Joe Netsfan Game x Game 55 - Pacers 113, Nets 103

Watch for flying germs

Pacers 113, Nets 103
Game 55 File
The Nets make an early run behind Darrell Armstrong and Richard Jefferson, but too may breakdowns off penetration and too many threes turn the tide for the Pacers. Not nearly enough defense was in force tonight, so the Nets had better be ready for the Pacers tomorrow night in the second game of the home-and-home series at the Izod.
• Box Score

Nets Record: 24 - 31
Home Record: 13 - 15
Away Record: 11 - 16
Division Record: 2 - 8
Conf. Record: 17 - 17
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Richard Jefferson, 34.
• Assists: Vince Carter, 8.
• Rebounds: Vince Carter, 6.
• Steals: Bostjan Nachbar, 3.
• Turnovers: Richard Jefferson, 4.
• Blocks: Desagana Diop, 3.
• FG Percentage: Trenton Hassell, 71.4% (5 - 7).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 48.7%
• FT Percentage: 63.0%
• Rebounds: 39
• Rebound Differential: -4
• Turnovers: 23
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 15
• Bench points: 45
• Bench points Differential:+22
• Steals: 10
• Blocks: 5
• Points in the Paint: 30
• Double-Doubles: 0
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The (No) Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 3
• Nets Fast Break Points: 6
•Marcus Williams' FG Percentage: 50.0% (9 - 18)
• Scoring Differential M. Williams in the game: +8
• Scoring Differential M. Williams out: Even (Armstrong)

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Game 55: Pacers 113, Nets 103 – February 22 , 2008
Airborne Illness
The virus was all around Conseco Field House tonight, one that's delivered by air and often blows in the wind. Too many threes, plus an inability to stop the dribble penetration of Travis Diener, turned the Nets ill beginning late in the second quarter, and they could never recover. It wasn't the best of times for Marcus Williams, but then again, he's learning to feel good on the fly. The loss, in the first game of the home-and-home series against Indiana, drops the feel-good story of the Nets banding together, for the moment, anyway.

You want to put this one under the microscope, well, it's easy to examine. After a slow start, the Nets picked up it behind Darrell Armstrong's engine, and before you knew it, it was a 10 point NJ lead with around 4 minutes to go in the second quarter. Defense fed the offense, the Pacers went more than five minutes without scoring, and after Richard Jefferson's 16th point of the night, it was 44 - 34 and looking like the Nets would put the Pacers into sick bay early. But, as soon as they looked to be healthy, the illness began. A quick 9 - 0 run made it a one point Net lead, and after Mike Dunleavy canned a three (the sixth three of the half for the Pacers), it was a 1 point Pacer lead at the break.

But the Nets started the third quarter with a 14 - 8 run (including 2 threes for each team) to take a five point lead and reestablish themselves as fit for competition. That, of course, would be the high point, as the offense ground to a halt just as the defense was suddenly troubled with the penetration of Travis Diener. After almost four minutes of scoring drought for the Nets, it was 80 - 68 Pacers and the sickness had taken hold. The Pacers lead would get as high as 16 as the Nets couldn't get a stop if a free hospital stay depended on it, and it was a long, extended rectal exam after that.

The Nets were soundly and routinely asked to turn their heads and cough, and they willingly complied, giving up 12 threes and a host of baskets off dribble penetration. Not the finest moment for these new look Nets, but of course it's continuing to be a kind of forced medicine to find out exactly what this team is made of. And tomorrow brings another shot at the Pacers, this time at home, so hopefully there is a cure for this disease.

Diagnosis Murder
Medical Handbook - The quick diagnosis - regression to the earlier part of the year when the Nets had no defensive commitment (see Kidd, Jason). Those penetrating guards killing the Nets off the dribble, the inability to get to the shooter, all those threes. All back in force tonight, with the expected result of getting blown out of the water after such a promising start on Wednesday night. Commitment, Nets - it goes a long way (and why not more time for Trenton Hassell and Desagana Diop, both of whom bring it defensively?). Bares watching for the immediate future - without Kidd, and without bringing the defense nigth after night, this will not be a playoff team.
Sick In The Head - You can also credit the Pacer game plan for running a double at Vince Carter whenever he touched the ball, turning him into a passer. With no finishers, really, at least not in the second half. They also turned up 23 Net turnovers, leading to disaster as well. Marcus Williams flat out needs to play better than he did tonight, leading the offense to better opportunities.
Well Care - Another big game for Richard Jefferson, who appears to be in the form that he showed earlier in the season, putting his head down and getting to the free throw line, or making the jumper with regularity. About those free throws, though - he was only 7 - 12 from the line, and his percentage has slipped from that opening month when he was at 90% +. His line tonight - 34 points on 12 - 21 shooting, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 4 turnovers.
Stuck By A Needle - The Nets got beaten up on the boards, mostly by Jeff Foster, and Josh Boone had his least effective game in quite some time (2 points, 4 rebounds, -16 in 21 minutes) with little else to pick up the slack (he and Nenad Krstic combined for 4 points and 7 rebounds, with 2 blocks, in only 32 minutes).
Defensive Diploma - Look at Diop's line, on the other hand - in only 12 minutes of time, he had 0 points, but 5 rebounds and 3 blocks and was a team high +10. If that doesn't state the defensive case, I don't know what does. Trenton Hassell was also good on both sides of the ball (11 points, +1) and simply needs to play more.
Bench Health - Boki Nachbar helped pick up the scoring slack with 22 points, but he still needs to work on his defense. And we can't say enough about the job Darrell Amstrong did in the first half to put the Nets up double digits, playing with his usual maniacal energy and helping to get stops on the Pacers. Unfortunately, the Nets have been getting less and less from Sean Williams since Kidd left town, so hopefully he can continue to learn and grow and start cutting down the mistakes defensively (and there always seems to be 2 or 3 glaring examples in every game).

Sick Time
Sure, we knew that the Nets wouldn't win them all, but we thought we'd see more defensive intensity out of this bunch. Mike Dunleavy shouldn't be able to get 34 points on the Nets, and Travis Diener shouldn't get 19 points, 8 boards and 6 assists. So it's up to the Nets to make corrections immediately in tomorrow night's game and get back to what should work for them - hard work, intensity, and a commitment to defense. If not, it'll be a long 27 game season from here on out...
- Joe