Joe Netsfan Game x Game 8 - Celtics 91, Nets 69

Left behind

Celtics 91, Nets 69
Game 8 File
The Nets play exactly one decent quarter of basketball before the offense folds under the weight of the Celtics defense, and the rout is on in the second half. Once again, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson are left on an island, with no one save Sean Williams ready, willing or able to help. An ugly, sloppy, offensively offensive loss, the Nets third in a row.
• Box Score

Nets Record: 4 - 4
Home Record: 3 - 3
Away Record: 1 - 1
Division Record: 1 - 3
Conf. Record: 4 - 3
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Richard Jefferson, 21.
• Assists: Jason Kidd, 7.
• Rebounds: Jason Kidd, 9.
• Steals: Antoine Wright, 2.
• Turnovers: Jason Kidd, 5.
• Blocks: Sean Williams, 4.
• FG Percentage: Sean Williams, 62.5% (5 - 8).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 33.3%
• FT Percentage: 53.1%
• Rebounds: 42
• Rebound Differential: Even
• Turnovers: 21
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 14
• Bench points: 23
• Bench points Differential:Even
• Steals: 4
• Blocks: 6
• Points in the Paint: 22
• Double-Doubles:
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 3
• Nets Fast Break Points: 4
• Kidd's FG Percentage: 38.9% (7 - 18).
• Scoring Differential Kidd in the game: -18
• Scoring Differential Kidd out: -4 (Armstrong)
• Double-Doubles this Season: 3
• Triple Doubles this Season: 1
• Career Triple Doubles: 88

Nets Media
Bergen Record | Nets
Newark Star-Ledger | Nets
Newsday | Nets
NY Daily News | NBA
NY Post | Nets
NY Times | Pro Basketball
YES Network | Nets

Nets Team Pages
CNNSI.com | Nets
ESPN.com | Nets
FoxSports | Nets
NBA.com | Nets
Sportsline.com | Nets

Celtics Media:
Boston Globe | Celtics
Boston Herald | Celtics

Game 8: Celtics 91, Nets 69 – November 14, 2007
On An Island
Here sit poor Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, left alone on an island of Net mediocrity in the midst of this now three game losing streak. With the whipping the Celtics once again administered tonight for the second time in five days, it can be said without remorse: we way overrated these Nets, at least for now.

Falling to 4 - 4 is bad enough, but the style in which the Nets plummeted after a solid first quarter can only be described as amateurish. They scored 11 points, total, in the second quarter, turning a six point lead upside down, and then flat out didn't compete in the second half. There were so many high school style executions (no, not that kind, but...now that you mention it, we can prepare a list) on offense, it was downright comical. The Celtics seemed to be everywhere the Nets wanted to be, and since no one was really able to knock down shots with any consistency for NJ, it made for short work in the second half. Even with Kevin Garnett out of the game, the Nets couldn't capitalize, and in fact found their deficit doubled with him on the bench. No sense in rehashing the details, frankly, it was that disconcerting. I'll put more into the Blog tomorrow.

The Nets are predictable right now, and the Celtics took advantage of that. Throw a wall around Richard Jefferson and make it hard on him, and turn everyone else into a would-be scorer. No one passed the test, with the exception of Kidd, Jefferson and Sean Williams, who once again was the only big man to make plays.

Back home to face an Orlando Magic team that is now 7 - 2, and then follow that up with the dreadful Heat before heading on the road. No joy in East Rutherford, and not only because Vince Carter is still out of the lineup

Monsoon Season
Or Is It The Dry Season? - All the off-season roster turnover, and still the Nets are starved for offense. OK, there are extenuating circumstances that make this worse than it probably could be - namely, the absence of VC, and the still missing and always offensively capable Marcus Williams - but still, we expected more, way more, from the support staff. Nenad Krstic has an excuse, and clearly, when he doesn't have it, he really doesn't have it. But vets like Jamaal Magloire (a doghouse in the making if I've ever seen it), Malik Allen, Boki Nachbar (I don't even want to talk about him right now) and Darrell Armstrong aren't doing anything right now. The five shot 5 - 20, had 11 points, and 7 turnovers for the night. Execution was as I said amateurish - 21 turnovers, many because the Nets either didn't protect the ball or worse, put the ball in harms way on a spin move, or other gyration straight into traffic, and the Celtics were happy to take the ball and run. Thirty-three percent shooting for the game, only 53% on free throws, and absolutely nothing good after the first quarter.
Island Mates - The Nets cannot win when they have to rely on Jason Kidd's shooting. This has been proven time and again. And since the Celtics really only had to worry about Richard Jefferson, this meant that the two players being counted on to make plays couldn't make them, since no one else could make a shot. RJ had 21 points after a slow start - Kidd had 17 points after a 10 point first quarter. Neither had an easy shot all night, really, and found themselves dishing off to a Net (pick one, any one) who couldn't finish. I can't imagine that this can continue for long, before changes need to be made. Like...
Put The Freak In The Starting Lineup - Who else on the Nets is bringing what Sean Williams is bringing right now - energy, shot blocking, running the floor in transition, and some exciting finishes (he has a gorgeous 'oop from Kidd that should make all the highlight reels). The national press is talking him up, the Nets had no idea he'd be this productive this soon (the kid had 14 points, 7 rebounds (4 offensive), and 4 blocks in 29 minutes), and really, everyone else looks dead in the water right now. Since Nenad Krstic is struggling so mightily (2 points, 1 board in 13 unseemly minutes), and Jason Collins never scores (man, he tried, oh how he tried, but he still got rejected on a gimmee tonight), what is there to lose?
The Bitch Of It All - The Nets played about as good defense as you can on Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen tonight, and they still got beat by the players who you have to force to make plays - Rajon Rondo (13 points, 5 assists, +16 rating), Kendrick Perkins (10 points, 8 boards, +6) and Tony Allen (13 points and a +20 rating), adding to the blowout. Since these role players are off to such a good start, the Celtics will be difficult to beat, unless someone gets hurt. And that's a scary thought.
Sidebars - OK, so what's up with Jamaal Magloire? Has he been afflicted with NJ Net big man disease (you know, the can't score around the basket)? He seems to be on the outs with L. Frank (after only 8 games), and he seems to be clueless as to how to work within the Nets offense (and that's a topic for another day, this whole new offense thing). Can this change? Will it improve? How long before team chemistry is ripped to shreds over stuff like this (Big Cat will no doubt start speaking up about his lack of role any minute now)?
The Big Question - Is all of this suffering because of the absence of Vince Carter? Well, yes and no. Carter leaves a hole in the lineup for sure, since no one else can get points as easily as he can. But, if this team has any aspirations whatsoever, they need to be able to survive without him. No way they can do that right now, and that's a scary thought. Let's hope Carter's not out for a few more weeks...

No Rest For The Weary
Were you like me? Did you just flat out get tired of watching the Nets perform poorly in the face of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Tony Allen, Rajon Rondo, and Kendrick Perkins? The Celtics took the Nets best shot, shrugged it off with nary a complaint, and then threw NJ to the ground with a second half forearm shiver that should send chills down Netsfans spines. The ease in which the Nets crumbled from the second quarter on was not comforting for the near future, with or without Vince Carter. And with that, it's not too early to worry...
-Joe