The End Is The Beginning

Anyone out there in Netsfanland think the Nets can win enough times to make up 3 games on the Hawks with 8 remaining?

If you think so, you are one pie-eyed optimist.

Let's call it for what it is, though - a game effort that falls short and wins them a spot in the draft lottery, more often than not because they didn't play enough defense.

Offense is great, sure, but did you ever think you'd hear no defense from a Nets team coached by Lawrence Frank?

Me neither.

They are not mathematically eliminated, but if they couldn't win a game on the road against the Pacers, and couldn't beat the Suns at home, well, do we think the Nets will win against the Sixers, Raptors (twice), or Celtics? Or win all of those five remaining road games? Not bloody likely.

Who do you like in the draft? I suppose it depends on where they find themselves in the draft order, but the Nets could use another shooter, or you can never have enough big men, or athletic wings.

Oh, you still wanted to talk about the season that remains? Sorry.

Well, it's not like Vince Carter hasn't given his all, but he's being let down by his bench, and even his starters. Devin Harris will fit in nicely with whatever group remains, but he's not quite there yet with this team. We love the way he can split that double team, however, with his blazing speed. Let him rip, says Joe.

Richard Jefferson has been there all season long, but now would be the time to bring his play to a new level. He hasn't been able to get there, though, and with his defense slipping along with the team defense, the Nets are finding themselves allowing too many wide open looks.

Josh Boone has been solid, but he needs to work harder on defense, and learn to make more free throws, especially if this pick and roll thing works out.

Nenad Krstic needs to regain his footwork, timing and defense. All will come in time, hopefully.

But that bench needs more help. Desgana Diop has been solid, and with time could be the defensive big that Jason Collins was, with more offense. Not much, but more. Oh, he can be a free agent, so maybe he doesn't come back since Rod never seems to want to overpay his bench (see Magloire, Jamaal).

Boki Nachbar has been up and down, and now he's playing hurt. The Nets desperately need his shooting, but it's been a lot more streaky than it was last year. He can go free as well.

Marcus Williams needs more playing time, period, to see if those mistakes he tends to make can be eliminated. The bad pass, the awkward shot, and the blowby defense all need to be reigned in.

Sean Williams needs to play. He's got to learn to foul less and keep his head in the game more. But I have no doubt it will come.

Darrell Armstrong? Assistant coach.

Mo Ager? Training camp 12th man.

Trenton Hassell? Good defender, limited offense, could stay or go. Doesn't matter to me.

Draft or trades should be in the offing in any case. The Nets need some magic, so this horrible season with its disjointed end can be the beginning of a better season next year.

Start making your plans for April 16th and later, because it'll come down to more down time than Netsfans are used to.

Look at it this way - training camp for the Nets will be earlier than usual so the Nets can do the preseason thing in London and Paris. It ain't all bad.

And don't you need some downtime after going through this season of torture? Sure, you want the Mavs to miss the playoffs, but other than that, do you really care who wins the title?

Maybe the whole Brooklyn thing will get killed by the economy. Move 'em back to Newark?

Enough with the whole thing - let's just try to enjoy the last two weeks, flaws and all.

There's always next year.

Joe

Long And Winding Road

The Nets took a blow to the stomach again on the road, and may have lost Devin Harris for the important stretch drive to boot, in an ugly loss against the Bulls.

With a stagnant offense for much of the first half, swiss cheese defense, and a beating on the boards administered by the Bulls, the Nets found themselves down 24 points at the half after a brutal, and I mean brutal, second quarter. Using in-your-face defense, the Bulls laid out the Nets, knocked them down, and shoved them into oblivion. They were outscored in that second quarter 29 - 8, with the 8 points tying a Net record for futility.

Not even an impressive if too brief flurry to start the second half by NJ (which cut the deficit down to 9) could stop the pounding, as the Bulls restored order in the fourth quarter.

Still winless on the road in the Harris era, and now the era may be shelved for awhile.

This is not how you want to see the Nets compete against a team like the Bulls, when they were all over the Jazz and Cavs. Of course, the road is a lonely place for the Nets, and with Atlanta coming in to play the Nets at home tonight, perhaps the Nets can help themselves by getting a win.

I'll get the game review up tonight, once I get over the disappointment (though I don't know why I would be...)

-Joe

Get Your Bearings

Man, if you would have told me last week that the Nets might still be involved in the playoff race, I would have told you (and probably did) that the chances of that happening were nil.

Well, here they are, clinging to the #8 seed, with their two main rivals for that spot coming into focus in back-to-back games tomorrow and Wednesday.

First up is the Bulls, who have disappointed like the Nets, only perhaps more so (again, I picked them to rule the East - shows you what I know). They changed out some parts, but anyone who thinks getting Larry Hughes for a playoff drive is a good idea should seriously question their sanity. Drew Gooden can play, but with the rest of the parts on this team, the Nets should be able to get their third straight win (and first on the road since the Kidd trade). But again, since there is no figuring out this team, it could just as easily be a bad loss.

Then comes the Atlanta Hawks, who beat the Knicks last night (again), as if this is a major deal somehow. The Hawks now have Mike Bibby, Joe Johnson and a ton of young talent, but they still can't seem to find any consistency. The Nets could very well win this one in a walk at home. Or they could easily blow it.

So, try and get your bearings on this Nets team. Like I said, I had no idea they had the wins against the Cavs and Jazz in them, especially after watching the dreadful midwestern trip. The Nets are getting good, all-around performances from the guys they have to, Devin Harris, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter, plus they've gotten more and more help from the likes of Josh Boone, Boki Nachbar and Nenad Krstic. Precisely what they need (and what they were lacking) to reach the post season.

Of course, finishing in the #8 spot almost guarantees the Nets will be one and done, since the door prize is a first round matchup with the Celtics. KG, Ray-Ray and Paul Pierce ain't exactly what this crew is ready for.

Can they do it with 16 games remaining? At 28 - 38, they may have to win 10 games to have a shot, and even then they make it with a pathetic 38 - 44 record. Eew, but I guess you have to start somewhere.

The attitude has changed and the confidence is up in the last week or so, but can the Nets sustain it? That's where we need to figure out if the Nets are really, finally, going to change for the better. Full out hustle and energy, fast breaking, defense and just enough of everything else to win sounds like a great recipie.

Now, if only they can bake it up consistently...

Joe

Burned During Reentry

Are you kidding? What a pathetic showing against the Rockets tonight, only managing a complete confidence breakdown against the big bad Rockets, who have now won 19 straight games.

The Nets shot 3 - 16 in the second quarter, scored a total of 13 points, and found themselves down 41 - 28 at the half. They were done.

For the Nets, well, you'd have to look long and hard to find an offense as pathetic (perhaps the Kidd-is-injured, let's trade Kenyon Martin and fill the roster with replacement Nets of 2005) as the one we are witnessing post Kidd. No energy, no fire, no matching the intensity of the now 19-in-a-row Rockets. They cannot get into the paint without looking like stumblebumbs, they can't seem to make an outside shot, their best player (?) Vince Carter can't decide whether to self-destruct on the perimeter or on his way into the paint, and they are getting nothing of substance from a defense that appears unable to stop even the basics of offense.

Ooh, it's bad. At 26 - 38, with Cleveland and Utah coming, it ain't getting better anytime soon, by the way.

I'll get a game review up, but I don't even know if this one merits a full write up, that's how disgusted I am with the whole season. Yeah, RJ, you can still get on a run and make the playoffs.

- Joe

The Long, Slow Slide To The End

Well, that's that, huh?

Sure, I'm supposed to believe that this is a playoff team when they lose TWICE to the Grizzlies. Up by 10 in the third quarter, I think (I have to watch the game tonight), they get mystified by a high school zone (according to Dave D) and easily disappear. C'mon, give me a break.

Nice to see the pressure increasing on Lawrence Frank - he called out his two remaining stars Carter and Jefferson yesterday, which is of course what this team needs, and what never happened while Kidd was around (and of course we know why).

Speaking of Kidd, interesting article by Ohm Youngmisuk yesterday in the news - sounds like Jay's settling right in to Dallas (and he appears to be heading that team sideways, although to be fair, there is always an adjustment period with a new point guard. Just ask Devin Harris).

Back to these Nets. C'mon, they're 26 - 35 for crying out loud, which granted, in the East STILL qualifies them for the eighth playoff spot, but do you see this team doing enough to make the playoffs come April?

Just back from Florida, sick as a dog, but I'll try to catch up as I can throughout the weekend (I can tell you now there is no way I'll get much done today...).

No rush, really, where exactly are the Nets going?

Joe

Warm Greetings

Off to Orlando, unfortunately just as the weather is warming up here. I'll miss the San Antonio and Memphis games, but I'll try to get them done and up on Friday night. Not sure that I can blog, but what the hey, check it anyway and see what turns up. You never know.

Just like these Nets. Now, clearly they were in over their heads on Sunday night against the Spurs, but still, despite playing badly for much of it, they never got down by the 20 or so they used to get behind routinely earlier in the season when you-know-who was quarterbacking the team. What did we learn, besides not being quite ready for the large step up in class?

Well, for starters, Marcus Williams needs much more seasoning as a pass-first point guard who can play (some) defense. That much was clear. On the defensive end, Devin Harris wasn't quite able to keep up with Parker either, but the guy's just getting over an ankle injury, and he has the cred, so we'll let him slide. But not Marcus.

Win, lose or draw - the Nets have to play Williams some type of consistent minutes to see if he can continue to develop. Sure, they want to make the playoffs, but that might be a pipe dream as early as the return flight home from this midwestern swing. So, get both Williams the playing time they need, because you could see a lineup of Harris, Carter (face it, he's almost untradeable), Jefferson, Boone and Sean Williams running the show next year, along with the other young talents they might be able to draft or acquire, with a sprinkle of vets like Trenton Hassell and Gana Diop or folks like them. Wouldn't be the worst thing, they just wouldn't compete for a title just yet.

Let's see what this team is made of during the next week - San Antoine is probably not going to go well, but the Grizz are beatable, and maybe they could steal one of the three matchups remaining, against the Hornets, Mavs and Rockets. Hey, you never know.

Just don't hold out hope for a playoff spot. Hopefully, there are more good times coming (draft/trades during the off-season), and maybe you all will get your way and a new coach will arrive on the doorstop. It's not the coach, right? It's the players? But who takes the fall for mediocrity? Usually not the players. If Rod decides to step aside, maybe Kiki sends him packing (and coaches the team himself...).

Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's see what this team can do, and let's not criticize until we see the finished product, or at least until next week. It's all downhill from here - the last 23 games of the season, the playoffs begin, and where will the Nets wind up? Care to make any guesses?

I'll be back Thursday night to comment regardless of whether I blog the next three days or not. Here I come, 85 degree weather...

joe