Miami Heat (3-1) @ Brooklyn Nets (2-1)

Barclays Center 8:00

TV: YES– RADIO: NONE

[quote_simple]NETS STARTERS

The starting lineup for Preseason Game 5 in Brooklyn tonight will be Shaun Livingston playing alongside Joe Johnson in the backcourt with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and center Brook Lopez up front.

Andrei Kirilenko will once again sit with back spasms and will not play again along with Deron Williams and Jason Terry.

[box]Lebron James and Dwayne Wade made headlines today when they thought it would behoove them to speak about how Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are basically “hypocrites” for leaving Boston while Ray Allen did the same and was scrutinized.

[quote_box]“The first thing that I thought was like, `Wow, Ray got killed for leaving Boston and now these guys are leaving Boston,’ ” James told reporters after practice. “I think it’s OK. I don’t mind it, but there was a couple guys that basically [criticized] Ray for leaving and everybody else is leaving.”[/quote_box]

Stupidity seems to be running a muck in South Beach as both situations could NOT be more polar opposite.

Allen “chose” to leave Boston as he couldn’t get along with Rajon Rondo and didn’t like his “role” with the team and Danny Ainge’s visions for him.

KG and Pierce were told by Boston that they were rebuilding and told “You don’t have to go home but you have to get up on outta here!”[/box][/quote_simple]

[quote_simple]WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Jason Kidd Jersey Retirement Night

Remembering the Captain of the Nets is the first order of business tonight so the acrimony between the Heat and the Nets will be on temporary hold as Brooklyn raises Kidd’s #5 jersey to the rafters prior to the game.

[box]Jason Kidd Notables Nets Achievements:
Led the Nets to six straight playoff appearances (2001-07).
Captured four Atlantic Division titles, 2 Eastern Conference championships (2002-03) and helped lead the Nets to two appearances in the NBA Finals.
Made six All-Star appearances in his six and a half seasons with the Nets.
Averaged 14.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists in 506 career games as a member of the Nets[/box]

HEAT STARTERS

The defending champion Heat team will be starting Mario Chalmers and Dwayne Wade in the backcourt with Lebron James, Shane Battier and Chris Bosh in the frontcourt.

Tensions will be running extremely high tonight when these title contenders meet for the first time and the idiotic comments the Heat made will not be forgotten for sure.

[box]“Right now we’re still in preseason, we’re still in the mode of learning each other again and playing certain minutes,” Wade said. “It’s not Nov. 1. That will be a little different.”[/box][/quote_simple]

[box]INJURY REPORT

NETS

Deron Williams – out (right ankle)

Jason Terry – out (knee rehab)

Andrei Kirilenko – out (back spasms)

Toko Shengelia – out (right knee rehab)

Tyshawn Taylor – out (right ankle)

HEAT

NONE [/box]