NETS v RAPTORS: WHO TO WATCH

By Greg Tanner
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Updated: March 1, 2011

History is being made at The O2 this evening, with the first NBA regular season games ever to be played in Europe. Here's our guide on who to look out for…

DERON WILLIAMS – NEW JERSEY NETS
A two-time All-Star, Deron Williams is the guy most people will be looking for this weekend. He was dealt to the Nets just two weeks ago in a shock-trade with the Utah Jazz, just days after coach Jerry Sloan retired following a high-profile fall out with the point guard. Both Williams and the Nets will be hoping he's happier in bright lights of New Jersey than he was in the Utah desert. At the Nets he'll be expected to lead the team in both scoring and assists – at the very least.

BROOK LOPEZ – NEW JERSEY NETS
Before D-Will's arrival, Lopez was the Nets' leading scorer (19.5ppg). But this season the seven-footer is massively down in the rebounding department. And not by a small margin either. He's gone from 8.6 boards per last season to just 5.9 this year. He's at a loss as to why: “I don’t know, honestly,” he said. “I feel like I’m still going after the ball. I don’t know.’’
Coach Avery Johnson has his own theory though: “You’ve got to think, ‘I can get every [rebound],’ ” he said. “Sometimes it’s a mental situation, where he thinks ‘It doesn’t look like I can get it, so I’ll go back on defence.’”
The fact is, with their record, New Jersey need the very best out of Lopez if they want any shot at making the playoffs. They'll need him to be scoring AND rebounding in London.

SASHA VUJACIC – NEW JERSEY NETS
When Slovenian Vujacic was traded from the Lakers in December, he went from the penthouse to the outhouse. He won't be going for another ring this season – just making the playoffs would be a major achievement for this New Jersey team – but individually, it's been a good look. The soon-to-be Mr Maria Sharapova is now playing 26 minutes per game and scoring nearly 11 points each night. But he insists that the only stat that counts is the one in the win column. "I really want to do good with the team," he said.
"I was never one (who) just cared about their individual stats. I have to do what this team needs me to do, and that's scoring. Sometimes, it's going to be assists, playing good defence. Whatever. I'm having fun. They wanted me, and I'm really happy to be here."

ANDREA BARGNANI – TORONTO RAPTORS
Whether you're a Raptors fan or not, you're gonna need to show Bargnani some love…dude was the first European to be selected as the number one NBA draft pick. Since coming into the League back in 06, 'Il Mago” (Italian for “The Magician) has seen his scoring average steadily rise to the 21.8ppg it currently stands at. And with Chris Bosh having taken his talents to South Beach, there's more pressure than ever on the 25-year-old's shoulders.
Bargnani recognises the historical significance of the games at The O2: “This is the first time in NBA history they have played a game overseas in Europe. It is great to be part of that – I'm very proud.”
But he knows it won't be a tourist trip. "Do we expect to win both games? I hope so. They are going to be very important for us. New Jersey is a team we have to beat because they are fighting with us to get into the play-offs. So there's going to be pressure because it is important in relation to how our season turns out.”

DEMAR DEROZAN – TORONTO RAPTORS
If there's one player most likely to bring the house down at The O2, it's this young fella.
The 21-year-old sophomore, straight outta Compton, started dunking when he was just 11 – and is still going strong. As well as highlights, DeRozan brings much needed scoring to the table. Currently putting up nearly 14 points per game, he is the Raps' second leading scorer behind Bargnani. DeRozan has put countless victims on posters already so far this season. Make sure you don't blink any time he's on the floor – or you might just miss the play of the day.

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