The new Kingpin

Pistons 100, Nets 90 OT
Game 26 File
The newest Net, Vince Carter, gets 23 points and a leg cramp in overtime as New Jersey battles the Pistons for 50 minutes. With Carter out, RJ and Kidd stagger and the Nets drop a game they could have won.
• Box Score

Nets Record: 9 - 17
Home Record: 6 - 7
Away Record: 3 - 10
Division Record: 1 - 3
Conf. Record: 7 - 8
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Richard Jefferson, 27.
• Assists: Jason Kidd and Vince Carter each had 5.
• Rebounds: Nenad Krstic and Jason Kidd each had 9.
• Steals: Vince Carter, 3.
• Turnovers: Richard Jefferson, 3.
• Blocks: Nenad Krstic and Jason Collins each had 1.
• FG Percentage: Jabari Smith, 66.7% ( 2 - 3).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 35.6%
• FT Percentage: 79.3%
• Rebounds: 38
• Rebound Differential: -16 • Turnovers: 15
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 20
• Bench points: 34

• Bench points Differential: +16
• Steals: 10
• Blocks: 2
• Points in the Paint: 16
• Double-Doubles: 0
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 3
• Nets Fast Break Points: 11
• Kidd's FG Percentage: 0.0% (0 - 8).
• Scoring Differential Kidd in the game: -11
• Scoring Differential Kidd out: +1 (Vaughn, Best at PG)
• Double-Doubles this Season: 0
• Triple Doubles this Season: 0
• Career Triple Doubles: 59

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Game 26: Pistons 100, Nets 90 OT - December 27, 2004
Cramping Our Style
The Air Continental era started with a bang for the Nets as Vince Carter scored 23 points with 5 assists and 4 rebounds. VC’s contributions helped the Nets to keep a considerable edge on the Pistons with their lead growing as large as 12.

The Nets led 66-61 entering the 4th quarter and held an 8 point lead with 3:31 remaining in regulation. Then Detroit went on a 10-3 run to narrow the gap to 87-86 with 19 seconds remaining. Nenad Krstic scooped up the rebound off of a missed Kidd 3-pointer and got fouled in the act by Ben Wallace. Nenad was able to nail the first free throw but clanked the second. Detroit’s final play was a Rasheed Wallace 3-pointer that missed, sending the game into overtime.

With 2:13 remaining in OT, Nets fans got perhaps the biggest scare since 1999 when Jayson Williams and Stephon Marbury were writhing on the floor in pain after a collision. Seemingly out of nowhere, Vince Carter was lying down in front of the scorer’s table with team trainer Tim Walsh holding his leg.

The ensuing minutes were downright frightening. We saw Vince struggle to even walk on his own power. We wondered if tomorrow’s back page of the New York Post would read “Vin-jury to end Carter’s season”. Finally Vince took a seat on the bench and we hoped that his injury was exactly what Ian Eagle and Chris Carrino said it was…just a cramp.

In related news, there was also a game to be finished. Just before the game was stopped for Carter’s injury Ben Wallace scored giving the Pistons a 4-point advantage. The Nets couldn’t draw any closer from that point on as they lost 100-90.

Cramp Carter
Malice of Auburn Hills - Jason Kidd had a horrible shooting night as he went 0-8 (6 of those shots were 3-pointers!) and finished with 2 points. To his credit, he did pull down 9 rebounds. Those boards were crucial against a Detroit team with a lot of size in the frontcourt.
A Tight Game - I know I shouldn’t say this just 2 months into his career but Nenad Krstic is for real. He continued his stellar play tonight with 13 points and 9 boards in a grueling 46 minutes. However he has to clean up his game a little bit because foul trouble is becoming a regular problem for him. Tonight he finished with 5 personal fouls.
A Vin-ning Attitude - "I wasn't worried," Carter said. "I knew what it was right from the beginning. I think I just didn't get enough fluids. This Gatorade is going to be my friend. It had nothing to do with my Achilles. If that hadn't been fine, I wouldn't have been out there.” That right there is a little positive attitude mixed with shameless promotion.
Help on the way? - Jerome Moiso is expected to join the Nets very soon. Kenyon Martin he’s not, but we need all the help at the 4 and 5 positions we can get.
22,076 in Attendance - The Nets can’t really take credit for that number since that’s not uncommon for the Pistons.

Rip City
Sometimes when an opposing player lights up the scoreboard, you can directly fault the defense. This isn’t one of those times. The Nets played solid D but just couldn’t keep a lid on Rip Hamilton who scored a whopping 37 points on scorching 12-19 shooting.
- Zach Links

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