Thoughts on the Game: Nets’ Best Not Enough
For most of the game, especially in the third quarter, I was waiting for a collapse that never came. The Nets kept the Sixers close throughout, leading most of the second half. A half where the Nets shortened their bench to 5 players. After Courtney Lee got hurt, the already thin Nets were left with a 7 man rotation for the rest of the half. The Nets were gassed late in the 4th quarter, right around when the Sixers made their run. After Courtney Lee left with a strained left (I didn’t know there was a left and a right) groin, I was expecting this team to fold, but they didn’t. They actually played pretty well for the most part. They were just literally out-manned last night.
When the players play well and this team still loses, Lawrence Frank usually ends up being my whipping boy. I can’t even do that! For the first time this year (and in recent memory, in my opinion) Lawrence Frank seemed to push all of the right buttons. When I heard Trenton Hassell was starting, I was none too pleased, but you know what, it worked. He put up 17 points on 8-13 shooting. The reason Terrence Williams didn’t start was because Frank wanted him backing up Rafer Alston at the point, and you know what that worked too. Terrence finished with only 6 points, but he did gather 9 assists. Hell, even Bobby Simmons played well, hitting two threes and getting a few boards. Even Lawrence Frank’s feel for the game was spot on, for example, with 5 minutes left in the first half, the Nets brought out a zone, and the first possession lead to a 24-second shot clock violation, and in the final 5 minutes, all the Sixers got was a lay-up on a broken play, and a three on a fast break. Two quick nitpicky type things though. With the Nets playing the Celtics tonight, I would have liked to see Sean Williams get some minutes last night, just to keep Brook fresh for tonight. Also, the final play wasn’t the prettiest thing, but when your best option from three is Bobby Simmons, you don’t have much to work with.