Joe Netsfan Game x Game 56 - Nets 102, Pacers 91

Fire away

Nets 102, Pacers 91
Game 56 File
Looking more like Jason Kidd than Marcus Williams, the Nets PG for the moment dishes out 13 assists and combines with Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter and Josh Boone for an impressive win over the Pacers. Fading down the stretch after RJ's 17 third quarter points helped establish a lead as high as 13, it was up to Williams to guide the Nets to victory with help from his friends and some endgame defense, just like his mentor used to provide.
• Box Score

Nets Record: 25 - 31
Home Record: 14 - 15
Away Record: 11 - 16
Division Record: 2 - 8
Conf. Record: 18 - 17
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Richard Jefferson, 36.
• Assists: Marcus Williams, 13.
• Rebounds: Josh Boone, 13.
• Steals: Jefferson and Carter each had 2.
• Turnovers: Richard Jefferson, 4.
• Blocks: Josh Boone, 2.
• FG Percentage: Josh Boone, 77.7% (7 - 9).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 46.7%
• FT Percentage: 86.7%
• Rebounds: 57
• Rebound Differential: +24
• Turnovers: 17
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 10
• Bench points: 8
• Bench points Differential:-12
• Steals: 5
• Blocks: 4
• Points in the Paint: 40
• Double-Doubles: 1 (Josh Boone: 19 points, 13 rebounds)
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The (No) Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 3
• Nets Fast Break Points: 13
•Marcus Williams' FG Percentage: 28.6% (2 - 7)
• Scoring Differential M. Williams in the game: +13 • Scoring Differential M. Williams out: -2 (Armstrong)

Nets Media
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Pacers Media:
Indianapolis Star | Pacers

Game 56: Nets 102, Pacers 91 – February 23 , 2008
View To A Kill
One night after James Bond was more like Bondo, the Nets returned to assassin mode behind the combined efforts of Marcus Williams, Richard Jefferson, Vince Carter and Josh Boone in defeating the Pacers in the second game of the home-and-home matchup. Facing a sea of arch villians perched behind the three point barrier, the Nets wilted late but never let the Pacers see them sweat, as the young PG lead the Nets down the path to a win. So that makes the Nets 2 - 1 in the post-Kidd era, with two rousing home victories sandwiching around an evil cross-border loss.

The Nets put themselves into their ninja mode behind the passing of Williams, who up until now didn't seem to show much of the pass-first instinct that Kidd always has (except of course for the pick-and-roll with his former Connecticut mate, Josh Boone). Marcus was brilliant in leading the Nets back from a six point second quarter hole, getting a quarter-ending 21 - 11 roll going behind Carter's 9 points and a four point halftime advantage. His 7 assists in the first half were one less than MWill managed to have in his first two starts combined this week.

And then the assassin stepped forward and began firing. Richard Jefferson, coldly efficient, broke the Pacers with a 17 point third quarter, boosting the Net lead as high as 13 with a combination of jumpers, drives in the lane, fast break nuggets and free throws. Driving a wedge into every attempt at defending him, RJ was bent on showing his foes that even without Kidd, he could be the go-to killer the Nets need. Lost in all of the offense, though, was a Net defense that was determined to bend but not break, holding the Pacers to 23 third quarter points (as NJ was scoring 28).

But of course, no good foe is vanquished until the final buzzer sounds, and the Pacers came back with a spirited run of their own in the fourth quarter, highlighted by Danny Granger's 11 points (including 3 baskets three separate times that cut the Nets lead to 5, the lowest it would get in the fourth). No problem for the Nets, though, as they found the answer to every bullet being fired at them, riding some strong play by Josh Boone (including making 2 huge free throws late, and 5 - 5 for the game, as well as a big block on Granger that would have cut the lead to 3 with less than two minutes to play) to close out a Pacer team that couldn't quite get to the Nets tonight.

OK, the Pacers are certainly a worthy foe, and a competitor for the last playoff spot in the East. But how good these Nets really are will come into sharp focus on Tuesday night, when the Nets face the Southeast Division leading Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard. Better use extra bullets for that one.

Kill Shots
The Young Apprentice - Great floor leadership from Marcus Williams tonight. Instead of looking for his shot (for the most part, anyway), Williams was pass-first all the way, and he had several assists that would have made Jason Kidd proud (including several 'oops, and a laser beam through traffic to Boone). Marcus finished with a career-high 13 assists, along with 8 points, 7 rebounds and only 2 turnovers. Not a bad Jason Kidd-esque line. And best of all, after the trouble he had guarding Travis Dienst last night, he was much better at stopping the dribble penetration tonight. Thankfully so. Bares watching what will happen when Devin Harris assumes his starters role in a week or two...
Unchained - I could write this next section about Richard Jefferson or Vince Carter - both were again the studs needed to carry the day. Carter started the show with great intent, scoring 18 points in the first half to lead the Nets charge. He would finish with 24 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, which the Nets will take every game. Jefferson, meanwhile, went wild in the third, carrying the Nets and sending the message by scoring 9 of the first 11 Net points in the quarter. RJ was getting to the line, running the wing with Marcus Williams, and generally causing havoc. The best part is when the two play off one another, adding a dimension that isn't there when the offense goes completely stagnant. And Carter seems to be playing better defensively as well, so as this team looks for an identity, could it be that we're seeing it here and now?
Flesh Wounds - Some downsides - the bench is weakened right now, and scraped up a mere 8 points (after getting 45 last night). Nenad Krstic still needs a lot of work (and a cap on his playing time). The turnovers are still too many (15, 23 last night), including two 24 second violations. Not good. And, despite beating up the Pacers on the boards by 24, the Nets still couldn't nail down the Pacers for dead. Oh, that's right - the dreaded three point line defense also was questionable (the Pacers took 29 threes, making 9). But, it's not so bad, considering what the Nets went through out West last month.
Big Punisher - Have to like the way that Josh Boone has come along in year two - tonight, putting up 19 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks and making all 5 of his free throws. Boone has been a difference maker, going from a guy whose heart didn't exactly seem to be in it to the Nets best big man. Who would have guessed that?
Defensive Moves - Holding the Pacers to 40% shooting isn't such a big deal (have you seen their roster, without Jermaine O'Neal?), but we still like the job they did tonight containing the dribble, crowding the paint, and making the Pacers take shots that weren't comfortable (but now, again, that three point line)...Good news for the Nets is, the Pacers often take themselves out of it by taking a bunch of quick threes that you would say were ill-advised at best...And we do like the defensive mindset of Trenton Hassell (and Desagana Diop, when he gets in there -let's hope it was all matchup-related tonight, and not the same malady that inflicted Jamaal Magloire).
Backwards Leaning - OK, for the first time in a long time, we're putting up tonight's game review before last night's. I'll watch the game tape now and try to get it up in the morning, but since I watched this one live, I wanted to get it going...bare with me.
Izod Speaks - Don't look now, but that makes four straight wins at the Izod for the Nets. Maybe theyr'e starting to respect the home court after all...but then again, let's see how the handle the Magic on Tuesday night.

Shaken, Not Stirred
A nice comeback in the second game of the home-and-home for most of the Nets in defeating the Pacers. Friday night's loss had some sting to it, as the Nets lost focus, turned over the ball, and completely reverted to their earlier defensive sins (and that was with Kidd). Tonight, Richard Jefferson, Marcus Williams, Vince Carter and Josh Boone teamed up to guide the Nets to their second win in three tries without their former captain, and in both of those wins the effort, intensity and execution (while sloppy at times) couldn't be questioned. You couldn't say that with Kidd around and disengaged, so right there it's a hope to build on. Sure, there is much work to be done (and yet another point guard change when Devin Harris is back from injury), but wouldn't you rather have a Nets team that puts out full effort and loses, rather than one that does everything half-assed and loses? Of course you would - you payed (and watched) the Nets because they competed with the captain - when that disappeared, all you have left is bad basketball. At least the basketball hasn't been painful, and may yet turn out to prove to be quite interesting. We're not saying they're a lock for the playoffs, but what we are saying is that we're enjoying watching this team far more than the last few months of Kidd's reign...
- Joe