Nets on the Net: 3/19/10 Edition
Mar 19, 2010 Brook Lopez, Coaching, Nets on the Net, Nets vs. 72-73 Sixers, Rod Thorn
With March Madness upon us, Rod Thorn is scouting prospects and remembering his draft mantra: So Thorn saw a principle he has adopted throughout his career as an NBA exec. Talent trumps need. Always take the best player available. Thorn had another reason to remember that draft. The No. 2 pick was from West Virginia, Rod Thorn.
Ken Berger at CBS Sports speculates if former YES color man and NBA point guard Mark Jackson is an option for the Nets at head coach next season.
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has a profile on broadcaster Jim Sparnarkel. No word yet on whether NAS’ own “Sparklespice” was asked to comment.
The Philly sportswriters continue to the pile-on as the Nets approach the 72-73 record as worst of all time.
Brook Lopez is appearing at a Pathmark in Old Bridge. It’s come to this, hasn’t it?
Nets on the Net: 3/18/10 Edition
Mar 18, 2010 John Wall, Nets on the Net, Nets vs. 72-73 Sixers, Terrence Williams
Dave D’Alessandro gets a few minutes with Magic Johnson last night and talks John Wall among other things, but I was particularly struck by this statement by Magic regarding the Nets record: No. No. It’s not good for our league,and it’s not good for the Nets. And the worst part of it is they may not even get the first pick. So I’m hoping those lottery balls fall right for them, and they can improve their team and be a player in free agency. Because nobody wants to be on a team where people will say, ‘Hey, you won seven or eight games?’ every day. That’s not good for anyone to live with, especially all these young guys.”
Trenton Hassell, regardless of his play on the court, is the consummate professional. Here’s what he told Dave D. when asked about Terrence Williams getting the nod to start last night: “Terrence is the future, I’m not,” Hassell said before the Nets’ 108-97 loss to the Sixers at Wachovia Center. “In two years, he’s an All-Star, as long as he continues to work. Just bring the people in here to teach him the right things, and he’ll be an All-Star.”
Kiki Vandeweghe on the Nets approaching infamy: “All of us together brought ourselves here,” he said. “Everyone asks about it, especially now as it’s getting down toward the end. Nobody wants to lose any games; we’re all competitors. But what possibly can you do except play well?”
Al Iannazzone talks with current Sixers GM and former Nets GM Ed Stefanski, who’s on his own hot seat in Philly right now.
Sixers Center Samuel Dalembert on the prospects of a 9-73 team: “I couldn’t comprehend it,” he said of the Sixers’ NBA record of futility, set in 1972-73. “In an 82-game season, how can you let that happen? But when I got to the NBA, I realized it’s like a snowball. If you don’t get it together, before you know it the ball is rolling and rolling.”
Over at the 700 Level Philadelphia sports blog, a fan who witnessed the 72-73 season discusses his experience watching that team. Keep this article in mind NAS readers when we come bothering you 25-30 years from now.
In a look at former Nets, Jason Kidd discusses his work with former Nets coach Bob Thate and credits him for his vastly improved outside shooting.
Hey, remember Derrick Coleman? He filed for bankruptcy. Well whoop-de-damned doo.
Bleacher Report honors the “not-quite-legendary” players in New York sports and discusses Buck Williams.
Nets on the Net: 3/17/10 Edition
Mar 17, 2010 Devin Harris, Keyon Dooling, Nets on the Net, Nets vs. 72-73 Sixers, Rod Thorn, Terrence Williams
In his game recap from last night, Julian Garcia talks extensively with Dale Schlueter, coach of the 72-73 Philadelphia 76ers.
Dave D’Alessandro captures my sentiments perfectly about the end to last night’s game: Terrence Williams waited until there was 13.9 seconds left in the game to show that he had had enough. Of course, the Hawks were asking for it: They were up 23 and pressing in the backcourt with 34 seconds left, which is a good way for winners to announce that they don’t care much about basketball decorum.
Dave D. also talks to the players about the importance of 10: “I want to get three wins more than anything,” Courtney Lee said. “We don’t talk about it, but I think it’s on everybody’s mind. You can see there’s a sense of urgency about it, because it comes up a lot. And it’s going to come up a lot more if we don’t get some wins soon.”
Rod Thorn is watching lots of college basketball: “I have watched more games than I normally would,” Thorn said. “I watched all the tournament games last week until the power went out.”
Would Knicks forward Al Harrington be interested in coming to the Nets?
Keyon Dooling wants another chance with the Nets after this season.
Devin Harris talks about Avery Johnson coaching and John Wall at PG over at Hoops World.
Nets on the Net: 3/16/10 Edition
Mar 16, 2010 Devin Harris, Jay-Z, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Terrence Williams
Terrence Williams (more on him later) has some sage-like advice for himself in the latest from Dave D’Alessandro: “I learned you have to keep your mouth shut,” he said. “Honestly, that’s it. Because you get further with silence than you do speaking out or acting out. The lesson taught to me was to pay attention to other guys, and learn from them. I really wasn’t ready for that.”
Fred Kerber with some more TWill money quotes: “I want to get every rebound and every assist in the game. But one, I don’t play the whole game and two, I don’t think Brook [Lopez] would let me get every rebound,” Williams said. “Points will come . . . but assists and rebounds, that’s what I have to do.”
The Nets need three more wins to avoid infamy, but they’ll likely enter tonight’s game with Atlanta without Devin Harris.
NetsDaily continues its breakdown of all things Mikhail Prokhorov.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a little profile on Jay-Z’s business success.
Nets on the Net: 3/15/10 Edition
Mar 15, 2010 Brook Lopez, Brooklyn, Nets on the Net
Does Brook Lopez foul too much?
The Editorial page of the Star-Ledger bemoans the Nets plans to move to Brooklyn: You’d think it would be easy to say goodbye to a team with fewer victories than Congressional Republicans. But chances are the Nets are going to get good and sexy before they leave — like the spouse who loses the weight, gets the makeover, then runs off with, well, a Russian millionaire.
Bleacher Report looks at the five most disappointing teams of the 2009-10 season.
Some more reasons to get excited about Evan Turner.
Nets on the Net: 3/12/10 Edition
Mar 12, 2010 Brett Yormark, Brooklyn, Nets on the Net, Terrence Williams
Sebastian was talking Brooklyn over at the Daily Dime last night.
Our good friend Henry Abbott at the TrueHoop mothership asks what Brooklyn native and renown Knicks fan Spike Lee is going to do once the Nets officially move in.
Al Iannazzone depicts the daily beat writers struggle when talking about Bruce Ratner’s victory lap yesterday: As a colleague said to me last night, it’s wrong that Ratner goes on these shows when these major things happen and doesn’t talk to the regular guys covering the team. We haven’t spoken to Ratner since last April.
Terrence Williams is ready for the grown-up table: Maturity is a word mentioned often. Vandeweghe said Williams’ “maturity level is rising.” Even Williams admits he’s grown up some and is concentrating on playing.
Here’s some video of CEO Brett Yormark on Fox Business News yesterday:
Nets on the Net: 3/11/10 Edition
Mar 11, 2010 Brooklyn, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net
To commemorate today’s groundbreaking in Brooklyn, Sebastian will be liveblogging the ceremony/press conference, so at around 1:30, be sure to check back here frequently for discussion.
Keyon Dooling on Jason Kidd’s performance last night: “He’s got the Fountain of Youth,” Nets guard Keyon Dooling said. “I’m probably going to follow him around this summer, put a private investigating team on him so I can find the fountain of youth as well.”
Before the game, Jason Kidd said he believes the Nets will turn things around because of Mikhail Prokhorov.
Kidd is also happy for the Nets Brooklyn move, according to Al Iannazzone: “They were going to be persistent and they were going to work to get it to Brooklyn,” Kidd said. “I’m happy they finally got into Brooklyn. Maybe they’re unhappy they’re a little bit behind schedule. But they finally got that, which is a huge move and a huge piece. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to build, but it’s good.”
Brett Yormark on WFAN this morning.
Rob Peterson at NBA Fanhouse talks to Mark Cuban about the Nets fortunes: “I said this to Kiki and Rod both,” Cuban said about Nets coach and GM Kiki Vandeweghe and team president Rod Thorn, “there’s about a month, five weeks left in the regular season. In five weeks, them and the Knicks become the darlings of the NBA. They’re all anybody’s going to be talking about in regard to free agency.
Look who’s one of the richest men in the world.
Kobe Bryant has more game winning shots this seaso than the Nets have wins.
Nets on the Net: 3/10/10 Edition
Mar 10, 2010 Barclays Arena, Brooklyn, Devin Harris, Free Agents, LeBron James, Nets on the Net
Sebastian provides some of his expert insight of some mistakes the Nets made against the Grizzlies on Monday, over at his NBA Playbook site.
In a roundtable at SI.com, NBA writers discuss which downtrodden Eastern Conference team that would buy stock in if they had the opportunity, and naturally, the Nets are brought up.
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com talks Brooklyn.
David Biderman of the Wall Street Journal kicks the Nets when they’re down, but then offers some support: By now you’ve realized that the New Jersey Nets aren’t just a sad-sack basketball team, they’re profoundly horrible. But even with a 7-56 record, there are several recent sports teams that were even worse.
Just how talented is Dallas? As Al Iannazzone notes, even without Jason Terry, Erick Dampier, Brendan Haywood and Tim Thomas expected to play tonight, they still have Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Caron Butler and Shawn Marion to lean on.
And that Jason Kidd fella is still a very productive PG, as Julian Garcia writes.
Brooklyn Paper with more on the designers of the Barclays Arena.
People are apparently buying Knicks season tickets at the fastest pace ever because they believe they’re going to sign LeBron James.
Nets on the Net: 3/9/10 Edition
Mar 9, 2010 Courtney Lee, Free Agents, Nets on the Net, Nets vs. 72-73 Sixers
With the Nets inching closer to all-time infamy, the Philadelphia Daily News gives a detailed look at the 72-73 Sixers. Fred Carter, the leading scorer of that team, wants to keep the record in Philadelphia.
Rudy Gay is quietly spreading the word that he would play in New Jersey, but the Memphis Grizzlies expect the restricted free agent to stick around: Grizzlies’ owner Michael Heisley told the Memphis Commercial Appeal, “I feel we’re going to sign him.”
Post columnist George Willis doesn’t blame David Lee for looking towards the Nets this summer.
Courtney Lee tells Al Iannazzone that he’s starting to regain that scorer’s mentality he had in college: “I was a scorer in college,” Lee said. “I went to the NBA and I had to switch my role. Just getting back into that scoring role like before, you have to be in tip-top shape and you have to definitely have your rhythm.
Nets on the Net: 3/8/10 Edition
Mar 8, 2010 Chris Douglas-Roberts, Josh Boone, Mikhail Prokhorov, Nets on the Net, Terrence Williams, Yi
In a report by Al Iannazzone, John Calipari, who coached Chris Douglas-Roberts at Memphis, still believes in the former All-American: “At the end of the day,” Calipari said, “I think he’s going to be a guy in the league that plays significant minutes, is a significant player, is a starter on a team that’s doing well. I truly believe that.”
Yi Jianlian will not travel with this team on their four game road trip because of his ankle injury.
Terrence Williams and Josh Boone talk with Fred Kerber about their Big East Championship memories.
NetsDaily begins their series on Mikhail Prokhorov, dubbed “the most interesting man in the world.”