Joe and Jason Kidd kiss another chance at a championship goodbye
Heat 110, Nets 97
Round 1, Game 4 File
It's over - the Nets' heroic efforts
to get into the playoffs are swept away by a much better (shooting) Heat
squad led by Dwyane Wade (who outplays Vince Carter in the series). Despite
keeping things close, the Nets cannot make shots when they need to, and
Miami moves on to the second round (with a week's rest to boot).
• Box
Score
Series Record: 0-4
Nets High Men:
• Points: Jason
Kidd, 25
• Assists: Jason
Kidd, 7
• Rebounds: Vince
Carter, 10
• Steals: Vince
Carter, 3
• Turnovers: Vince
Carter and Jason Kidd each had 4
• Blocks: Nenad
Krstic, 2
• FG Percentage:
Nenad Krstic, 50.0% (6 - 12)
Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 39.5%
• FT Percentage: 83.8
%
• Rebounds: 37
• Rebound Differential: -2
• Turnovers: 15
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 20
• Bench points: 12
• Bench points Differential: +12
• Steals: 7
• Blocks: 3
• Points in the Paint: 44
• Double-Doubles:
1 (Vince Carter: 23 points, 10 rebounds)
• Triple-Doubles:
0
The Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring:
4
• Nets Fast Break Points:
18
• Kidd's FG Percentage: 47.4%
(9 - 19)
• Scoring Differential Kidd in the game:
-8
• Scoring Differential Kidd out:
-5 (Best at PG)
• Double-Doubles this Season:
16
• Triple Doubles this Season: 9
• Career Triple Doubles: 68
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Dwyaned And Swept
OK, things weren't going so well for New Jersey, being down 3 - 0 and all in this first round series. But having lost by the skin of their teeth on Thursday, being down by a point at the half , with Big Daddy Shaq in some foul trouble with no points of his own on the scoreboard, and Richard Jefferson carrying the load for an all-too-invisible Vince Carter, you had to like the Nets' chances in this Game 4.
Wrong-o, again. A sweep at the hands of the Heat, and once again, it all came down to making shots (the Heat) vs. missing shots (the Nets).
So Shaq would come on to score 17 second half points, but really, all the Nets needed was a Dwyaning, or at least some draining, from a smoking Dwyane Wade, who continued his assault on the Nets from all over the court in the first half, when it seemed like no other Miamian could step up for the down-and-out Shaq. Not 'Zo, who was booed mercilessly every time he touched the ball and had himself a rough first half. Not Damon Jones, who was kept in check. Not even Eddie Jones could damage them, though he was doing a great job defending Carter. There was no secret Keyon Dooling or Christian Laettner weapon to burn them. But if you don't make shots...
Wade was too much to handle. Wade scored 14 first quarter points, including a dunk as time expired as he weaved his way through the Net defense, as the Heat took an 11 point lead. The Nets looked finished after that quarter, watching helplessly as every ball they through up bounced out (or missed completely).
But those gritty Nets kept coming, fed by the fuel that is Jason Kidd. Kidd had 11 points in the quarter, and seemed to single-handedly lead them back from oblivion by looking to drive with Shaq on the bench and Mourning in his place. With Kidd motoring, leading Carer and Jefferson, they actually took their first lead of the game at 40 - 39. Wade, though, finished things off with three foul shots after getting nailed by Kidd shooting a three to put the Heat up one at the half. Wade had 5 points and assisted on the other two baskets after the Nets took that first lead.
And in the third, after a promising start in which the Nets actually took a 3 point lead (their largest of the game), it all slid downhill as the shots stopped dropping again and Shaq started rolling. A 21 - 10 blitz that opened the floodgates started with Wade and ended with Eddie Jones' two threes put the Heat back in command at 78 - 70 after three.
The Nets wouldn't fold, though, and got themselves back to within three before the roof fell in. With help from the officiating, the Nets went into another now-patented funk in which they turned the ball over three times and missed four shots (while making 5 of 6 free throws) to find themselves back down 10 points. That was the last gasp, really, as the Nets had finally run out of steam and ceded the sweep to the Heat.
On to 2005 - 2006. But how much change will the team see? And will any progress be made on that move to Brooklyn?
That Sinking Feeling
The Simple Truth Part I - The Heat got more from their stars. They got more from their bench. They made shots, all of them, even the role players. Dwyane Wade was so larger than life (in three of the four games, anyway, and tonight he had 34 points and 9 assists) that they hardly needed Shaq. Boil it all down, and the Nets had no answers for the Heat shooters, including such luminaries as Damon Jones, Eddie Jones, Keyon Dooling and Christian Laettner. Even without the Big Diesel.
The Simple Truth Part II - The Nets, meanwhile, had trouble defending everyone and got killed on the perimeter even though everyone feared death by Shaq. Their stars were outplayed, and despite a lift from Richard Jefferson off the bench, so too were the role players. At the end of the day, though, what flooded the Nets were missed shots - way too many missed shots. A 40% shooting percentage for the series (the Heat shot better than 50%, and most of it was from outside), despite plenty of points in the paint. With Jason Kidd, you expect the Nets to not be the greatest shooting team alive. But no one else (save Krstic) held up their end of the deal. Not Carter, not Kidd, not Jefferson (who shot 36%, 39% and 40%, respectively).
Super Star Car Wash - Was Vince Carter playing underwater? Carter of course had been singled out by the Heat as the man you must defend, but that's no excuse for the superstar to not rise to the challenge. Deadly accurate all season long as a Net, including from 3 point range, Vince couldn't seem to buy a jump shot (ok, we're happy that last second prayer in the first overtime of Game 3 went in), and from three point land he was horrible (going 6 - 19 in the series). That big weapon the Nets used effectively to get into the playoffs disappeared, and so did the Nets' chances. Wade outshone Carter, which is a disappointment since Carter has the same creative skills as Wade (but nowhere near the explosive first step, especially with the lingering Achilles injury...).
Defensive Drowning - The Nets never could get close enough the the Heat shooters to make a difference, could they? The dish and drive skills of Wade are phenominal, but the Nets never could get Shaq out of their collective heads, and any collapse upon him forced the ball outside to an open shooter. Give the Heat credit, from 1 - 10 they knocked down the shots they needed to, but the Nets never could get it straight in their own defensive heads. Four straight 100+ plus efforst given up. Ouch. And though Richard Jefferson did by far the best job on Wade, that was asking a lot of a fellow seeing his first game action in four months. Lastly, pointing out the bloody obvious - in the last four years, despite all the big "names" that have floated through New Jersey (including the evil 'Zo), no one has been able to handle Shaq. Pity poor Jason Collins, who's fillings must be rattling in his head still...
Raining Down Of The Boos - Is it the still-outspoken, not-in-the-least-apologetic, doesn't-see-anything-wrong-with-what-he-did-attitude what bothers Netsfans so much about Alonzo Mourning? Or is it the muscle-flexing, enthusiastic hand-slapping poser that Mourning is on the court that arouses our ire? He forced his way out of town, was angry at the treatment he received, and now he gets exactly what Jason Kidd wants - a good chance at a championship. Though not saint himself, surely Kidd deserves the opportunity to play for one long before Mourning (tell us again, you WILLINGLY signed that contract with NJ, right?)...
Swimming In The Fishbowl - How about 12 minute Richard Jefferson's performance in this series? Remember, he was only going to play limited minutes since he was just coming back from the four month layoff - and he played 42 minutes today, often the best Net on the floor. Incredible. The jury is definitely still out as far as Carter and Jefferson co-existing, but if today's boxscore is any indication, there is plenty of opportunity for both to score (and in a world where Kidd nets 25, Carter 23, and Jefferson and Nenad Krstic get 17 apiece, you think there's a future there for all). But will he stick around?
Talent Drain - Whether you like their games or not, Keyon Dooling, Christian Laettner, Alonzo Mourning, Shandon Anderson and Rasual Butler are sure a better bench than Cliff Robinson, Travis Best, Brian Scalabrine (who cannot seem to do anything right against the quicker Heat), Rodney Buford, and Jabari Thomas (why not combine Jabari Smith and Billy Thomas' names together, for all the PT they got). They didn't seem to have any trouble stepping up...Rod Thorn's major rework project for next year.
Laying The Brickwork For Next Season
What next? An ignomious sweep at the hands of the so-much-better-it's-scary Miami Heat leaves Netsfans wondering what comes next? Though certainly a much better outcome than missing the playoffs entirely (or worse, struglling to score 70 points per game), Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal again proved that the Nets are not constructed to go all the way. Would things have been any different if Richard Jefferson hadn't missed the last three months plus of the season and had a chance to work with Kidd and Carter? Who knows. But we do know without some help up front (does anyone remember Kenyon Martin?), the Nets and Jason Kidd are doomed to repeat themselves next season by falling short again. What should Rod Thorn, Ed Stefanski and the Nets do in the off-season to make Kidd happy and the Nets more competitive? Move one of the Big Three of Carter, Kidd and Jefferson? Attempt to get KG? Joe's going to take a few days off, but we'll starting tackling all the issues in the coming weeks ahead. What do you want Thorn and co. to do? Who should the Nets trade, or draft, or sign? Email Joe and we'll start the discussions. Thanks for another great season, and here's hoping that no news on the move to Brooklyn is good news for New Jersey Netsfans...
- Joe
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