Joe Netsfan Game x Game 76 - Pistons 106, Nets 87

Squeezed nearly to death

Pistons 106, Nets 87
Game 76 File
Finding it hard to get any breathing room from the start, the Nets are constricted by some tight Pistons defense and go down with hardly a breath of a run. Missing Vince Carter was damaging enough, but the Pistons were sure to squeeze the life out of the Nets offense by halftime, turning things into one long garbage time moment.
• Box Score

Nets Record: 31 - 45
Home Record: 19 - 20
Away Record: 12 - 25
Division Record: 3 - 10
Conf. Record: 23 - 23
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Richard Jefferson, 15.
• Assists: Richard Jefferson, 5.
• Rebounds: Jefferson and Boone each had 5.
• Steals: Harris and Marcus Williams each had 2.
• Turnovers: Marcus Williams, 4.
• Blocks: Stromile Swift, 2.
• FG Percentage: Devin Harris, 75.0% (3 - 4).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 45.3%
• FT Percentage: 66.7%
• Rebounds: 31
• Rebound Differential: -17
• Turnovers: 15
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 16
• Bench points: 44
• Bench points Differential:-1
• Steals: 6
• Blocks: 5
• Points in the Paint: 34
• Double-Doubles: 0
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The (No) Kidd Effect:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 3
• Nets Fast Break Points: 11
•Devin Harris' FG Percentage: 75.0% (3 - 4)
• Scoring Differential Harris in the game: -21
• Scoring Differential Harris out: +2 (M. Williams, Armstrong)

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

Pistons Media:
Detroit Free Press | Pistons
Detroit News | Pistons

Game 76: Pistons 106, Nets 87 – April 4 , 2008
Hard To Breathe
Hard to see it any other way,really - the Detroit Pistons just took a Vince Carter-less Nets team and suffocated them with tight, tight defense, turning this game into an exercise in controlled breathing. The result was one for the medical journals early, as the Nets playoffs hopes all but expired amid all the phlematic play by New Jersey's remaining finest. Looks like the respirator is about to be pulled on this season, if Carter is out for any length of time.

This one started in a choke-hold, as the Pistons showed no mercy on the wheezing Nets, getting in their collective faces and making it tough to breathe. Unable to find any room on the floor, lacking any sort of spacing with Carter missing, and getting beaten to every loose ball, rebound and hustle play, the Nets found themselves down by 10 less than eight minutes in. Worse still, with the Pistons subsituting their regulars freely, the Nets were not able to gain any type of advantage on the floor. Stromile's Swift's monster dunk aside, the Nets were just shut down and pushed around, and had no answer for the mighty Pistons. It was a 14 point hole by halftime, and then things got progressively worse from there, as the Nets appeared to throw in the towel and plent of garbage time minutes were available for the likes of Mo Ager, Sean Williams, Trenton Hassell and even Nenad Krstic, who can always use the work.

I'm afraid that not only are the Nets chances of getting a playoff spot nil without Carter, but if VC sits on the shelf for the rest of the season (his ankle is apparently acting up again), this could be a very ugly end to what's become a very ugly season.

Barely Breathing
Out Of Breath - The Nets, already reeling defensively, now had not a lung to stand on with Vince Carter out of the lineup, and it showed from the opening tip. The offense was just dismal, with poor Richard Jefferson surrounded by at least 2 Pistons at all times, and no other Net able to stand up and make a play. In fact, a series of poorly timed shots were flung by the stymied bunch of Nets, who collectively seemed to wonder what they did to deserve the Pistons getting all in their wheelhouses. A bad night, against a very good team, and one that shows no mercy or no lack of focus, ever. How about that, Nets?
Not Breathing Hard - And how about the complete lack of hustle from the Nets tonight? Seemingly beaten to each and every loose ball and rebound, the second chances for the Pistons piled up and the Nets had no way of stopping 48 seconds worth of possession. Even when there were four Nets around the ball, someone named Amir Johnson was able to snatch the rebound from those Nets, and make a play to boot. The Pistons B team was much better than the Nets A team, and that's why this team will miss the playoffs. That's two straight teams that never take a play off, and two straight losses for the Nets. Not only did they not play much defense tonight, but they also didn't hustle, which is really on Lawrence Frank as much as anyone, for not getting his team up for the second best in the East, despite all the hardship, is inexcusable.
Big Lungs - So, it appears that Gana Diop is banged up, but that left room for Stromile Swift to sneak off the bench and play his best game as a Net. He was active, had two highlight reel dunks, a couple of blocked shots, and he ran the floor well, though he was still somewhat challenged defensively. At least we know he's still alive, and deserving of more playing time.
Breathing On The Open Road - Another road loss for the Nets - that makes 10 of 11 (and really, how can you count the Knicks game?) and no real defeat of a plus .500 opponent since early January. Wow. Unless the Nets figure out a way to stop the bleeding, there is no guarantee that next year will be any better...
Barely Breathing II - Also good to see some of Mo Ager, who got some minutes in garbage time. Might as well, since the Nets should figure out what they have in him. He seems to be a confident (though thus far inaccurate) shooter, which the Nets are desperate for. Can he defend? That seems to be the big question.

Deep Breath And Hold
The Nets are clearly no match for these Pistons, and if Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, and the many subs who were in and out freely can beat up on New Jersey, then you know they are not up to the caliber of competition. Put away the rosary beads, there are no miracles forthcoming, no playoff berth to fall into, and a long, lonely offseason full of change is the only hope. If the Nets can't find the energy and passion to play up to the level of the competition without Carter, then really, what is going to make them do anything to gain any strength over the last six games? If there is no Carter for these last matchups, well, it won't be pretty either...
- Joe