Joe Netsfan Game x Game 74 - Suns 110, Nets104

No choice but to accept the punishment

Suns 110, Nets 104
Game 74 File
Done in by the Diesel and his new buddy Amare, the Nets try to hold on to a lead but are powered out of it by the power game of the Suns. Taking a double digit lead early, the Nets fall behind to end the second, fall further in the third, rally back but fall short in the fourth thanks to Stoudamire and O'Neal and they punishment they dealt out.
• Box Score

Nets Record: 31 - 43
Home Record: 19 - 19
Away Record: 12 - 24
Division Record: 3 - 9
Conf. Record: 23 - 21
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Vince Carter, 32.
• Assists: Devin Harris, 7.
• Rebounds: Josh Boone, 13.
• Steals: Carter and Sean Williams each had 2.
• Turnovers: Carter and Harris each had 5.
• Blocks: Josh Boone, 2.
• FG Percentage: Josh Boone and Sean Williams each shot 60.0% (3 - 5).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 44.0%
• FT Percentage: 72.0%
• Rebounds: 40
• Rebound Differential: -3
• Turnovers: 13
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 17
• Bench points: 20
• Bench points Differential:+2
• Steals: 7
• Blocks: 3
• Points in the Paint: 40
• Double-Doubles: 0
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The (No) Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 4
• Nets Fast Break Points: 14
•Devin Harris' FG Percentage: 33.3% (5 - 15)
• Scoring Differential Harris in the game: -4
• Scoring Differential Harris out: -6 (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
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Sportsline.com | Nets

Suns Media:
Arizona Republic | Suns

Game 74: Suns 110, Nets 104 – March 29 , 2008
Punishment And The Diesel
Pushed around, assaulted, shoved and pulled apart. And that was just the net that Shaq managed to rip down in the second quarter of this scrum between the Suns and the Nets. Once revered for their run-and-gun ways, they have a newfound power game, and it comes not only from the newly acquired Shaq, but from the beast that is Amare Stoudamire. Various body blows, knock downs, and post-ups later, the Nets succumbed to all of that power and find themselves bruised and bowed, and further behind the Hawks for the eighth and final spot in the playoff race.

In some respects, the Nets got off easy, because unlike that pinball of game against the Suns last season, the Nets had things going there way in a more sedate manner thanks to a fast start by Nenad Krstic. Slowing down the Suns at least momentarily with some defense, the Nets took a 10 point lead into the second quarter, where they promptly fell apart. Somehow timed to the awakening of Amare Stoudamire, the violence first erupted when Shaq got his hand caught in the net on the way down after being fouled, and his massive girth impressively tore the net clean off the hoop. After some delay to replace it, the Suns found Amare more and more, and as things got much more physical and chippy, a parade of technical free throws starting flowing. With Stoudamire beating the buzzer for a bank shot and a foul, plus a technical free throw, the Suns actually took a one point lead into the locker room, their first lead of the game.

The Nets came out helpless to start the third, and a 9 - 0 Suns run put them down by 10 only 2 minutes in. Stoudamire was now officially a home wrecker, getting 14 points and punishing the Nets in the third and helping Phoenix keep their double digit lead. But it wasn't over yet, because Vince Carter tried to play like the VC of old and lift the Nets on his back. His 3 point play pulled the Nets to within 3 with less than five minutes to play, and the momentum starting to shift the Nets' way. But Carter missed two big free throws that would have kept the lead at 3, then Steve Nash hit a huge three to open the lead to 8, and after getting back to 5 on a Carter jumper with 40 seconds to play, the Nets couldn't find another shot.

So the Nets find themselves beaten physically and like mentally as well, knowing that they've dropped 3 games behind the Hawks with only 8 to play. With five of those eight on the road for New Jersey, and having lost 18 of their last 21 on the road, it seems like the Nets have gotten their punishment for an inconsistent and controversial season - the road to the lottery. Be interesting to see how it plays out from here.

Dishing It Out
Old School Rules - JNF loves scoring and a track meet as much as anyone (especially since we've been forced to watch grind-it-out games since 2001), but it was fun to watch an old school punishment in the paint and elsewhere tonight. Shaq was vintage, wrecking Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter with his massive body, putting up a stop sign that couldn't be taken down, and getting himself deep in the paint for giant jams and free throws (which he made 7 of 10...!!). The Nets didn't have anyone who could old up to the vintage Shaq (they've certainly held their own the last few years with Jason Collins getting Shaq into foul trouble, but with Nenad Krstic guarding him? I don't think so), and with him on the floor, it just opens up more space for Amare Stoudamire, who was monster (and like he needed more space to work). These Suns may turn out to be a tough out in the playoffs if they can stay healthy and as the games slow down...
Tough As Nails - Trading Jason Kidd has turned out to be a godsend for Vince Carter, who shown toughness and skill over the course of the Devin Harris era. Carter seems healthy and happy, and willing to sacrifice himself for whatever needs to be done to get a win. His willingness to rebound and defend seems new, and he's scoring like the VC of old, which the Nets needed. He had 16 points in the fourth quarter, literally single-handedly keeping the Nets in the game (hello, Richard Jefferson - time to come to the party), and he finished with 32 points on 10- 22 shooting (3 - 4 on threes), with 12 trips to the free throw line, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and one well-timed Shaq knee to the groin (ooh, that had to hurt...). If only the Nets could maximize Carter and Jefferson more often (RJ was only 8 - 19 from the field, for 20 points, but not much of anything in the fourth), they might be working on the eighth playoff spot.
Short On Strength - The tendency tonight was to think the Nets got pushed around, and you'd be right if you thought that. They didn't wilt, but couldn't quite get themselves over the hump because once again they couldn't get stops when they needed them. So if you want to look for some blame when they don't make the playoffs, start with the fact that the defense hasn't been there. No answer for Amare, no stopper for Shaq, and with Steve Nash looking human because of injury, the Nets still couldn't get the win at home.
Strong Armed - It looked like things were going to get chippy late in that first half, but the refs did what they could to take control. Mainly, that was hand out technical fouls to anyone who crossed them the wrong way. A total of 7 technicals were handed out, to the likes of normally mild mannered Steve Nash and Vince Carter, plus Lawrence Frank and Brian Hill.
Accept No Substitute - Long run for Sean Williams tonight, and aside from apparently getting on Shaq's bad side (Shaq gave him a giant shove that about put him into the floor), he held his own tonight, finishing a +4 in the plus minus in 25 minutes. The rest of the bench, well, wasn't too great, with only Marcus WIlliams doing ok (9 points, 4 assists). Boki Nachbar was ineffective (and must be hurting), Desagana Diop was apparently a matchup problem (couldn't he have done some battle with Shaq), and Stromile Swift is permanently buried on the bench (as is Trenton Hassell).
The Man - Before we go, we'll gush about Amare Stoudamire's 33 points and 15 rebounds. He's tough to guard, tough to move, and tough to cover one-on-one, because he'll burn you inside or outside, or from the free throw line. The man was 12 - 15 from the floor, with many monster jams and and-ones (there must have been 10 and-ones in the game, most by Stoudamire and Carter), plus he had those 15 rebounds, 2 steals and a block in 43 minutes. No need for Shawn Marion, apparently. Shaq has the inside and Amare is free to get it wherever he wants it.

Crime And Punishment
Hey, kudos to the Nets for hanging in there, taking a ton of punishment from Amare Stoudamire and Shaquille O'Neal, and living to the endgame before falling short. Of course, I'd argue that to get this far and still lose on your home court is pointless, and even more so when you consider the Nets absolutely needed this game as a boost to their fragile state and their playoff hopes. With the clock ticking down to zero, the Nets are going backwards, not forwards, and you can expect that to do the impossible at this point, they'll have to win the remaining eight games. Which is about as likely as Jason Kidd winding up back in a Nets uniform. If you do the crime, I'm afraid you have to accept the punishment...
- Joe