Joe Netsfan Game x Game 61 - Grizzlies 100, Nets 93

A sad song for Netsfans coming from Memphis

Grizzlies 100, Nets 93
Game 61 File
Blowing the one game they should have won, the Nets get zoned late in the third, and completely collapse, giving the Grizzlies their first win in the last 10 tries. After a slow start, the bench bailed the Nets out, they cruised to a double digit lead, and then it all disappeared. Sad, really.
• Box Score

Nets Record: 26 - 35
Home Record: 15 - 17
Away Record: 11 - 18
Division Record: 2 - 8
Conf. Record: 19 - 18
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Richard Jefferson, 22.
• Assists: Harris and Marcus Williams each had 8.
• Rebounds: Nenad Krstic, 9.
• Steals: Vince Carter, 4.
• Turnovers: Harris and Krstic each had 3.
• Blocks: Desgana Diop, 3.
• FG Percentage: Nenad Krstic, 61.5% (8 - 13). Trenton Hassell was 3 - 4.

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 45.1%
• FT Percentage: 84.2%
• Rebounds: 38
• Rebound Differential: -6
• Turnovers: 14
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 14
• Bench points: 17
• Bench points Differential:-6
• Steals: 8
• Blocks: 3
• Points in the Paint: 34
• Double-Doubles: 0
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The (No) Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 5
• Nets Fast Break Points: 12
•Devin Harris' FG Percentage: 35.3% (6 - 17)
• Scoring Differential Harris in the game: -15
• Scoring Differential Harris out: +8 (M. Williams)

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

Grizzlies Media:
Memphis Commercial Appeal | Grizzlies

Game 61: Grizzlies 100, Nets 93 – March 5 , 2008
Blues In F
That might have been the sourest note of the season played by the Nets in Memphis tonight, as they lose a lead simply because once again they can't seem to find the improvisation needed to break a zone. Going flat late in the third thanks to that zone, the Nets hand over what should have been the only winnable game of the five game swing, and with that cast serious doubt as to their supposedly professional status. Playoffs, anyone?

Blowing hard but accomplishing little, the Nets got off to a horrible start, spotting the Grizz an 11 point lead in the first six minutes as the infamous Darko Milicic get went off on them (the guy guarding him, Nenad Krstic, was about the only Net offense at the same time). The Nets didn't make a game of it until Marcus Williams and the subs hit their stride to start the second quarter, as Richard Jefferson starting getting aggressive and the defense found a way to get some stops. A 20 - 4 run put the Nets up by six, but the Grizz weren't going away.

No, top of the charts for Memphis, as they continued to find ways to get into the paint, whether it was drives by lightning quick Kyle Lowry or Juan Carlos Navarro, or bursts by Mike Miller or Hakeem Warrick. The Nets appeared to be tone deaf on that point, and when the Grizz finally decided to put the old 2 - 3 zone to good use, the Nets came up firing blanks, avoiding any sort of confrontation and being content to pass around the perimeter until forcing up a shot from outside. It was the worst offensive showing since Britney got that haircut, and with some sweet shooting from Warrick, the Nets found themselves dropping out of the charts.

The fourth quarter was the time to bust a move, but instead the Nets continued their meanderings, falling behind by six before mustering one last rally. Two Vince Carter free throws and a VC three wrapped around a Rudy Gay jumper brought the Nets to within a point with 4:20 to play, and it appeared as though NJ would finally get some rhthym. But it was one sour note after another from there, as the main players on this night - Mike Miller, Kyle Lowry and Hakeem Warrick - took turns burning up the charts, while the Nets were busy misfiring or turning the ball over.

Bad basketball, like bad music, should be avoided at all costs, and this was one to be avoided, Netsfans. This should have been a winnable game, but the Nets didn't want to dance with the zone, didn't want to be aggressive, and they certainly didn't want to venture inside the paint. For all their efforts, they just stamped themselves the loser, in blues-speak, after dropping both games against the Grizz this season. And that's just sad.

Shuffle Play
This Is Not A Recording - So tonight the Nets lose to a team that has lost 9 straight games, gives up 106 points without having any sort of defensive mindset, and comes out playing a zone that befuddles the Nets late? What kind of tomfoolery is this, anyway? A Nets team looking to make the playoffs would have taken care of business late, but again, missing in action was any sort of close out by a Nets team that once held a double digit lead. With no defensive presence whatsoever (the Grizz had 56 points in the paint tonight, despite not having a player you would call dominant inside on the roster), and no ability to break the zone (why do the Nets not attack? This is not a new problem this season), how can we possibly think this team will figure it out and grab a playoff berth? There's no help coming, Netsfans, so if this squad can't get it done, it won't get done until next season. Only 21 more games to play, it's beyond time is running out...
Rhthym and Blues- Tough times for the Nets point guards of the future. Marcus Williams actually outplayed Devin Harris, the starter and de facto point of the future, but keeping the team moving and making shots when he had to (11 points, 8 assists). Harris had 20 points and 8 assists, but his shot selection was again questionable, and he missed 11 of his 17 shots, which is bad news for a team trying to shoot over a zone. These two, separately or even together, are a big key to the Nets' future, but they have to show that they have one in the remaining time left in the season.
Bluesmen - Again, Richard Jefferson had a strong game but disappeared in the fourth, when the Nets needed him. RJ shot 10 - 18 and had 22 points for the game, but he was scoreless in the fourth, when the Nets absolutely needed his zone-busting drives to the hoop. RJ's not getting a lot of calls these days (nice record, Nets), but in this case, only getting 2 free throw attempts against a horrible defense is a warning flag. The Nets need more from RJ and from Vince Carter, who had only 12 points and while he found himself a target often, he's still the best player on the floor tonight, and so he's got to make something of it. The Nets fortunes right now are pretty well tied to RJ, VC and Harris, and none of the three is rising to the occasion, unfortunately.
Knock On Wood - The Nets bench again was of little help (and in fact, didn't even get many minutes with the exception of Marcus Williams). Sean Williams was scoreless but did go +6 in his 7 minutes. Stromile Swift barely played, Boki Nachbar was out, Trenton Hassell made a few nice jumpers, Desgana Diop had 3 blocks but otherwise went o-fer, and Darrell Armstrong played but a minute. The entire bench combined for 17 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, but they need so much more from this bunch.
Hold That Note - Best game thus far for Nenad Krstic, who had 16 points and 9 rebounds. He made open shots, and though he doesn't look completely comfortable, especially defensively, the Nets will certainly take that contribution every single night from here on from Nenad...

Tuneless
Getting taken out of the game by a zone defense, from a team that give up 106 points per game, is downright pathetic. This Grizzlie team, led tonight by Mike Miller, Hakim Warrick, Kyle Lowry and Darko Milicic, had lost 9 straight and was 1 - 13 since the trade of Pau Gasol. Even on the road, the Nets, a more talented team, should have been able to handle both the zone and the Grizzlies' attempts at gaining a win. That they couldn't, or perhaps wouldn't, speaks to how little backbone this team has thus far without Jason Kidd, whom they will see in just a few days. This isn't anything like a team trying to make a stretch run to grab a playoff spot, and short of bringing in the best motivational speaker in town, the Nets have all but shut down until next year.
- Joe