Stand or Fall

A winnable trip out West, they called it...

0 - 4, with Philly now just a half game out of first place in the Atlantic, is not exactly winnable.

OK, so missing Vince Carter isn't a good thing for these Nets, but what it does is point out just how terribly flawed the whole game plan is.

If one of the Big Three gets hurt, the Nets are toast. Can't put it any simpler than that.

The Nets looked old and slow at times on the floor this week. Kidd was outplayed by guys who are younger, quicker, and with much less publicity than he gets. And Sam Cassell ain't all that young, either...Kidd going 1 - 10 in a game the Nets needed to win is inexcusable, but then again, if the Nets are counting on Kidd for scoring, well, they've got a whole other set of problems...

Now, it doesn't get any easier. Detroit is up on Tuesday. The Cavs and Heat follow, if I'm reading the schedule correctly. So the Nets could be looking at a losing streak that goes 6 or 7 games, and a sub .500 record, by the time we get to February 3.

Time for the Nets to make a stand..

Time For A Run

Well, RJ's back, and aside from Jeff McInnis, the Nets are relatively healthy.

Can they make a run with what they have?

If the Big Three are ok, who knows how high they can climb? Certainly, they can do better than last week's swing through the Southwest without RJ.

Next week the fun begins. Once the Celtics are dispatched (and the Nets should be able to beat them in both games), its off to Utah, the Clippers, Portland and Seattle. Sure, it's a tough trek, but anyone believe the Nets aren't capable of beating Portland and Seattle, even 3000 miles away?

Time for Marc Jackson to either get a showcase of playing itme for a trade, or become part of the regular rotation. Force him to play some defense, get comfortable with his offense, or move him elsewhere (maybe Philly wants him back...).

Get Antoine Wright some regular minutes, no matter how small. With McInnis out, see what he can do. Bypass Planinic (why did the Nets pick up his fourth year option again?) and give Antoine some PT.

Run, Nets, Run. It all has to start in Boston, though. Don't look past Pierce and co. into next week.

Winning's The Elixir

The Nets won, Richard Jefferson is back (and apparently none the worse for wear) and all is right with the Nets universe.

Not quite all, but a win does ease any concerns about the future.

Things to ponder, realistically:

The loss of Jeff McInnis hurts. Yes, he wasn't in the rotation, but at some point the Nets may have needed his offensive skills. Now, they look elsewhere on the bench, and it's not a comforting sight.

A potential pawn (along with draft choices, or other roster vets like Padgett, Murray or even Planinic) for a trade for a much-needed big is lost, at least through the All Star break.

And now we know that Anthony Johnson would have been a good Net backup PG. I for one continue to be impressed with his all-around game these days.

Wednesday night against Philly, an up and down team that made the Nets (and Jacque Vaughn) look silly last time out. The Nets need a good, solid win (or any win, really) down in Illadel to continue to put the Atlantic Division away. After Philly, those back-to-backs with the Celts. If the Nets can get all three, it makes a statement that the Altantic is theirs...

We'll talk more tomorrow.

RJ And The Way

Here's hoping that Richard Jefferson's back injury isn't serious.

As the roster is currently comprised, yes, Vince Carter has carried them, but the Nets aren't winning anything come playoff time without Jefferson in the lineup.

You hear a lot about RJ's efficiency - which is certainly true, and easily quantifiable. But Jefferson brings something else that you can't question: the will of a winner.

Jefferson hates to lose.

With Carter carrying the Nets, it's too easy to stop VC and the Nets are left depending on Kidd and co. to get some buckets. With Jefferson, the newly well-rounded Jefferson, they have someone else who can create a basket, pick up easy points in transition, and perhaps most importantly, play shut-down defense on the opposing star scorer (see James, LeBron or Wade, Dwyane for examples).

Need someone to rebound? RJs' done that, leading the team with 7.5 per.

He's done whatever has been needed, deferring his ego to others and getting the job done.

Hope, Netsfans, that it's nothing serious...any hope the Nets have of a playoff run (at least until Thorn rejiggers the roster) is dependent on the big three being healthy.

Greed Is Good

What's wrong with wanting a 10 game winning streak?

Absolutely nothing, right?

If the Nets can beat Orlando at home, then figure a way to beat the suddenly tough Raptors (a four game win streak, beating that same Orlando squad tonight by 24, Chris Bosh has been a monster), that makes 10 games right there.

Of course, to get beyond 10, the Nets have to win at San Antonio, the reigning World Champs, then play a ridiculously tough Memphis team, then the Mavericks, only the third best team in the league. Then come home and play the Pacers in an MLK day matinee.

The dreams do die hard. Think the Nets can win one or two of those four? You never know, but...even I'm not that optimistic.

Don't forget the Nets are also on the West Coast the week after, with games at surging Utah, the better Clippers, then Portland and Seattle. Two games with the Celts and a Sixers matchup down the turnpike, and a month ender at home against the Pistons, and the Nets will be extremely satisfied the end the month at 7 - 7.

But instead of doomsday thinking, Netsfans ought to start getting greedy. If the month doesn't work out at all, then you may go back to doomsdaying. But maybe the month holds a surprise or two.

Greed is good, Netsfans. Until the Nets are on a losing schneid again, think greed.

So This Is The New Year

Happy New Year, Netsfans. Let's hope the wild ride continues, at least to a 10 game win streak.

Things won't get any easier this month - road shows usually slow down the Nets' momentum. And that Texas three-step. Youch.

Anyway, the Memphis Grizzlies need a point guard. The Nets just happen to have a former starter who isn't playing much if at all hanging around. Can they make a swap? What do the Grizzlies have that the Nets need? Brian Cardinal? Dahntay Jones? Do the Nets even need Dahntay Jones (unless you make another deal somewhere else...???). Worth keeping an eye on.

What else can we look forward to in the New Year?

Vince Carter continuing to average 25 or more points per game. The Nets' offense is certainly much less predictable when they don't collectively wait to see if everyone is being treated fairly in the offense, but accepting that Carter is option 1, 1A and even 2.

The Nets running effectively, with Carter averaging 25 or better, Jefferson averaging 18 - 20, and Kidd getting anywhere from 10 - 15 (plus 8 or more assists), rather than having the three get 20 or better nightly in the stand-around offense.

Defensively, the Nets have to continue to get stops, and gang rebound.

Nenad Krstic has to pull himself out of his sophomore slump. Playing more Marc Jackson (or moving him on to another team) might be justified in the New Year, just to give Frank more options. Hey, play Jackson with Cliff Robinson or Jason Collins, so that the defensive part isn't a total breakdown.

Continued bench contributions. Necessary to become an elite team (yes, I know - one that doesn't have a post presence, doesn't block shots or have a lock-down defender).

It will be interesting to see if things stay the same, or if changes are made before the end of February.

For now, enjoy a much happier New Year than it appeared we would be having three weeks ago...