Washington, DC (My Sportsbook) - The
New Jersey Nets aim to continue their winning ways when the square off with Michael Jordan and the Washington winning ways when the square off with Michael Jordan and the
Washington Wizards at MCI Center Saturday.
New Jersey is hoping for its first 3-0 start since the 1997-98 season, when they began 4-0.
The Nets posted a 102-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday. Richard Jefferson led all scorers with 19 points as the defending Eastern Conference Champions cruised to the win at Continental Airlines Arena.
Dikembe Mutombo added 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Nets. Kenyon Martin chipped in 11 points, while Jason Kidd had nine points, on just 3-of-13 shooting, with eight rebounds and eight assists, and was ejected in the fourth quarter.
This was the first meeting between the teams since they played each other in the first round of the playoffs last season, with the Nets defeating the Pacers in five games.
The teams continued where they left off last spring, as it was physical throughout and tempers flared for most of the contest. There were a total of 59 personal fouls, nine technical fouls and three players were ejected in the second half.
Indiana's Erick Strickland was the first player tossed after he was called for a flagrant foul on Lucious Harris late in the third period. Kidd was then tossed early in the fourth after hitting Jamaal Tinsley with an elbow to the face and New Jersey's Anthony Johnson was later ejected for mouthing off to Tinsley. Tinsley.
Washington earned its first of the season on Thursday, handing the Boston Celtics their worst loss in franchise history, 114-69. Jordan recovered from the worst opening-night performance of his career by scoring 21 points in the win.
Jerry Stackhouse contributed 22 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds and Kwame Brown posted career-highs with 20 points and six blocks for Washington, which rebounded from a 68-point effort against Toronto on Wednesday. Brown also pulled down six boards.
New Jersey went 3-1 against Washington last season, winning the last three meetings, and has taken six of the last eight matchups overall. However, New Jersey has dropped five of its last seven at Washington.
