97-98 Nets vs. 07-08 Nets

[MrDollarBills]

So, who thinks Sam I Am, The ShotGun Killer, Kerry, Keith, Kendall, Gatling Gun, and the rest of that team from a decade ago would stomp a mudhole in these girls we call Nets right now?

?????

[NetsForce]

Those guys are all like 40 years old and broken.

[MrDollarBills]

in a hypothetical game, that is

[SteveNets15]

97-98 would destroy this team.Yea its that bad

[Crizlassic]

I don't think thats fair at all. Completely different circumstances.

[MrDollarBills]

I'm just being a bit nostalgic and asking who do you guys think would win in a fantasy game so to speak. That team made the playoffs that year.

[aussienet]

Lets look at the match ups.

Harris/Cassell
Harris has the speed and the stroke to play both guard positions. But Cassell was the better point guard, ran the team, lets face it even tho he was a whiner he was a winner.
EDGE Cassell

VC/Kittles
VC clearly has the marketability and is the more naturally talented player. But bums on seats don't win titles. Kerry's shot/speed and HUSTLE means he would out play VC
EDGE Kittles

RJ/GILL
I love both of these players. But there has gotta be a winner, RJ's Lack of allround game hurt's him here. Gill's ability to put up 15,5,5 as a minimum gets him over the line. Plus he is a better defender. Played big for us in those years. RJ has better locker room presence than Gill. But Gills defence means he would be able shut down RJ.
EDGE GILL

Krstic/KVH
Strange Match up I know but when you consider who the 97-98 nets had at centre you will cut curly some slack and play him at the 4. KVH had no inside game. Krstic just. KVH no midrange game Krstic Mr midrange. KVH loved the three pointer. Krstic can make the odd one.
Krstic wins this match up purely because I'm still waitin for KVH to turn up for the damn NBA finals!!!!!!
EDGE Krstic

DIOP,BOONE,SWIFT,SWILL(who cares play em all your not gonna beat him)/Jay Will the first.
Williams..................Daylight second the rest third. The man was a beast. Pure and simple. Went after EVERY rebound. was the heart and soul of this ball club. Murderer or no murderer. He wins this hands down.
EDGE Jay Will.

Pretty easy to see that the 97-98 nets would out play and out hustle this mob. Over a seven game series i would say 4-2 cos VC/harris and RJ would go off at least twice.

The big thing to remember is that the coaches also have a big say and Calipari would eat Frank alive. End of story.
I would go as far to say that if Calipari coached the last two seasons the nets beat cavs and would be battling the C's right for top spot in the div.

[jerseyjac]

Lets look at the match ups.

Harris/Cassell
Harris has the speed and the stroke to play both guard positions. But Cassell was the better point guard, ran the team, lets face it even tho he was a whiner he was a winner.
EDGE Cassell

VC/Kittles
VC clearly has the marketability and is the more naturally talented player. But bums on seats don't win titles. Kerry's shot/speed and HUSTLE means he would out play VC
EDGE Kittles

RJ/GILL
I love both of these players. But there has gotta be a winner, RJ's Lack of allround game hurt's him here. Gill's ability to put up 15,5,5 as a minimum gets him over the line. Plus he is a better defender. Played big for us in those years. RJ has better locker room presence than Gill. But Gills defence means he would be able shut down RJ.
EDGE GILL

Krstic/KVH
Strange Match up I know but when you consider who the 97-98 nets had at centre you will cut curly some slack and play him at the 4. KVH had no inside game. Krstic just. KVH no midrange game Krstic Mr midrange. KVH loved the three pointer. Krstic can make the odd one.
Krstic wins this match up purely because I'm still waitin for KVH to turn up for the damn NBA finals!!!!!!
EDGE Krstic

DIOP,BOONE,SWIFT,SWILL(who cares play em all your not gonna beat him)/Jay Will the first.
Williams..................Daylight second the rest third. The man was a beast. Pure and simple. Went after EVERY rebound. was the heart and soul of this ball club. Murderer or no murderer. He wins this hands down.
EDGE Jay Will.

Pretty easy to see that the 97-98 nets would out play and out hustle this mob. Over a seven game series i would say 4-2 cos VC/harris and RJ would go off at least twice.

The big thing to remember is that the coaches also have a big say and Calipari would eat Frank alive. End of story.
I would go as far to say that if Calipari coached the last two seasons the nets beat cavs and would be battling the C's right for top spot in the div.

I also think the 97-98 Nets would of taken this year's present team...aussie you definitely make a good arguement as far as edges...

Sam I am, for sure...end of story...the guy should of been an allstar with the Nets...almost 20pts & 8asts...

VC vs Kittles...your comparing two players here at different stages of their career which makes this very difficult...as much as I understand the VC fan philosophy of not giving his all, Vince still gets the edge at 31...but you cannot deny Kittles in his second year with his blazing speed, his aibility to pull up and shoot from three...and those crafty steals for easy baskets...

RJ vs. Gill is a closer comparision than you make it sound, but I like your gutty selection...while being the better defender, Gill's spotty shot at times left you cringing as did his shot selection...you're definitely belittling RJ's game...and his defense is not far behind Gill's, with RJ's ability to cover multiple postions...RJ gets the edge...

KVH vs Krstic...you're talking 19.7ppg from KVH the rookie...if we're talking Krstic before his injury, I'll call it even..but a young KVH vs a hurt Krstic, I'll give the edge to KVH...(soft vs softer, we're playing "who has the softer" game here...KVH is favorite of mine...while being one of the most frustrating players I've ever watched...the hype Van Horn vs Duncan never came even close to living up to the hype of that year...

Williams is a no brainer...Allstar

Bench... just Gatling and The General alone speaks for itself...they both made that playoff series what it was that year w. Sam, Keith and Williams hurt...best performance in his Nets career came in the playoffs for Rony Seikely...I think he missed like 80% of the season...Presently we're a lot deeper than 97-98, but we need guys to step up which happens on an inconsistent basis...again, 10yrs ago, the league wasnt as deep as it is now...

and finally for the Coach, no brainer, Mr. Calipari...a great coach who was pushed out of NJ...you ask him, HE WANTED KOBE!!!


I say 4-3 97-98 beats this year's team...but I think hopefully depending on moves in the offseason and getting players healthy and used to playing with one another...the winner in this series might flip flop by next year....

[aussienet]

JJ, Some good calls and Obviosly I agree with you on alot of things. Firstly Yes I was compering Curly to KVH pre-op. Yes KVH was a very talented player and when we traded for him I was over the moon. KVH's biggest problem was that he was not a leader. I think that his rookie numbers were gift wrapped for him cos Jay Will played centre so he could play the 4. But you can't deny the fact that KVH could play. I just like Curly better in this one. (i do like your call 'soft V softer).

In regard's to RJ and Gill. I gotta say I agonised over this choice for awhile. Yes Gill's shot was ugly at best. BUT! he played to his strengths he very rarely shot the ball cos he new he couldn't shoot. ( I'm talkin long J's and threes) he attacked the basket. and got to the line. RJ is my favourite player and i would love nothin more than for him to retire a net as our all time leader in everything (well as much as poss) I know Gill's numbers were down for this year. But he could cover the 1,2 and 3 spots. I just don't see RJ doin this for us. I even contemplated making this a draw.

JJ, would never underestimate RJ's D or heart i just keep comin back to Gill....... Ah stuff it make it a draw.

[etopn23]

I think Carter and RJ would have a field day with that Nets team.

[jerseyjac]

JJ, Some good calls and Obviosly I agree with you on alot of things. Firstly Yes I was compering Curly to KVH pre-op. Yes KVH was a very talented player and when we traded for him I was over the moon. KVH's biggest problem was that he was not a leader. I think that his rookie numbers were gift wrapped for him cos Jay Will played centre so he could play the 4. But you can't deny the fact that KVH could play. I just like Curly better in this one. (i do like your call 'soft V softer).

In regard's to RJ and Gill. I gotta say I agonised over this choice for awhile. Yes Gill's shot was ugly at best. BUT! he played to his strengths he very rarely shot the ball cos he new he couldn't shoot. ( I'm talkin long J's and threes) he attacked the basket. and got to the line. RJ is my favourite player and i would love nothin more than for him to retire a net as our all time leader in everything (well as much as poss) I know Gill's numbers were down for this year. But he could cover the 1,2 and 3 spots. I just don't see RJ doin this for us. I even contemplated making this a draw.

JJ, would never underestimate RJ's D or heart i just keep comin back to Gill....... Ah stuff it make it a draw.

yeh as far as Gill...he was a competitive monster...the guy was so much better than his numbers showed throughout his career...and yes could definitely cover 1, 2, & 3...I look at how RJ can go big in a small lineup from time to time and if asked to do so could cover some 4's with certain mathcups...

RJ definitely has more talent, the level he competes at is there and the numbers he's putting up this year are pretty serious...Gill was just a crafty player on defense, thats why called this one so close, possibly finding a way with his physical stregnth to frustrate RJ, but RJ has toughness of his own....However, I do think in 7 game series it would be obvious how much better RJ is...

[jerseyjac]

I think Carter and RJ would have a field day with that Nets team.

if they brought their A game...they could give 97-98 team a lot of problems...throw Devin in there, and you have some good matchups...If you never watched the 97-98 like you do 07-08 (not saying you didnt epton)...you remember how many close games they lost, and how much better that team was than their record showed...

97-98 found ways to win, they were scrapy and tough...in lot of ways how the present Nets team differs...

It is very possible for 07-08 to take 97-98 in a seven game series, if they brought their A game (shot a good %-attacked the rim, limited TOs and mistakes, rebounded the ball well and shot 75% from the line assuming they were attacking and had 12 attempts...)we've seen too much inconsistent play from the Nets vs. playoffs teams to assume they would have their A game when this series started...

In addition, this year's teams depth if utilized correctly, could definitely expose how young (KVH/Kittles) or at least match their energy very easily as well as exposing how thin the 97-98 roster was despite having Gat and Sherman...Harris played some minutes, but wasnt really in the rotation and Seikely finally got some run in the playoffs...other than that, substitutions were made for giving starters breathers...so yeh if Marcus, Boki, Swift, Diop Sean, Hassel came off the bench strong for us and we mixed up our lineups, going small vs. 97-98 they could definitely win...

It would be a fun and a close series to watch...I would be rooting for this year's team, but my heart would be with 97-98, just because of the scare they put on the Bulls in that 5 game playoff series...(though we got swept and game 3 was a blowout)...I'll never forget the feeling I had, and how much I hated the bulls and I can remember being proud for the first time in a long time, of the Nets...how you have to go back to the DC and Kenny days to remember anything close to what the Nets tried to do in 98...and dont forget Sam's hurt leg, Williams' injured thumb and KVH's nerves, or bull stomache virus...a lot of our heart came from Sherman and Gatling...and that one game from Seikley...it was just great to watch...

but by no means do I feel this series couldnt go either way...