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NBA Championship Final: Game Two
John Murray, readaBet.com
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View Betting Verdict
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2003-06-06
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NO KIDD-ING |
Fears that New Jersey would be below par in Game One after a lengthy lay off were duly confirmed on Wednesday night, as the Nets were comprehensively beaten 101-89 by the San Antonio Spurs. If the Nets are to avoid a repeat of last year’s humiliation in the finals, then they must raise their game for Friday night’s clash at the SBC Centre.
By coach Byron Scott’s own admission, the Nets had a bad day at the office as their ten-game winning streak came to an end. As predicted in our preview, Tim Duncan proved the difference between the teams, putting in a performance worthy of his MVP status – 32 points, 20 rebounds, and 6 assists. Such is the quality of Duncan that he will score heavily in every game - how much depends on the New Jersey defence.
For Game Two, the Spurs are strong favourites once again, and rightly so. They are the best team in the NBA, they have the unstoppable Duncan, and their form at the SBC Centre has been exceptional for the majority of the season. When you also consider the Nets’ mediocre form on the road (Eastern Conference play-offs excluded), it is perhaps not surprising that Bethilo quote San Antonio to win by a margin of 5-8 points.
However, any punters keen to back the Spurs to triumph in double figures once again are advised to tread carefully. Game One was notable for being the first time in six play-off outings that San Antonio had established a lead over ten points and managed to preserve it. Greg Popovich’s charges have a frustrating habit of frittering away big advantages, and this trend suggests that if Duncan and co. do win on Friday, the final margin is unlikely to be more than ten.
Such a scenario becomes more likely since we can expect the Nets to put in an improved performance if they are to have any chance of ending the West’s hold on the NBA championship. To be fair to New Jersey, they held their own in the opener before falling away in the second half. Now that they have a game under their belts after a long spell waiting in the wings, the Nets should be more competitive over all four quarters and the final result may be closer.
One player who will surely improve is New Jersey’s playmaker and star asset, Jason Kidd. This series was billed in many quarters as Duncan v Kidd, and it was pretty clear who won round one. While the Spurs’ man excelled in all departments, Kidd suffered a rare off day, contributing just ten points and failing to get his team’s running game in gear. To sum up, it well below par for a man who averaged 18 points in the regular season, and 20 in the play-offs.
The Nets’ point guard will be desperate to show off his talents on the biggest stage after almost single-handedly taking his team to the finals. It is unlikely that he will make such a meagre contribution on Friday. Only once in these play-offs has Kidd scored in single figures, and in the following game he bounced back with 29 points. In fact, this has been a habit of his season – he almost always scored heavily in the game immediately after a poor performance.
Like most of his team-mates, Kidd may have been rusty after ten days away from the court. He will be much improved on Friday night and should ensure that the Nets run the Spurs closer than in Game One. |
| Betting Verdict |
1pt Jason Kidd’s total points to be more than 21 with Bethilo
Don’t be fooled by his performance on Wednesday night. Jason Kidd suffered a rare bad day against the Spurs, not helped by a ten-day lay-off as well as an ankle injury. Kidd has generally been sensational in the play-offs and he has a habit of following up a poor game with a huge performance. Now that he is returned to full fitness, Kidd should bounce back with some heavy scoring as he re-ignites the Nets. |
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