are a strange team to figure out.  What was supposed to be a complete rebuilding year has turned into an early season full of hopeful sparks.  They might be waiting for a chance at Lebron James in 2010, but they look highly competitive right now.  The team is 6-6, but 6-3 when Devin Harris, their starting point guard, plays.  He’s averaging 23.2 points a game at 46% shooting.  Vince Carter is averaging 24.3 points a game at a career best 48.1% shooting.

These two guards will test the Lakers’ former kryptonite, penetration defense.  Will they torch the Lake Show the way the Kings’ guards Bobby Brown and John Salmons did Sunday night to force a close 4th quarter game?

The smart money answer is absolutely not.  The Laker coaching staff is notorious for adjusting to mistakes, and will make sure the Nets offense doesn’t clip anywhere near the 50% mark (the Kings shot at an incredible 53% field goal rate against the Lakers).

What is the primary adjustment?  Transition defense.  You can bet the Nets will run every chance they can get when they see how successful the Kings were at it against the reeling Laker defense.  The Nets already like to push it anyway, so this strategy will not be new to them.  The Lakers will be told (or yelled at during the tape session) to get back on D.

The layup line will also stop, partly from a more focused Kobe Bryant who was burned on cuts one too many times by the Kings’ Salmons, and partly because the Nets lack a big with the passing skills of Brad Miller (who had 6 assists against the Lakers).

The Lakers should be looking for some L.A. redemption.  Check out the video to see what Vince Carter did to crosstown homeboy, Chris Kaman, Saturday.  Marvelous Marv Albert calls it.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XG1QlFPqS4&hl=en&fs=1]