Joe Netsfan Game x Game 41 - Kings 128, Nets 94

Another Ass-whuppin' from the Kings

Kings 128, Nets 94
Game 41 File
Another bad loss for the Nets on the road trip, in which the defense completely disappears and the Kings run roughshod over NJ. That makes 6 straight losses if you're still interested...
• Box Score

Nets Record: 18 - 23
Home Record: 9 - 14
Away Record: 9 - 9
Division Record: 2 - 7
Conf. Record: 13 - 13
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Vince Carter, 21.
• Assists: Vince Carter, 8.
• Rebounds: Bostjan Nachbar, 5.
• Steals: Bostjan Nachbar, 3.
• Turnovers: Carter and Jefferson each had 3.
• Blocks: S Williams and Magloire had 2 each.
• FG Percentage: Sean Williams, 69.2% (9 - 13).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 45.0%
• FT Percentage: 58.3%
• Rebounds: 29
• Rebound Differential: -12
• Turnovers: 14
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 13
• Bench points: 32
• Bench points Differential:-11
• Steals: 5
• Blocks: 7
• Points in the Paint: 34
• Double-Doubles: 0
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 4
• Nets Fast Break Points: 4
• Kidd's FG Percentage: 45.5% (5 - 11)
• Scoring Differential Kidd in the game: -17
• Scoring Differential Kidd out: -17 (M. Williams, Armstrong)
• Double-Doubles this Season: 23
• Triple Doubles this Season: 10
• Career Triple Doubles:97

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

Suns Media:
Sacramento Bee | Kings

Game 41: Kings 128, Nets 94 – January 22 , 2008
King Of All Ass-Whuppings
The Nets lost to the Kings tonight by 34 points, that much is easy to understand. What wasn't so easily to comprehend was the complete lack of defense (to the point of embarassment), the total lack of competitive fire, and the lackadaisical effort put forth against a good Sacramento team that is finally getting back its stars. The loss here makes it six straight defeats, the last two by an average of 29 points, which, unless the Nets have morphed into the Phoenix Suns East, puts the finger squarely at the defense.

This one started off like they all seem to lately, with perhaps only one Net playing up to his capacity, and the defense allowing a host of uncontested shots, which the Kings were all too happy to take advantage of. The first three King makes were threes, and that was the sign that things were not going to be easy for NJ once again. It took less than five minutes (and four threes) before it was a double digit deficit, and after a quarter it was an 11 point hole (but you wondered why the hell it wasn't higher as the Nets left just about every King shooter wide open, failing to rotate or being killed by paint attacks or pick and rolls).

And it got worse from there, because although Vince Carter and Jason Kidd were doing what they could to shoulder the offensive load, no one else was. The Kings were up by 17 at the half after another Mike Bibby three, and really that was about all she wrote for this one. Yes, the Nets briefly had a flurry and actually cut the deficit to six, but that was way back early in the second quarter. The total lack of defensive stops, wide open shooters (the Kings shot 58% overall, and 63% from three) and unexplained anger at getting toasted so badly meant the Nets never really had a chance.

And that's very likely the beginning of the end of the run of the Big Three. Oh, they may survive the rest of the season if Rod Thorn can't find what he wants, but then again, only about 4 weeks until the trading deadline...

Onward to Oakland, to face another offensive juggernaut of a team...

King Of The Dogs
Executing Kings - I have absolutely run out of ways to define or describe the lack of energy and effort from this Nets squad, as well as the complete breakdown of basic defensive principles. I would think that tonight's "effort" was as bad as it can get, but since the pattern of decline has gone from a 13 point defeat to a 24 point defeat to a 34 point defeat, with the Warriors and Nuggets on the way, it may not have reached bottom just yet. Every King was wide open, or at least uncontested, not just on the perimeter (where the Kings made 15 of 24 threes), but in the paint as well (how many times did a King dive to the basket and found himself receiving a pass and absolutely no Nets were within yards of him for the uncontested layup or slam?). Josh Boone and Sean Williams, while they've added energy and hustle are still raw on the defensive end, and tonight for certain was their low moment defensively (though no on is absolved of blame). It's downright embarassing, that a coach who believes in defense as much as Lawrence Frank can't get his troops to chew gum and defend at the same time.
Return Of The Kings - Sure, this one certainly wasn't helped by the return of Kevin Martin and Mike Bibby to the Kings lineup, but the Nets had Vince Carter return to more of his expected play (21 points, 8 rebounds), so there should have been no letdown. But Jason Kidd was turned into a scorer (he only had 5 assists) and Richard Jefferson continues to struggle (apparently he has a hip injury), plus there isn't much help from the bench these days. Let's hope Carter can keep up his aggressiveness, and pull the Nets in with him. He hasn't had one big, explosive game yet this season - usually he's good for a big 40+ outburst when the Nets really need him (and since the Kings aren't such a great defensive team either, you would have hoped tonight would have been the night).
Stripes Don't Suit Them - The disaster at the free throw line continues as well - it's as if everything in the Nets game has gone south at the same time. Regression tonight from Josh Boone, but no one was true with the exception of Marcus Williams' 2 - 2.
Halfway To The Playoffs - The Nets end the first half of the season at 18 - 23 (but with a 6 game losing streak). To say that is disappointing is an understatement.

Kings Of The Stone Age
It's almost pointless to point out that a complete lack of Net defense allowed Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin, Ron Artest, Francisco Garcia and the rest of the Kings to bomb the Nets back to the Stone Age, because though it was the worst beating of this trip, it's all been pretty brutal since the six minute mark of the fourth quarter of the Clippers game. The defense has gone from concerning to frightening to downright laughable in the span of four days, which is awfully quick even by Net franchise standards. Can they at least find the energy and confidence to stay with the Warriors on Thursday night? What about the Nuggets on Saturday? This team has become a parody of itself from season's past - sort of the worst of everything, and the most perplexing thing is it comes after their most successful streak of the season not more than three weeks ago. How do you figure this team? Have they given up after hearing their Captain proclaim that they're ok with being middle of the road, because that's what they are? It could be a very interesting month leading up to the trading deadline...
- Joe