Joe Netsfan Game x Game 19 - Knicks 100, Nets 93

Without Kidd's noggin, the Nets succumb to the Knicks

Knicks 100, Nets 93
Game 19 File
With Jason Kidd home with a migraine (allegedly), the Nets go meekly to the hated Knicks, showing little life and very little ability to defend. With only 8 available players (Boone and Wright were missing as well), the Nets get themselves in foul trouble early, fall behind double digits, then fail to complete a late rally. You know, same story, different game.
• Box Score

Nets Record: 9 - 10
Home Record: 4 - 7
Away Record: 5 - 3
Division Record: 2 - 4
Conf. Record: 6 - 7
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Richard Jefferson, 31.
• Assists: Carter, Gill and Allen each had 4.
• Rebounds: Malik Allen, 9.
• Steals: Richard Jefferson, 2.
• Turnovers: Richard Jefferson, 4.
• Blocks: Allen and Magloire each had 1.
• FG Percentage: Malik Allen, 60.0% (6 - 10).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 44.3%
• FT Percentage: 76.3%
• Rebounds: 37
• Rebound Differential: +10
• Turnovers: 13
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 10
• Bench points: 26
• Bench points Differential:+15
• Steals: 6
• Blocks: 2
• Points in the Paint: 30
• Double-Doubles: 0
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 4
• Nets Fast Break Points: 8
• Kidd's FG Percentage: DNP.
• Scoring Differential Kidd in the game: DNP
• Scoring Differential Kidd out: -7 (Gill, Carter)
• Double-Doubles this Season: 8
• Triple Doubles this Season: 4
• Career Triple Doubles:91

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

Knicks Media:
Newsday | Knicks
New York Post | Knicks
New York Times | Pro Basketball

Game 19: Knicks 100, Nets 93 – December 5, 2007
Kidd-Ache
It is bad, bad news for the Nets when the biggest story of the evening is the absence of Jason Kidd. Once again proving that the whole is NOT better than the sum of its parts, the Nets lose to the Knicks in their usual bad home-court fashion without Jason Kidd, who sits this one out with a migraine. Once again, it's back to a sub-.500 record, losing to an inferior team (that was also short-handed), and a continual swirl of doubts about this team and its ability to rise above turmoil.

Fielding only eight players (because Josh Boone also had a migraine and Antoine Wright is still recovering from a bruised shoulder), the Nets started off sluggish, got themselves into early foul trouble (including the starting point guard, Eddie Gill) and the Knicks took advantage. Jamaal Crawford, without the headache of Jason Kidd, abused poor Gill, and it was off to the races for the Knicks. The Nets, meanwhile, found themselves down by double digits once again, this time at 20 - 10 eight minutes into the first quarter.

And at home, it doesn't take much more than that to beat the Nets. Using Zach Randolph inside and Crawford outside, the Knicks (who were missing Stephon Marbury and Eddie Curry) never appeared threatened or in doubt of a victory, even when the Nets made a run from 14 back late in the fourth quarter. That's the way it goes in Netsland these days - Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter do what they can, but no one else can pick up the slack.

Without Jason Kidd in the lineup, and on the home court, they're just roadkill.

That's the biggest headache of all for Netsfans.

Pain In The Head
Head Banging – The story in this one is the lack of Jason Kidd helped the Knicks beat the Nets, but the real story is what is behind KIdd's disappearance. Of course, as I write this (very) late, I have the foresight of knowing that Kidd denied this was anything but a migraine, but of course we know better. Either Kidd wants a new contract (which was rumored to have been turned down by Rod Thorn, as Kidd as another year at $21.4 million remaining, and he'll be 36 by then), or Kidd wants to be moved to a Western Conference team. This is a horrible time for this to be occurring, as the Nets are already struggling with lack of production from their bigs, shoddy defense, a total lack of commitment early, and a dreadful home court experience. It will be interesting to see if the Nets put up with Kidd's antics, or if they can settle down if nothing changes in the short run. The whispers are beginning in the locker room, so it is reported, that the Captain should not be acting this way. That ain't good...
Head In A Vice – OK, so the Nets had only eight bodies available. Two of them were Jefferson and Carter, so this shouldn't have been a total stretch. But the backup point guard, forced to be a starter, picked up fouls early and often (as Jamaal Crawford attacked him relentlessly), and without Antoine Wright to sub in and with Carter having to play the point, the Nets were doomed. Add in the fact that no big could manage to do anything against Zach Randolph, and then the always uninspiring play early at home, and this one was a loss almost before it began. The Nets cannot run an NBA offense without Kidd in the lineup, apparently, and it showed by the palty (19) assist total.
Major Head Pain – With only eight bodies available, the Knicks were smart to continue attacking the Nets attempts at defense. Eddie Gill (who fouled out in 23 minutes), Sean Williams (who had 5 fouls in 6 minutes of playing time, meaning the Nets were really 7 deep for most of the night), Jason Collins (4 fouls) and Malik Allen (4 fouls) were shuffled in and out of the lineup, both to protect them and to keep the fouls down, all with no success whatsoever.
At Home With A Headache –With the loss, the Nets drop to 4- 7 at home. That is truly pathetic. So much for the easy, early part of the schedule...

Take Two Tylenol And Call Me In The Morning
Are you ready for more and bigger headaches with the Nets team, Netsfans? Tonight, the lead story was no Jason Kidd, and that made it easier for Jamaal Crawford, Zach Randolph and the rest of the Knicks to do a number on the Nets, at home no less, something no one wants to hear about. What's more important than the loss is whether or not this was motivated by a "sickout" by Kidd, who reportedly wants a trade or an extension. If that is the case, we'll have another season of chaos, locker room dissention, and the resulting bad play that comes with it, and that is nothing this Nets team can afford. Perhaps it's time to start fresh, start moving bodies for expiring contracts and draft picks, and reset the stage for future years. Right now, between the awful play at home, the lack of any significant player other than the Big Three to step it up, and the missing energy and fire that comes only when down by double digits game after game, it's a big, bad headache in East Rutherford. Stay tuned, this is only the beginning.