Joe Netsfan Game x Game 60 - Spurs 81, Nets 70

Burnt and bitter

Spurs 81, Nets 70
Game 60 File
Despite an overall odor to this one, the Spurs take control and knock out the Nets with an 18 - 1 run spanning the second and third quarters. In the middle of the run was Tim Duncan and the Spurs always-great defense, but for the Nets there was too little, too late (and very little of Richard Jefferson).
• Box Score

Nets Record: 26 - 34
Home Record: 15 - 17
Away Record: 11 - 17
Division Record: 2 - 8
Conf. Record: 19 - 18
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Vince Carter, 19.
• Assists: Devin Harris, 7.
• Rebounds: Nenad Krstic, 10.
• Steals: Devin Harris, 3.
• Turnovers: Devin Harris, 5.
• Blocks: Nenad Krstic, 2.
• FG Percentage: Marcus Williams, 60.0% (6 - 10).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 37.3%
• FT Percentage: 62.5%
• Rebounds: 42
• Rebound Differential: -10
• Turnovers: 12
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 11
• Bench points: 16
• Bench points Differential:-3
• Steals: 7
• Blocks: 4
• Points in the Paint: 24
• Double-Doubles: 0
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The (No) Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 4
• Nets Fast Break Points: 5
•Devin Harris' FG Percentage: 29.4% (5 - 17)
• Scoring Differential Harris in the game: -14
• Scoring Differential Harris out: +3 (M. Williams)

Nets Media
Bergen Record | Nets
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NY Times | Pro Basketball
YES Network | Nets

Nets Team Pages
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Spurs Media:
San Antonio Express-News

Game 60: Spurs 81, Nets 70 – March 4 , 2008
Texas Toast
Fried, boiled, baked or toasted - it's all the same thing at the end of the day - when the Nets play the Spurs, no matter how bad San Antonio is, they can still cook the Nets when they need to. Despite "holding" the Spurs to 34% shooting, all it took was some Tim Duncan and a lot of defense to put the Nets into a food coma, and an 18 - 1 run spanning the second and third quarters ended the Nets hopes early. That makes back-to-back wipeouts for the Spurs, and gets these new-look Nets off to an 0 - 1 start on the 5 game midwestern swing.

The Nets managed to remove Tony Parker and Duncan from the game early enough in the first quarter to get on a roll and take a lead, but it was (of course) short-lived. That acrid smell of the Nets offense breaking down became apparent, the one-and-dones, bad jumpers and crumby attempts at moving the ball all coming together around the same time that Duncan was getting back online and heating up. Of course you know how the rest of the story goes - the Nets went from 7 up early in the second to 7 down at the half, and a 9 - 1 run to start the third made it a 15 point toasting. With that sort of lead, the Spurs don't relent, and the Nets were simply nothing more than the scum that forms on the sides of the pot for the balance of the night.

No amount of seasoning can correct the obvious lack of chemistry so far for these Nets, who have new pieces and new talents but the same old hand in Lawrence Frank guiding them. L.'s one-note cooking appears to be leaving much to be desired, absent of a time to practice, and the Nets' hopes for a playoff berth are looking darker than burnt toast. It's gonna be a long finish, so settle in Netsfans, and find yourself a snack that won't upset your stomach.

White Toast
Pop Tarts - The Nets showed once again that even with Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson as go-to guys, they just don't have the willpower, drive or determination to get it done. Richard Jefferson had a rough one, and disappeared when he was needed most, in the second half. Carter was a bit more consistent, but still, no magic when it counted. And Devin Harris was better, with 7 assists, but he shot just 5 - 17 (and that magic three point shot disappeared, shooting just 1 - 6). If those three can't carry the Nets through the dark stretches of offensive sluggishness, the Nets are cooked. Some playoff team this is...
Toast Masters - It is boring as hell, but effective - where else can you get held to 35% shooting and still bring home the win? The Spurs are unlike nearly any other team in the NBA, the system is unwaivering, the players understand it and run it to near perfection, and everyone is committed to their role, whatever it might be. They are almost interchangable parts, albeit with the best big man pound for pound in the NBA...see you come Finals time, San Antonio...
Wry Toast - The Nets shot better than the Spurs, but SA had a huge free throw disparity (champs vs. chumps right there), shooting an extra 15 free throws. The Nets bench did absolutely nothing except for Marcus Williams, who probably had a better game running the point than Harris did (Boki Nachbar didn't play). The Nets only turned the ball over 12 times, low for them, and they managed to pick up 7 steals and 4 blocks. And after all that, they still lose by 11 (and were down as much as 17 in the final quarter)...
French Toast - Couldn't resist the urge to throw this one in for Tony Parker, who was not dominant tonight but didn't need to be...

Toast Points
The NBA isn't an exact science, really, unless you happen to be Greg Popovich's Spurs. Led by the magnificent Tim Duncan, the resplendent Tony Parker, and the ubiquitous Manu Ginobili, San Antonio doesn't need trick plays or flashy style to win, because they have precision. On a night when they couldn't shoot 35% from the field, they still got it done with Duncan and defense, and when you see how easy it comes to them sometimes, you wonder why they don't win the championship every year. For the Nets, take this as another learning experience, one that may help next year but certainly isn't doing much for this season and their playoff hopes. While every Netsfan would like to think the Nets can compete with the NBA powers, mostly this group just needs some time together to figure out how to play off one another and how to make things run smoother. Good luck, Lawrence Frank - this is training camp part 2.
- Joe