Joe Netsfan Game x Game 59 - Spurs 93, Nets 83

It's supposed to go like this, but those Spurs just take it away

Spurs 93, Nets 83
Game 59 File
Controlling the game by controlling the Nets offense (8 assists vs 13 turnovers), the Spurs look more like the rested home team as they paint the Izod black in another mind-numbing bore of a win. A brief first half flurry by Devin Harris, who later falls hard on his hip, is really about the only thing worth watching in this one for the Nets. And now, that devilishly long mid-west swing that starts in, where else? San Antonio.
• Box Score

Nets Record: 26 - 33
Home Record: 15 - 17
Away Record: 11 - 16
Division Record: 2 - 8
Conf. Record: 19 - 18
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Harris and Carter, 21each.
• Assists: Marcus Williams and Harris each had 2.
• Rebounds: Vince Carter, 8.
• Steals: Vince Carter, 2.
• Turnovers: Marcus Williams, 4.
• Blocks: Desagana Diop, 2.
• FG Percentage: Vince Carter, 50.0% (9 - 18).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 34.6%
• FT Percentage: 80.8%
• Rebounds: 42
• Rebound Differential: -9
• Turnovers: 13
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 10
• Bench points: 29
• Bench points Differential:-9
• Steals: 7
• Blocks: 3
• Points in the Paint: 26
• Double-Doubles: 0
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The (No) Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 3
• Nets Fast Break Points: 14
•Marcus Williams' FG Percentage: 42.9% (3 - 7)
• Scoring Differential M. Williams in the game: -10
• Scoring Differential M. Williams out: Even (Harris)

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
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Sportsline.com | Nets

Spurs Media:
San Antonio Express-News

Game 59: Spurs 93, Nets 83 – March 2 , 2008
Paint It Black
I see a real bore at the Izod, and I want to paint it black. Wrapping a defensive barrier of saran-wrap so tight the Nets couldn't breathe, let alone think, the Spurs come away with an easy but painfully slow suffocation of the Nets offense, further proving that these new-look Nets can be exciting, but in no way are they ready for prime time. And with that, the Nets hit the road for 5 games in 7 nights, mainly against the pick of the Western Conference litter.

But for tonight's snoozer, the Nets managed to come up with 8 assists (vs. 13 turnovers) on their 27 made baskets, which tells you that either the defense was superb for the Spurs (and it was, mostly) or the offense was horrific for the Nets (and it was, too many early jumpers, not a lot of paint attacks, and a whole lot of standing around fretting how to get to the Spurs). As Tony Parker was picking apart the Nets with his incredible "now-you-see-him, now-you-don't" attacks and stop on a dime drills, the Nets were suffering under Marcus Williams' control. After tying the game at 4, the Spurs on a 14 - 3 run to take command early (I mean, this was six minutes into the game early). The only real hope the Nets had was a brief end-of-quarter flurry from Devin Harris, who scored 11 points in the last 4:23 to bring the Nets to within five. But that was as close as the Nets would get for the rest of the game.

Parker had 15 first half points to put the game, if not out of reach, then perhaps more like up on a shelf, away from the Nets' attempts at getting to it. The sea of black as the Nets tried to do damned near anything on offense (does any team in the NBA play closer defense than the Spurs?), frustrating NJ and forcing them into a 35% shooting night (and it wasn't that good, really). The Nets took several shots at the Men in Black, but they could never get closer than six before the Spurs would bounce the lead back to double digits. Though they were never truly out of it, they weren't really in this one either, as the Nets don't have the horses to take away Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, and they took turns punishing the Nets, especially at the end of quarters.

So the Nets get another crack at the Spurs, this time at the SBC Center, where SA is only 24 - 5. And, with worse news, as Harris took a bad fall on his hip, while Boki Nachbar suffered a hip flexor in the first half, and both could be out of Tuesday night's matchup. Great ready, Netsfans, for more fun this week...

See A Red Door
It's Not Easy Facing Up When Your Whole World Is Black - Was it me, or did it often look like the Spurs were playing 6 on 5 an awful lot tonight? Yea, there defense was that good, and the Nets complied by going weakly into the night. That sea of black jerseys seems to totally psyche out the Nets (they have lost 10 straight to the Spurs), and aside from a few bursts from the likes of Devin Harris, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson, there really wasn't a whole lot going on. Only 26 points in the paint, 35% from the field, and aside from going 8 of 18 from three, the eight assists tells you what you need to know - stagnant offense. Hope someone (L. Frank) makes some adjustments for the next matchup, or it could be far worse...
Like A Newborn Baby - Another big game from Devin Harris, with 21 points and 4 threes, but only 2 assists and no chance at stopping Tony Parker (so much for that nickname - maybe he'll get him back in San Antoine). So he really wasn't much of a point guard tonight - he wasn't able to penetrate the Spurs defense much, he didn't set up his teammates for easy baskets (the Spurs help a lot by taking away almost every option), and he wasn't too much of a factor in the second half, when the Nets could have used him. So, 42 points in 2 games, but we'll have to see more of his body of work before we can judge.
Turn My Head Until Darkness Goes - The Nets did a decent job defending Tim Duncan, but that just allowed other Spurs (namely Ime Udoka, who had 13 points and was defended by Carter) to carry the weight. TDunk was only 4 - 14 for 11 points, but had 13 rebounds, a block, and was a game-high +17, so you know he does more than just what you see in the box score. Poor Josh Boone - he picked up 2 fouls in about 10 seconds to start the second half while guarding Duncan...
Could Not Foresee This Thing Happening To You - The Nets depth may have taken a hit (however temporary) as both Devin Harris and Boki Nachbar left with hip injuries. Harris' fall was especially scary, but let's hope he's a tough kid, because leaving Marcus Williams to fight the Men in Black is probably not an appealing thought right now. Marcus has a way to go in his PG learning, as Parker turned him inside out, and he did nothing to establish any sort of Nets offense. Darrell Armstrong was a better choice in place of Harris, but you have to go with the future and force-feed him. After all, this isn't a title contender by any stretch...

Look Hard Enough Into The Setting Sun
You really got the feeling that Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Ime Udoka, along with all the other role-playing Spurs, had this one under control from the start. The Nets, god love'em, never really had a chance in this one, though the Spurs were kind enough to let the Nets hang around for longer than I would have (perhaps playing the second game of a back-to-back forestalled the blowout). An offense suffocated, plus a plain vanilla boring offense attacking your defense, is painful but oh so effective. Is it any wonder the Spurs are one of the favorites to repeat? Let's hope the Nets can survive the rematch Tuesday, and then look to take out their frustrations against the Grizz on Wednesday (and yea, that usually doesn't go well either - the Nets have a sordid history in the Memphis FedEx Forum). It's gonna take a lot more offense, and a lot more effort, that we saw tonight....
- Joe