The New Jersey Nets are heading into crunchtime of the 2009-10 season, and after returning from a five-game road trip, uncertainty lingers. Fortunately for the Nets, Tuesday night's opponent, the Atlanta Hawks, are in the same boat.
Both teams are facing the possibility of starting makeshift lineups, specifically in the backcourt. Devin Harris missed practice Monday with an upper respiratory infection. Meanwhile, the Hawks could be without starting point guard Mike Bibby and will definitely be without All-Star shooting guard Joe Johnson. Johnson did not make the trip due to an Achilles injury.
Atlanta head coach Mike Woodson could start Jamal Crawford, a 6th Man of the Year candidate. He also has the option of going with Maurice Evans, who started against the Nets when the Hawks won, 130-107, in the two teams' Dec. 13 match-up. Evans scored 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting on Dec. 13.
Atlanta has averaged 124.5 ppg in the two times it has faced New Jersey. Both games resulted in blowout wins.
The Nets could use the help, facing the daunting task of winning 3-of-16 to close the season. Johnson has not missed a game all season and averaged 20.5 ppg in both meetings against the Nets.
If Bibby can't play, Jeff Teague will take his place in the starting lineup. Teague, a rookie out of Georgie Tech, averages three ppg and boasts a season-high 13 points in a Dec. 2 game against the Toronto Raptors.
The Nets, on the other hand, will start Keyon Dooling if Harris' illness prevents him from playing. That move would indicate Chris Quinn being activated, but Terrence Williams will see the bulk of the remaining minutes at point guard.
In addition to Harris, Yi Jianlian remains out with an ankle sprain. He is expected to return against the Raptors on Saturday at the earliest.
Nets interim head coach is expected to stick with Josh Boone in Yi's absence and Trenton Hassell at the SF position. While Kris Humphries is the only other viable option to start at the No. 4, and Vandeweghe prefers him off the bench, there are options at the No. 3 spot.
Jarvis Hayes, who has performed well in the past two games coming off the bench, has logged limited minutes since missing two games in February due to injury. In New Jersey's last two contests, Hayes has scored 16 points in each game.
Chris Douglas-Roberts, who admittedly has a "unique" relationship with Vandeweghe, has not played in the team's last three games.
Vandeweghe defended Hassell, though, choosing to stick with him for his defensive presence.
"You look at (the rotation) all the time. And you look at what's our best combination," Vandeweghe told reporters. "Statistics are neither here nor there. Our guards get more shots. Our center gets the majority of the touches. So isolated you see it, but you've got to look at what's the best. Do we need defense? Do we need offense? And who else do you have?"
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