Brains, guts, and gonads
Nets 97, Celtics 93
Round 2
Game 1
File
Foul trouble forces Kenyon Martin to
the bench for long stretches (he would play only 31 minutes), and things
get tense as Boston's 3-balls fly (they'd hit 9 of 28 attempted), Paul
Pierce marches to the line (15 -20 from the foul-line, accounting for
all but 4 of his team's attempts), and Boston's interior defense tightens.
A close game, undecided until the final moments...Martin and Kidd have
to close the game out at the free-throw line. Nets get a big 12 point,
9 rebound game from A-Train, a great 9-point 3rd quarter for Kittles (from
3 3-point shots; Kerry had 17 points for the game), and Kenyon manages
to score a team-high 21.
• Box
Score
Round 2 Record: Nets lead series 1 - 0.
Game 1: Nets 97, Celtics 93
Nets High Men:
• Points: Kenyon
Martin, 21.
• Assists: Jason
Kidd, 9.
• Rebounds: Richard
Jefferson and Aaron Williams each
had 9.
• Steals: Jason
Kidd and Kerry Kittles each had 2.
• Turnovers: Kenyon
Martin, 5.
• Blocks: Jason
Collins, Kenyon Martin, Rodney
Rogers and Aaron Williams each had
1.
• FG Percentage: Kenyon
Martin, 50% (7 - 14). Richard Jefferson (6 - 12), Aaron Williams
(6 - 12), and Jason Collins (2 - 4) also shot 50%.
Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 42%
• FT Percentage: 82.1%
• Rebounds: 44
• Rebound Differential: +14
• Turnovers: 18
• Turnover Differential: +3
The Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring:
5
• Nets Fast Break Points: 23
• Kidd's FG Percentage: 30.8%
(4 - 13).
• Scoring
Differential Kidd in the game: +4
• Scoring
Differential Kidd out (Anthony Johnson at PG): even
• Triple
Doubles this Season: 5
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Ball Breakers
Despite less-than-stellar games from Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, the Nets broke the Celtics' balls late and came up with a nervous, heart-pounding Round 2 opening game win. Kenyon Martin was again a swingin' neckbreaker with 21 points and 6 rebounds (in only 31 minutes, due to foul trouble), and the Nets won the battles they were expected to win: fast break points (23 to 4, a rout), on the boards (44 - 30, another rout), and at the free throw line (the Nets made 5 more free throws than the Celts). Both teams make their points defensively as well, but it's the Nets who manage to come up with the late game stops (holding Paul Pierce, who went off for 34 points, to 5 fourth quarter points and two large late game misses) and the 1 - 0 lead in the series.
It was yet another game of runs, with both teams suffering from offensive droughts throughout. The Nets blinked and found themselves down 10 - 2 thanks to two opening 3s from Walter McCarty before recovering. Martin got off the blocks nicely, scoring 8 points in the first 7 minutes before committing his second foul and sitting for the rest of the quarter. With Pierce (7 points), McCarty (8 points) Eric Williams (4 points) and Antoine Walker (4 points) doing all of the damage, and the Nets content to shoot from outside without Martin, the Nets found themselves in a 23 - 20 hole after the first quarter. And not a single Nets guard had scored yet.
The Nets quickly reclaimed the lead in the second quarter behind Aaron Williams' 6 points, but soon after Martin arrived back in the game, he was gone again, a victim of an offensive foul that was number 3. Martin, the Nets' best player in the first round series against the Bucks, would finish the half with those 8 points. Clearly, someone else was going to have to step up.
But that wasn't going to be Kidd, who was held in check by a combination of Boston pressure and his own poor shooting, finishing with only 5 points at the half. And with Paul Pierce going off on Kittles by taking it to the hoop and shooting free throws (8 of his 10 second quarter points were free throws), the Nets were looking shaky as the Celts took a 5 point lead, 45 - 40. But the Nets, behind two Richard Jefferson dunks and a Kittles 3, closed out with a 9 - 1 run to take a 3 point lead at the half.
The third quarter opened with a bomb burst from Kerry Kittles, who hit 3 straight 3 pointers, the bread in a triple-decker sandwich surrounding the meat of a Martin jumper and a Martin finger roll. This burst put the Nets up by 10 points only 3 minutes in. The Nets would take their largest lead, 11 points, just 2 minutes later after Kidd made two free throws plus a technical foul shot (Antoine Walker got called for griping). Kittles (9 points) and Martin (9 points) were the Net offense, combining for 18 of the 23 points the Nets would score. Just when it looked like the Nets would take control of this one, the Celtics then tightened up their defense, took advantage of Net turnovers (they had 18 for the game), followed Pierce (another 12 points for the quarter and 29 through 3) and went on a 18 - 4 run to close the third quarter up 3 points as the Nets got one basket in the last 6:44. Another late game failure in the making? Did the Nets have the stones to gut this one out?
Well, the fourth quarter was a lesson in hard work and persistence. With Kidd continuing cold (only 8 points through 3 quarters) and the Nets looking lost as the Celtics packed the inside and changed defensive looks, Netsfans felt that panic, wondering if Pierce would go off once again. Well, Pierce and the Celtics got a surprise, with RJ switched to defend Pierce and the Nets switching to a zone defense. The Celtics took an early 4 point lead before the Nets would take over.
And one more surprise: the Nets would win this game at the free throw line. Again. Yup, the Nets would shoot 18 free throws (and make 16) in the fourth quarter to close this one out. Here's how it happened:
After two Kittles free throws and a Jefferson lay-up off a Kidd fast break, the Nets led by 5, 85 - 80, with a bit more than 4 minutes remaining. After a time-out, the Celtics came right back to tie, with a Tony Delk 3 pointer and a Pierce lay-up off an RJ turnover knotting things at 85 with 3:33 to go. Gulp.
But, calmly, the Nets executed in the half court set, abusing Antoine Walker (who had another subpar game, thanks to Martin), getting Walker to foul on a rebound with the Celtics in the penalty and cashing in 2 Jason Collins free throws. Walker missed another stupid shot attempt that Kidd converted into an end-to-end drive and score. Nets by 4, less than 3 minutes to play. Safe, right? Wrong. Pierce canned a three after a long Delk miss from three, pulling the Celts back to within one. Those would be Pierce's last points.
Kidd would then lead RJ on the break for a score to bring the lead back to 3, 91 - 88, before Eric William's hit two free throws to once again bring the Celtics to within a point. Walker would then foul out, with Martin making one of two free throws, but rookie JR Bremer would find himself alone for yet another 3 (the Celtics were 9 - 28 from behind the arc) to again bring the Celtics to within one with 15 seconds left. Kidd would get fouled on the inbounds and covert two more free throws, putting the Nets up 96 - 93 with 12 seconds remaining. After their last time out, the Celtics got the ball to Pierce for a long distance three, which missed. Martin would add one more free throw, and the Nets would understand that even though they were less than their best, they beat the Celtics with toughness and determination. Let's see how that plays out in Game 2.
They Got the Onions
Go To Guys - The Nets had more of them, and won this game because of it. Kenyon Martin was the Man early, and late, as he was difficult for the smallish Celtics to handle. With Martin out, the Nets got a lift in the second quarter from Williams (12 points, 9 rebounds in only 29 minutes). Kittles was clearly the third quarter man, along with Martin. And the fourth quarter? None other than Kidd, who had 7 points and 2 assists in the quarter, and 15 points (but a horrid 4 - 13 shooting performance), 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals and 4 turnovers for the game. There was no dominant performance (Martin may well have busted out if he could have played more than 31 minutes), but the Nets got the clutch performances they needed to win.
Prince Albert - OK, Paul Pierce scored 34 points and went to the free throw line 20 of the Celtics 24 times. He also had 8 assists, which is the big difference between last year's version and this years. Pierce is deadly when he's on, but imagine what he's like if he's passing to the open man as well. Mr. Celtic also had 5 boards and 2 blocked shots, but he also turned the ball over 8 times. Bottom line: Pierce can go off for 34 points every game, and combine with Walker for 48 all day long, as long as the Nets aren't beaten by the rest of the Celtics like the Pacers were in the first round. And tonight, they weren't.
Bench Wars - The Nets bench outscores the Celtics bench 25 - 20. Thank Aaron Williams (12) and Rogers (9) for that.
RJ's Nervousness - Richard Jefferson's line was decent enough – 13 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists in 38 minutes – but he opened this one shaky, and at times looked unsettled as he bobbled balls, made inappropriate drives in the lane (restraint, RJ, restraint. Even you can't get through 5 guys at once) and rode the turnover train. The Nets win this one big if Martin gets more minutes and RJ plays more under control. Get it together, Richard.
Droopy Drawers - The Nets had 18 turnovers, many of which were unforced, stupid errors. They were also guilty of forcing things at times, no more blatant example of Martin trying to go 1 on 4 with the Celtics and missing badly. Kittles and Harris couldn't contain Pierce, which is not unexpected. And the Nets missed at least 3 slam dunks, including 2 by Martin that should have been easy for him. Despite all this, the Nets still won. That's encouraging.
Mrs. Walker's Breakdown - Another manic depressive game for Antoine Walker. Only shot 6 for 20, didn't take too many brilliant shots, netting 14 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists before fouling out late. Martin once again made his life miserable, but frankly, he does as much to take himself out of games as any one defender does. Might be the stupidest All-Star ever. And of course, he was still running his mouth at the end of this one. What a putz.
No Deke, No Deal? - Shouldn't Mutombo have been able to get some minutes against the Celtics? What happened? Clearly, Byron Scott has no faith in Mutombo, who received his fourth straight DNP - CD in a row. You'd have to wonder if Deke inside might force the Celtics even farther outside, and slowly strangle their inside players as well. But I guess Collins and Williams can more than handle their own by now, so Byron's not budging on this one.
Cojones
It's a weak conference, remember? How else can you explain how the Nets can continue to roll through these playoffs after such an inconsistent regular season? Well, maybe, just maybe, the Nets are the Studs of the Eastern Conference (I'm sure Philly or Detroit may have something to say about that), and we've all been too down on them over their sometimes-unfocused play. The Celtics don't stand a chance, frankly, with their perimeter game and weak bench. Here's to Kenyon Martin and Aaron Williams for battling on the inside against the tight-pants Celtics interior D, Kidd for always finding a way to swing free, Kittles for his slam-banging 3-balls, Jefferson for his spectacular drives and high-risk dunks, and Rodney Rogers for hanging in there with his cool 4 - 4 from the line and his 9 point contribution.
- Joe
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