Joe Netsfan Opponents | 2003 - 2004 Season



				Opponent 81: Atlanta Hawks (27 - 53) - Monday, April 12, 2004, 7:30 PM - Philips Arena Sura Something New! Only two games left, and this one's against the Hawks, who've gotten a career-week out of Bob Sura, with back-to-back triple doubles. We're not sure what it means either, except a bad team playing out the string. Bring on the playoffs, says Joe... Opponent 80: Philadelphia 76ers (33 - 46) - Sunday, April 11, 2004, 12:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena All Stars Injured Sixers Iverson, Coleman and Robinson are all injured, and we know the Nets are beat up right now. Is anyone on either squad healthy for this Easter Sunday matinee on national television? Better yet, can Jason Kidd and the Nets deliver the sweet taste of a win, or will they lay an egg? Read on... Opponent 78: Orlando Magic (19 - 59) - Thursday, April 8, 2004, 7:30PM EST -Continental Airlines Arena Florida Sinkhole The NBA's worst team missing its best player is coming to the CAA. With the Nets rearmed again thanks to the return of Kidd and Martin, is there any chance of the Nets losing this one? Joe thinks not, even if Lawrence Frank wants to tinker with his rotation...Read on... Opponent 77: Milwaukee Bucks (39 - 38) - Tuesday, April 6, 2004, 7:30PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Bucking Conventional Wisdom No chance at the playoffs, they were told. Damon Jones as your point guard? Keith Van Horn as your interior scorer? What kind of thinking is this? Well, the Bucks are in the playoffs, defying every NBA adage about winning in the league...Read on... Opponent 76: Atlanta Hawks (25 - 51) - Sunday, April 4, 2004, 8:00 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Uncaged Birds New! New ownership in Atlanta means that rebuilding down there can finally begin. For now, they've got more mismatched players than LeBron James has endorsement deals, but they've won 3 of their last 5 and feeling good about their chances in New Jersey...Hey, even a blind, talent-poor franchise finds a win every now and again...Read on... Opponent 75: New York Knicks (35 - 40) - Friday, April 2, 2004, 8:00 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Penny For Your Thoughts Nets vs. Knicks in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs? That's something that Knick Penny Hardaway, and about 2 million NY area basketball fans, would love to see. The final showdown of the regular season between these hated foes, with some added spice courtesy of Hardaway...Read on... Opponent 74: Washington Wizards (23 - 51) - Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 7:30pm EST - Continental Airlines Arena Filibustering How does a bill become a law? And when will the Nets get off this losing skid and win a game without Kidd and Martin? With the Wizards next on the schedule and continuing to disappoint, Joe says the time might be right to gather enough votes and pass the bill. Read on... Opponent 73: Boston Celtics (33 - 40) - Monday, March 29, 2004, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena C Average The Celtics are back again, this time looking to keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race, while the Nets are just hoping to keep studying for the Finals exams that start in just over three weeks. Will the Nets bring their "A" work, turn in their test early, and pull another "W" from the C's? Read on... Opponent 72: Cleveland Cavaliers (31 - 40) -Saturday, March 27, 2004, 7:30 PM - Gund Arena Down And Out In Cleveland The Cavs are next on the schedule, and reeling from a 4 game losing streak that took them from solidly in the Eastern Conference playoffs to one game behind the Celtics for the last playoff spot. All of this comes as Cleveland point guard Jeff McInnis remains injured. Can the Nets, stumbling themselves, further derail the "LeBron Playoff Express"? Read on... Opponent 71: Boston Celtics (31 - 40) - Friday, March 26, 2004, 8:00 PM - FleetCenter Gang Green Can the shorthanded Nets cut the legs out from under the Celtics' bid to make the Eastern Conference Playoff race? Since we last saw the Celtics (in Byron Scott's last coaching appearance), so many changes in both teams have Joe wondering if these are the same two teams...Read on... Opponent 70: Chicago Bulls (20 - 50) - Tuesday, March 23, 2004, 8:30PM EST - United Center American Idle It's one big tryout in Chicago as the Bulls play out the string with a host of 10-day contract players. The Nets, desperate for wins but more desperate for health, are hoping the going-nowhere Bulls are just the thing to avoid another Gong Show performance (and a fourth straight loss) without Kidd and Martin. Read on... Opponent 69: Dallas Mavericks (43 - 25) - Sunday, March 21, 2004, 1:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Sick Day Can't the Nets, and Joe, just take a sick day for once? In front of a national television audience, the Net face the team they haven't beaten since what? the Kennedy Administration (actually, the Casey regime) in the Dallas Mavs, missing Kidd and KMart. Read on... Opponent 68: New York Knicks (31 - 37) - Friday, March 19, 2004, 7:30 PM - Madison Square Garden Do The Right Thing Isiah Thomas has made a ton of changes to the once-sunk Knicks, but have they all been the right ones? Thomas called out his troops to "play hard" after a narrow victory against the lowly Wiz. What's going on with the Knicks, and Spike, at the Garden? And why is Nicky Knicksfan happy? Read on... Opponent 67: Detroit Pistons (43 - 25) - Thursday, March 18, 2004, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Motor City Madman Rasheed Wallace comes to Detroit, and the madness begins. Detroit has won 9 of their last 10, and has held their last 5 opponents under 70 points, with Wallace playing a major role. Can the Nets keep the offense flowing from the victory against the Kings and avoid the Piston stranglehold? Read on... Opponent 66: Sacramento Kings (49 - 17) - Tuesday, March 16, 2004, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Keep Hope Alive New! The big, bad Kings come to town, with Chris Webber back from injury and suspension, and are looking to crown the Nets one more time. The Nets are praying that KMart returns from injury, and the rest of the squad has a peak performance in them. It doesn't get any easier this week, with Detroit, New York and Dallas after this one. Joe just wants the Nets to keep hope alive... Opponent 65: Miami Heat (29 - 37) - Sunday, March 14, 2004, 6:00 PM - American Airlines Arena Mercury Rising Has team president Pat Riley lit a fire under his team's ass? The Heat are streaking toward their first playoff berth since 2001 behind the play of Lamar Odom and rookie Dwyane Wade. But do they have enough to keep the Nets from winning against another Atlantic Division foe? The Heat could be the Nets' first round playoff matchup, so watch the temperature climb in Miami...Read on... Opponent 64: Chicago Bulls (18 - 46) - Friday, March 12, 2004, 7:30PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Professional Bull Fighters "Be a pro!" That quote, from former Net Kendall Gill to young buck Eddie Curry about sums things up for the Bulls, losers of 8 of 10 and now officially the worst team in the NBA. Joe takes a look at the "runnin' of the Bulls"...Read on... Opponent 63: Denver Nuggets (33 - 31) - Wednesday, March 10, 2004, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Golden Nugget Will the Golden Nugget Carmelo Anthony shine brightly, or will the Nets continue to tarnish the Nuggets, who have lost 8 of 10? Joe digs through the dirt to find the answers...Read on... Opponent 62: Los Angeles Lakers (40 - 21) - Sunday, March 7, 2004, 3:30 PM - Staples Center Bare Bryant Are the Lakers bare with Kobe out with an injured shoulder? The Nets face the possibility of getting laid bare by Shaq and more Shaq without Bryant in the lineup. Will Kidd return? Will Phil Jackson be the next Net coach? These things, plus former Alabama football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, are laid out on display as the Nets take on the Lakers on national TV (3:30, ABC). Read on... Opponent 61: Golden State Warriors (25 - 34) - Friday, March 5, 2004, 10:30 PM - The Arena in Oakland What's The Point? The only point guards you'll see in Oakland for the Nets vs. the Warriors are likely to be old, young or out of position. Three bonifide NBA point guards - Nick Van Exel and Speedy Claxton for the Warriors, Jason Kidd for the Nets - are injured and won't play (although, home town hero Kidd could surprise and suit up), so assists could be as rare as a Net victory in Phoenix. Joe wants to know, what's the point... Opponent 60: Phoenix Suns (20 - 41) - Wednesday March 3, 2004, 9:00PM EST - America West Arena Sunset In The West Hope in Phoenix is fading. Stephon Marbury wore out his welcome and was moved to the Knicks in a salary cap dump. Can youngster Amare Stoudemire lead his team to victory over the visiting Nets? Joe stares into the sinking Suns...Read on... Opponent 59: Denver Nuggets (33 - 28) - Tuesday, March 2, 2004, 9:00 PM - Pepsi Center Extreme Makeover The formerly haggard-looking Nuggets have been prettied up, thanks to rookie Carmelo Anthony and his supporting cast. This facelift has already brought 16 more wins than all of last season - will the Nets be the next ones to be subjected to the extreme makeover out in Denver? Read on... Opponent 58: Los Angeles Lakers (37 - 20) - Sunday, February 29, 2004, 6:00 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Leap Of Faith The Lakers are in town, needing faith that the Gods of the NBA will help them through this tough patch and again on to the NBA Finals (appears they already have, with that nonsense by the refs against the Nuggets the other day). Faith that Phil Jackson can get Kobe, Shaq, Karl and The Glove on the same page. A Leap Day extravaganza coming to the Continental at 6PM today...Read on... Opponent 57: Miami Heat (25 - 33) - Saturday, February 28, 2004, 1:00 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Miami Vacation It's a Miami vacation for Mrs. Netsfan, but certainly not for the Nets, who take on the playoff determined Heat in this Saturday afternoon matinee. The Heat are well rested, and are no senior citizen brigade, but will they make it to the buffet line before 4:30? Joe shuffles through the crowd... Opponent 56: Minnesota Timberwolves (41 - 16) - Wednesday, February 25, 2004, 8:00pm EST - Target Center Wolf In Wolf's Clothing They're devouring the NBA this year, and might be a force come playoff time. The T-Wolves have surrounded Kevin Garnett with some talent, and they're getting healthy as they snarl their way through the schedule. After the Nets held them to a franchise low point total on Halloween night, they've got plenty of motivation to stop the Nets 14 game winning streak as well... Read on... Opponent 55: Toronto Raptors (25 - 30) - Tuesday, February 24, 2004, 7:30PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Illin' And Chillin' The Canadian contingent, last seen four days ago, is back for more punishment, missing Vince Carter and Jalen Rose. Injured and dropping from view in the Eastern playoff picture after losing 5 straight, the Raptors still might have a chance of freezing out the Nets if they get caught looking ahead to the T-Wolves matchup on Wednesday night. Read on... Opponent 53: Toronto Raptors (5 - 6) - Friday, February 20, 2004, 7:30PM EST - Air Canada Centre Carter Country The Raptors are missing their All Star, Vince Carter, but have won both games against the Nets this year, so can they be the ones to stop the surging Nets? Joe's going to Carter Country...Read on... Opponent 52 - Atlanta Hawks (18 - 35) - Wednesday, February 18, 2004, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Hudson Hawk If you create it, will they come? The Hawks are trading for players with contracts that expire after this season in order to rebuild the franchise from the ground up. The latest trade had Rasheed Wallace and all his baggage (plus Wesley Person) moving to Atlanta for Sharif Abdur-Rahim and Theo Ratliff. Rumor has it that Wallace is all but signed by the Knicks...Joe flies the coop on the Hawks' dealings...Read on... Opponent 51: Cleveland Cavaliers (20 - 32) - Wednesday, February 11, 2004, 7:00 PM - Gund Arena All Snub Team Oh, they're crying in Cleveland over the snub of All World (but not All Star, apparently) F LeBron James for an appearance this week in Los Angeles at the NBA glitz-fest. Hell, they also think that rising star Carlos Boozer and Net-killer Zydrunas Ilguaskas should have made the squad as well. Can the Nets catch the fever from their two All Stars, or will the Cavs Almost All Stars snub the Nets from a pre-All Star break victory? Read on... Opponent 50: Detroit Pistons (33 - 19) - Tuesday, February 10, 2004, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena In The Darko The Detroit Pistons come to town having dropped three straight and the latest has the team wondering what's going on. Are the Pistons in the dark about potential trades to come, the status of rookie Darko Milicic, and the surging Nets? Joe flips the switch on this matchup... Opponent 49: Philadelphia 76ers (21 - 30) - Saturday, February 8, 2004, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Artificial Intelligence A.I. – Allen Iverson, Always Injured and how about Artificial Intelligence? Iverson, the Sixers' great, called out his teammates with his "We don't play with no heart" statement after a loss to Toronto on Tuesday, seems to be smarter than everyone else in Philly. After a bounceback win against the Lakers, the Sixers were blown out by 30 last night. So much for brains...Read on... Opponent 48: Orlando Magic (13 - 38) - Friday, February 6, 2004, 8:00PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Howard, Hill And (No) Hope New Net coach Lawrence Frank, a surprising 5 - 0 since taking over the reigns from Byron Scott, goes for win number six against the worst team in the NBA, at home no less. The Magic will need more than Black Magic, a big game from Juwan Howard, the return of Grant Hill, and a healthy Tracy McGrady to pull off a road win (since the Magic are 7 - 21 on the road). And you thought things have been bad in New Jersey this season? Read on... Opponent 47: Miami Heat (21 - 28) - Wednesday, February 4, 2004, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Coach Killers Frank Johnson. Rick Pitino. John Calipari. Byron Scott. Four coaches who were canned after losses to Miami. All firings occured in the last 4 years. The Heat are coach killers, but will they have any "thrilla" in them tonight? Champagne takes a look at the rising Heat...Read on... Opponent 46: New Orleans Hornets (26 - 21) - Monday, February 2, 2004, 8:00 PM - New Orleans Arena Going Buggy Jamal Mashburn is back, and just in time as Baron Davis carried the Hornets until breaking down in the past week. The Hornets are going buggy, having lost 14 of their last 23 after starting out 17 - 7. Can the Nets, buzzing themselves under Lawrence Frank, take down the Hornets? Read on... Opponent 45: Houston Rockets (26 - 19) - Saturday, January 31, 2004, 3:30pm EST - Toyota Center Super Short Saturday With all the big, manly football players walking around Houston for the Super Bowl, leave it to the NBA to have two short, balding Felix Ungers coaching this Saturday before Super Bowl Sunday matchup - let's hype it up for the corporate -types killing time before "the real game" and call it Super Short Saturday between the Nets and Rockets...Read on... Opponent 44: Orlando Magic (12 - 34) - Thursday, January 29, 2004, 7:00PM EST - TD Waterhouse Center Waterworld As messy as any Kevin Costner film, the Orlando Magic have plunged the depths this season with a flood of injuries and bad luck. The Nets set sail into Orlando in the second game of both their four game road trip and the Lawrence Frank era. Read on... Opponent 43: Philadelphia 76ers (19 - 25) - Tuesday, January 27, 2004, 7:00 PM - First Union Center Always Injured Allen Iverson will not play tonight, due to a sprained ligament in his right index finger. Marc Jackson and Derrick Coleman are also out, but Kenny Thomas is returning from a corneal abrasion. The 4th-in-the-Atlantic Sixers are a mess, and GM Billy King is moaning. GM Rod Thorn, however has made his move, and tonight marks the first night of the Lawrence Frank era. Champagne wonders what's under Interim Coach Frank's magic hat. At this point, nothing would surprise him...Read on... Opponent 42: Boston Celtics (22 - 23) - Sunday, January 25, 2004, 1:00 PM - Continental Airlines Arena At Close Range Don't look now, but the Celtics are gaining. The Celts, who have been out of target for most of the season as they've struggled to integrate the remodeled roster, are now one game behind the Nets (despite a losing record) and setting the sights on first place in the Atlantic. Can the Nets lock and load in the only home game over the next week? Read on... Opponent 41: Miami Heat (16 - 26) - Friday, January 23, 2004, 7:30 PM - SBC Center Miami Vices The calendar says that it's January, cold and flu season, and that it's the statistical end to the first half of play after 41 games. Frankly, Joe's not in the mood for any of this, including the somewhat mind-bending news that the Nets are being sold to Bruce Ratner and starting the process of moving to Brooklyn...Who cares about a lousy opponent? Read on... Opponent 40: San Antonio Spurs (27 - 15) - Wednesday, January 21, 2004, 8:30 PM - SBC Center No Kidding At The Alamo The big question on everyone's mind is still this: Is Jason Kidd sorry he didn't sign with San Antonio while he had the opportunity? Imagine how simple it would have been in San Antone - bringing the ball downcourt, and dumping it in to All-World Tim Duncan. It could have been that easy - No Kidding. Read on... Opponent 39: Dallas Mavericks (24 - 16) - Tuesday, January 20, 2004, 8:30 PM - American Airlines Center Should They Stay Or Should They Go? Are Antawn Jamison and coach Don Nelson out? Is nut-job F Rasheed Wallace in? So far the answer is no, but for the underachieving Mavericks and Trader Mark Cuban, anything is possible. Hell, there is so much going on down in Big D we don't even have the space to make fun of KMart fave Antoine Walker. Joe Does Dallas... Opponent 38: Indiana Pacers (30 - 11) - Saturday, January 17, 2004, 8 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Objects In The Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear The Nets and Pacers, our next opponent at the Continental, are locked in a mighty struggle for the pole position in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers might be sitting pretty, but our man SwampDragon2 warns the Indy pit crew that some objects are closer than they appear. Nets vs. Pacers, a race to the finish - who'll be wearing the paint of the other while getting the checkered flag? Read on... Opponent 37: Milwaukee Bucks (21 - 17) - Thursday, January 15, 2004, 8:00PM EST - Bradley Center Buck Shot Lookout New Jersey...Milwaukee has been on fire, winning 5 of their last 6 and 9 of their last 12 and leading the Eastern Conference in scoring at 95.4 ppg (ninth in the NBA). Will Kenyon's return put them on ice? Joe takes a look at the sharpshooting Bucks...Read on... Opponent 36: Washington Wizards (10 - 26) - Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 7:30pm EST - Continental Airlines Arena Disappearing Acts What more could go wrong for coach Eddie Jordan in his first season at the helm of the Washington Wizards? Jordan's been missing his best player, Jerry Stackhouse, all season long, has lost his off-season signee Gilbert Arenas to an abdominal injury for a good part of the year, and now comes the surprise announcement that Christian Laettner has been suspended for violating the league's drug policy...Joe takes a look at the visiting Wiz. Read on... Opponent 35: Philadelphia 76ers (16 - 19) - Friday, January 9, 2004, 7:00 PM - First Union Center Changing Directions Our man SwampDragon2 reports that the Sixers, the Nets' next opponent, have been stuck in neutral with Allen Iverson on the shelf for 10 games and a rookie, non-genius head coach. Can the Sixers change directions and retake the ground lost while missing Iverson? Dragon's got the deal... Opponent 34: Los Angeles Clippers (14 - 16) - Tuesday, January 6, 2004, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Are You Gelling? Could there be some gelling of team chemistry, winning 8 of their last 13 games out in Los Angeles? The Clips are explosive offensively but atrocious defensively, so don't include them in the playoff mix just yet. Can the Nets get gelling like Magellan and sail away with a victory? Joe has the story... Opponent 33: New York Knicks (14 - 20) - Sunday, January 4, 2004, 7:30 PM - Madison Square Garden Doubting Thomas Everyone doubted his ability to coach, but new Knick president Isiah Thomas has never been afraid to do or say exactly what's on his mind. And Nicky Knicksfan sure ain't doubting him now...Read on... Opponent 32: Cleveland Cavaliers (10 - 22) - Friday, January 2, 2004, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Of Hoops, Hype and Hummers Netsfans - meet NBA savior LeBron James, who certainly has made a mark on the league in his short time with the Cavs, showing flashes of Magic Johnson and MJ in the process. And he just turned 19. No flash in the pan thus far, James has lived up to the hype, but now he needs to start bringing some wins to Cleveland. The first game of 2004, previewed by Joe... Opponent 31: Golden State Warriors (14 - 15) - Wednesday, December 31, 2003, 7:00 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Worry Not, The Party's Right Here New Year's Eve, the Warriors are in town, and the party starts at the Continental at 7PM. Worry not, Netsfans - the Warriors have struggled on the road, going 4 - 9, so the Nets have a good chance to liquor up their guests and send them into the night...Read on... Opponent 30: Portland Trailblazers (14 - 14) - Monday, December 29, 2003, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Breaking Up is Hard to Do We feel Portland GM John Nash's pain. He ran Bonzi "Conduct Detrimental to the Team" Wells out of town in exchange for upright NBA citizen Wesley Person, but he still has Rasheed "David Stern is Exploiting Me" Wallace to deal with. And he's got a .500 team that can't get a win on the road – last night King James nearly triple-doubled on them, giving the Blazers' their 10th away loss...Champagne takes a look at the slowly cracking-up Blazers...Read on... Opponent 29: Indiana Pacers (21 - 9) - Saturday, December 27, 2003, 8 PM - Conseco Fieldhouse Ahead Of The Pack We've got Pack, they've got AJ, and with injuries to Kenny Anderson and the very recent return of Jamaal Tinsley, our ex-backup PG has been their starter. While Indy has been far out ahead of the pack in the east, they've slipped of late, and lost to the Bucks last night. The visiting Nets are on an upswing (8 - 4 in December), and on a runner's high after winning in Detroit. Champagne handicaps this head-to-head race between the Central and Atlantic Division leaders. Read on... Opponent 28: Detroit Pistons (16 - 12) - Friday, December 26, 2003, 8:00 PM - The Palace At Auburn Hills Brown Out The Nets head to Detroit, where new coach Larry Brown finds himself short of power as the Pistons have lost 6 of their last 8 games. Who pulled the plug? Joe trips the breakers to find out...Read on... Opponent 27: Chicago Bulls (7 - 18) - Tuesday, December 23, 2003, 7:30PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Not Bullish The almost fully refurbished Bulls come into the Continental, sporting a new coach, new players and lots of injuries. Expected to contend for a playoff spot in the East, instead they've been headed down faster than KMart stock. Don't bet the retirement money on these Bulls, says Joe...Read on... Opponent 26: Milwaukee Bucks (12 - 14) - Saturday, December 20, 2003, 8:30PM EST - Bradley Center All Bucked Up In the second game of yet another December weekend back-to-back, the not-so-surprising-anymore Bucks, sporting a 3 - 5 record since the Nets win back on December 5, take on the dysfunctional Nets in the wilds of Milwaukee? Which team is more screwed up? Joe looks at the scene...Read on... Opponent 25: Washington Wizards (8 - 16) - Friday, December 19, 2003, 7:30pm EST - Continental Airlines Arena Here Comes The Judge Think Eddie Jordan had an inkling that this judgement day might have been coming? No, I don't mean the latest installment of Scott vs Jordan or Nets vs. Wiz - I mean, the latest trial underway here in New Jersey in this car wreck of a season, between Jason Kidd and Byron Scott...Read on... Opponent 24: Utah Jazz (13 - 11) - Wednesday, December 17, 2003, 7:30PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Ghost Team The NBA's Ghost Team (didn't every analyst declare them "dead in the water"?) is on a major journey, destined to scare squads half to death in 6 Eastern ports. Tonight the Jazz attack the stumbling Nets, who are coming off that disastrous showing in Memphis. Which team will get sent to Davy Jones' Locker? Champagne takes a look at these nameless, faceless, Salt Lake City wraiths...Read on... Opponent 23: Memphis Grizzlies (12 - 9) - Saturday, December 13, 2003, 8:00PM EST - The Pyramid Arena Joining The Hunt While bears are being slaughtered in Joe and Champagne's home Township, the Nets go on the hunt in Tennessee, hoping to bag themselves a Grizzly after the mauling they took from Memphis on Dec. 3rd. Joe scouts the hills for prey...Read on... Opponent 22: Orlando Magic (3 - 19) - Friday, December 12, 2003, 8:00PM EST - TD Waterhouse Center Man Or Mouse? There has been something cartoonish about the Orlando Magic this season, hasn't there? The Magic are just off the heels of a 19 game losing streak that got coach Doc Rivers fired and showed once again how terribly flawed the team is...Read on... Opponent 21: Seattle SuperSonics (9 - 8) - Tuesday, December 9, 2003, 7:30PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Flipped Off Ronald "Flip" Murray has come back to earth, and out of the Sonics starting lineup as Ray Allen's replacement. After a 6 - 2 start, the NBA has begun flipping the bird to Seattle with a 3 - 6 record, while the Nets have won two straight on the home court. Can the Nets make the right hand gestures and flip out a win? Joe takes a look at the latest from Seattle's Finest...Read on... Opponent 20: Phoenix Suns (8 - 10) - Saturday, December 6, 2003, 7:30PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Sun Spots The not so sun-shiny Suns come to town dragging the same anchor of expectations that the Nets find around their necks, with an 8 - 10 record and a coach on the hot seat. It's always crazy when Kidd and Marbury meet, and this promises to be no exception...Read on... Opponent 19: Milwaukee Bucks (9 - 9) - Friday, December 5, 2003, 7:30PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Bucking The Trend Fire the coach, trade away all your star players, and rebuild with youth and a rookie coach. That's a recipie for a "deer-in-headlights" season. Well, the Bucks of Milwaukee are thus far bucking that trend...Read on... Opponent 18: Memphis Grizzlies (8 - 8) - Wednesday, December 3, 2003, 7:30PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Can't Bearly Stand It Welcome to the New Realities of the NBA: the formerly docile Grizzlies are A) sitting with a better record than the Nets; B) listening to a 72 year old head coach (and we know a team that's tuning theirs out, don't we?); and C) last in the Midwest Division but would be first in the Atlantic. How humbling - Joe can't bear to see it unfold...Read on... Opponent 17 - Utah Jazz (9 - 6) - Monday, December 1, 2003, 9:00PM EST - Delta Center Miracle In Salt Lake Scan the Jazz roster and please tell me how they're doing it, says Joe. With folks like Carlos Arroyo, Matt Harpring and Andrei Kirilenko leading the charge and Jerry Sloan coaching his ass off, Utah is working on a miracle in Salt Lake. Read on... Opponent 13: Seattle SuperSonics (7 - 4) - Tuesday, November 25, 2003, 10:00PM EST - Key Arena Wrongly Accused Maybe the Sonics are much better than Joe advertised. The Nets hit Seattle on their first stop of this five game West Coast swing. The pressure is to win is now hanging over the Nets' heads like an anvil. Will they be sleepless in Seattle or will they escape with a W? Read on... Opponent 12: Toronto Raptors (5 - 6) - Saturday, November 22, 2003, 1:00PM EST - Continental Airlines Arena Swamp Muck Down in the swamp, two 5 - 6 teams with offenses near extinction are facing off in a rematch of opening night. Will each team get bogged down in the defensive muck being laid down, or will someone (please, anyone) drain away the slop and air this one out? With Vince Carter and Jason Kidd (who may not play), there is always the chance. Joe looks past the angry outbursts of Thursday's practice and tries to get a read on this matinee... Opponent 11: New Orleans Hornets (7 - 3) - Tuesday, November 18, 2003, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee One is dangerous and creative, while the other floats hopelessly on the breezes of other players' talents. Meet Baron Davis and Tim Floyd, the terrible twosome on the next stop of the Nets' NBA express. Can Floyd redeem himself (after the nightmare that was Chicago) while Davis attempts to rise to the level of the NBA elite? Joe takes a look at these Hornets...Read on... Opponent 10: Atlanta Hawks (3 - 6) - Saturday, November 15, 2003, 7:00 PM - Philips Arena Two Skinnee Js The beat in Atlanta is being driven by those two skinnee j's - Jason Terry and ex-Net Stephen Jackson - but after an off-season of turmoil and continued attendence woes, they aren't nearly as bad as anticipated. At least not by Joe...Read on... Opponent 9: New York Knicks (2 - 5) - Friday, November 14, 2003, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena McDyes, Mutombo, And McSoftie The Garden - where expensive ex-Nets go to play. The Knicks are in town, bringing ex-Nets Mutombo and Van Horn along with their unique collection of roster flotsam and jetsam. Who will take the fall? Joe takes a look....Read on... Opponent 8: San Antonio Spurs (4 - 4) - Wednesday, November 12, 2003, 7:00 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Trash or Treasure? Are the Nets and Spurs ready to make art this time out? Both Tim Duncan and Tony Parker have returned to the Spurs lineup, while the Nets are still injury-challenged. Can the Nets make art out of pain? Read on... Opponent 7: Detroit Pistons (4 - 1) -Sunday, November 9, 2003, 6:00 PM - The Palace At Auburn Hills Have Bag, Will Travel Larry Brown, professional carpetbagger on his 10th coaching stop, now leads a Pistons squad that he'll be expected to deliver a championship with, as soon as this season. Retooled and refocused, Detroit is off to a red-hot start, but will they succeed come playoff time? ..Read on... Opponent 6: Boston Celtics (2 - 2) - Friday, November 7, 2003, 7:30 PM - FleetCenter One Day At A Time Minus Antoine "Addicted to the Three" Walker and plus a newly slim and sober Vin Baker, the Celtics are on the road to recovery. Joe has his early-season assessment...Read on... Opponent 5: Indiana Pacers (3 - 1) - Thursday, November 6, 2003, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Bird Of Prey New President and GM Larry Bird seized control of the Pacers organization and immediately sharpened his talons after seeing the same thing that Joe did: head coach Isiah Thomas, surrounded by talent, somehow had lost control of the ship last year. Are these formerly birdbrained Pacers now clay pigeons or birds of prey? Joe takes a look... Opponent 4: Houston Rockets (2 - 1) - Tuesday, November 4, 2003, 7:30 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Playing Those Mind Games New Houston Coach Jeff Van Gundy is famous for getting his troops to follow his battle plan, which is defensive in nature and not terribly exciting. He's got a, well, colorful bunch of players, including a point guard who doesn't like to share, a forward on suspension, and an eight-foot Chinese centerpiece who could be the next Patrick Ewing, and beyond. What to make of all of this? Joe examines the mind games and mind crimes and tries to de-program this matchup. Read on... Opponent 3: Washington Wizards (1 - 1) - Saturday, November 1, 2003, 7:30 PM - MCI Center Crossing Jordan Grudge match supreme on a Saturday night? Was new head coach Eddie Jordan, former chief assistant to Nets coach Byron Scott, the brains or simply the hired hand behind New Jersey's success the past two years? You know that both men are just dying to prove it was him, not that other guy...Will the Wizard best the Alchemist? Read on... Opponent 2: Minnesota Timberwolves (1 - 0) - Friday, October 31, 2003, 8:00 PM - Continental Airlines Arena Lone Wolf No More It started simply enough. "Let's invite some of KG's friends to the party, so that we'll have a better chance of both being successful in the playoffs, and keeping the big guy around." Well, the invitations went out, and when the RSVP's were returned, the new-look T-Wolves had a new roster overnight. Will the Nets be able to hunt down all these Wolves, or will the newbies from Minny turn the hunters into the hunted? Read on... Opponent 1: Toronto Raptors (0 - 0) - Wednesday, October 29, 2003, 8:00 PM - Air Canada Centre Curse of Air Canada Ever since that fateful day back in 2001, when Vince Carter left the Raptors to attend his college graduation right before the start of a pivotal Game 7 playoff vs. Philadelphia, things just ain't been right in Toronto. The Nets' first matchup of the season, analyzed by SwampDragon2...Read on... Archive \| Backlash \| Bio \| Calendar \| Champagne's Blog \| Diatribe \| Game x Game \| History \| Home \| Joe Netsfan's Blog \| Media \| Opponents \| Players \| Playoffs \| Search \| Specials © 2003 Shawn Belschwender and Michael Kozlowski