Thoughts on the Game: Another Bad Second Half Dooms Nets
Mar 1, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Wizards, Thoughts On the Game
Truthaboutit – Bullets Forever – View from the Couch – Hoopdata Box Score
It’s not often that the Nets appear to have the most talent on the floor, but that certainly was the case last night against the Washington Wizards, who have watched their roster get blown up the past month due to the trades of Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood. But this is the Nets we’re talking about here, and while a part of me thought they would be able to ride the momentum of their shocking victory against the Boston Celtics on on the road Saturday into last night’s game against the lowly Wizards, New Jersey just showed once again why they’re going to make all of us sweat as they get closer and closer to breaking the 72-73 Philadelphia 76ers all-time infamy mark.
With Courtney Lee nursing an injury, and Jarvis Hayes just returning from sitting a few games and looking out of sync, the Wizards were able to counter an early double-digit lead for the Nets by going all-but-exclusively to a zone defense, daring the Nets to shoot from the outside. The Nets had no answer, missing jumper after jumper, and shooting 35 percent for the game. Devin Harris, who was off to a tremendous start with 11 points and 8 assists in the first quarter, finished with 18 points, and was one of the key culprits for the poor shooting, going 7-24 from the field. So despite 50 first-half points, the Nets only finished with 85 for the game.
Last time the Nets and Wizards played, it was Earl Boykins who hit the game winning shot. The Nets were spared that indignity, but instead, found themselves giving up back-to-back jumpers to Randy Foye (20 points), both of which coming over the outstretched arms of Yi Jianlian, who looked more concerned about picking up his 6th foul, than getting up in the face of Foye to challenge those shots.
Yi put forward one of those games that really just drives you nuts as a Nets fan. The numbers in the box score look great: 20 points and a career high 19 rebounds. But in addition to the two Foye shots on his watch, he was consistently getting burned by Andray Blatche (36 points), who at this point is the only real offensive weapon left on Washington’s roster. Also, in the fourth quarter, Yi made back-to-back bonehead plays that almost put the Nets out of it for good: a travel off an offensive rebound, followed-up with a frustration offensive foul the next time down the court. He did redeem himself over so slightly with about 3:45 left when he grabbed a defensive rebound and found Terrence Williams streaking down the court with the outlet pass for the easy slam and the brief lead. But that’s what you seemingly get with Yi at this point – two bad plays, followed by one good to give you some hope. Kiki Vandeweghe seemed to be more smitten with the good last night, playing Yi 40 minutes.
More thoughts after the jump:
Nets on the Net: 3/1/10 Edition
Mar 1, 2010 Devin Harris, Draft, Nets on the Net, Nets vs. Wizards, Yi
Recapping last night’s loss, Al Iannazzone acknowledges the two sides to Yi’s game: It was a bittersweet night for Yi. He was aggressive and a force inside with 20 points and career-best 19 rebounds, but had his usual struggles defensively. He also missed two foul shots in the final 1:19. “I’ve got to hit them,” Yi said. “Could have been different, maybe.”
Newark native Randy Foye explains to Colin Stephenson and the Star-Ledger what most teams must think before they play the Nets: “That’s one thing that we were saying to ourselves before the game,’’ Foye said. “We said, ‘We cannot lose to this team. We know what they’re thinking; we know they think they can beat us, but we’re not going to lose to them.’’’
Julian Garcia has the understatement of the year as to how the Nets may finish out the season: Given their schizophrenic nature, the final six weeks of the season should be interesting.
In Fred Kerber’s recap, Devin Harris admits to a problem that’s been plaguing the Nets all season: “We need to work a little bit more on our zone offense,” Devin Harris said.
Over at the Daily Dime, Chris Sheridan talks with Tony Battie about his possibly buyout: “Honestly, I’m not sure,” Battie told ESPN.com. “I’m going to be professional about it, and whatever happens happens. That’s kind of where I’m going to leave it because I honestly feel that way.
The Bleacher Report writes that Ohio State SF Evan Turner is a better fit for the Nets.
For those who care about that sort of thing, I answered some questions about the Nets over at Truthaboutit, the Wizards TrueHoop blog.
Quick Recap: Washington Wizards 89, New Jersey Nets 85
Feb 28, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Wizards, Quick Recap
Similar to last Sunday against the Grizzlies, the Nets saw a double-digit first half lead evaporate as they went ice cold in the second half, falling to the Washington Wizards 89-85 at the Izod Center.
- The Nets have 50 first half points, but only 35 in the second, and ended up shooting 35 percent for the game.
- Yi Jianlian had a career high (and team season high) 19 rebounds, to go along with 20 points, but he was torched all evening by Andray Blatche (36 points), and Randy Foye (16 points) hit back-to-back jumpers over Yi in the final minute to ice the game for the Wizards.
- 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks for Brook Lopez, but only two of those points in the second half. Feel like a broken record writing that.
- Devin Harris finished with 18 points and 14 assists, but was brutal shooting-wise, going 7-24 from the floor, including 1-5 from three.
- A solid 15 minutes off the bench for Terrence Williams, who finished with 11 points.
- Jarvis Hayes looked out of sync in his first game back from injury, going 0-4 from the field and not scoring a point.
- This was the 9th consecutive loss at home for the Nets.
Game 59 Preview Vs. Washington Wizards
Feb 28, 2010 2009-2010 Open Threads, Game Previews, Nets vs. Wizards
The Nets are coming off their biggest win of the year and now have their first legitimate chance at a winning streak as they take on the Wizards (the Nets also have a chance to put themselves on pace to get the ever important 10th win). The Nets have gotten their last two wins after multiple days rest, but I think this back-to-back is actually beneficial for the Nets. Their game in Boston (and what made them successful) is fresh in their minds, and hopefully they continue to do the things that got them their win in Boston. Onto the lineups:
Devin Harris vs. Randy Foye
Randy Foye has put together a pretty nice season this year, but he is just an average player. Not too quick. Doesn’t have great size. On the other hand, Devin Harris has regained his All-Star form.
Advantage: Devin Harris
Keyon Dooling vs. Mike Miller
My guess is that unless Courtney has a remarkable recovery, he is going to be out for tomorrow. He seemed to roll his ankle pretty bad, and he was unable to put a ton of pressure on it as he was helped off the court. Keyon Dooling is probably going to get the start at the 2. He brings in his shot-making ability and his good decision making. Dooling’s threes yesterday were key in the win.
Advantage: Push
Trenton Hassell vs. Al Thorton
Trenton Hassell gave the Nets some good minutes yesterday, but I am expecting to see CDR get a good chunk of the SF minutes tonight (If Hayes is still out). Not only because he played very well yesterday, but because Hassell has logged a bunch of minutes, so you can expect to see fatigue setting in.
Advantage: Push
Yi vs. Andray Blatche
You might remember Blatche as the man who went off on the Nets in their first meeting. Eduardo Najera isn’t on the Nets anymore, so you can’t expect him to put up the same numbers, but Blatche has been playing well since the trade, so you can expect him to get some things done against Yi, who is still struggling.
Advantage: Andray Blatche
Brook Lopez vs. JaVale McGee
Brook Lopez could be poised for a big game against the Wizards now that Brendon Haywood isn’t on the team anymore. I think Haywood has done the best job on Brook all year, so seeing him in Dallas is pretty refreshing. McGee is a long athletic center, but I don’t think he has the strength to match up with Brook on the inside.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Bloggers Talk: Washington Wizards
Feb 28, 2010 Bloggers Talk, Nets vs. Wizards
For their final match-up at the Izod Center (and we can safely say “ever” now when it comes to the Izod Center), the Washington Wizards feature a considerably different roster compared to the last time we saw them. Here to explain some of the changes, and the future of the organization is Kyle Weidie, from the fantastic TrueHoop Wiz blog, Truthaboutit.
NAS: Obviously, Josh Howard’s ACL injury probably affects your answer, but overall, how do you think the Wizards fare in their big deadline trades of Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson and Brendan Haywood? Does Washington have any worthwhile building blocks now?
I was disappointed that the Wizards had to give up Brendan Haywood to “get rid” of Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson. It just seems like a commodity like Haywood, an expiring contract and a defensive big man sorely needed by most teams, should have been able to fetch more. The insult is that the Wizards couldn’t manage a pick from Dallas and they had to send cash considerations Mark Cuban’s way. Even Mavs fans were surprised at that one.
On the other hand, you got to commend Ernie Grunfeld for the Jamison trade. Although Antawn was sent to Cleveland … sure, the “rivalry” between the Wiz and the Cavs is dead, but that doesn’t mean Wizards fans hate LeBron and the Cavaliers any less … Grunfeld was able to net the returns of: 1) getting out from the over $28 million owed to the 33-year old Jamison over the next two seasons; 2) Cleveland’s 2010 1st rounder, which will likely be the last pick in the first round, but Grunfeld has a decent history of late-draft finds (Andray Blatche – 49th, Keith Bogans – 43rd, Flip Murray – 42nd, Michael Redd – 49th); 3) Emir Predlzic — Who? Exactly. He’s Bosniak whose rights were previously owned by Cleveland and is a decent prospect; and 4) Al Thornton. Clippers fans were no longer enthusiastic about the former All-Rookie First Teamer (2008), but he has seemingly found new life in D.C. with his hustle and energy.
Worthwhile building blocks? Who knows. Andray Blatche has been great since the trades, but it’s too early to tell if he’s really turned a corner. JaVale McGee has shown some nice promise too and is certainly a talented athlete whose natural skills and size are matched by few, if any, in the league. Otherwise, the Wizards don’t have much that shows valid promise for the future, i.e, someone who could be a star like Derrick Rose, Tyreke Evans or Kevin Durant (who is already a star). Obi-Wan Kenobi ain’t coming, so the Wizards’ only hope is effectively using the cap space they’ve created and finding a young Jedi via lots of luck in the draft.
NAS: How much of a makeover do you expect the Wizards to go through once the season is over?
Makeover? Uh, probably a decent bit since the Wizards only have six guys under contract next season. This is assuming, safely, that Josh Howard’s $11.8 million team option won’t be picked up and that Quinton Ross takes his $1.15 million player option. That leaves Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee, Al Thornton, Nick Young and Gilbert Arenas.
Who knows what will happen with Arenas. Recent remarks by Ernie Grunfeld suggest that the team might be open to taking him back, he is under contract after all. But Grunfeld might have been making those comments to preserve Arenas’ trade value, if any exists, which, you know someone might take the bait on if teams with cap room don’t succeed in their Summer ‘10 free-agent endeavors. I highly doubt the Wizards will try to void Arenas’ contract.
Randy Foye, if extended the qualifying offer, will be a restricted free-agent. He’s still auditioning for his job with the team, so he could be an additional player on the roster. You also have to consider the following: the Wizards might try to sign Josh Howard to a new contract on the cheap, as he will be coming off a knee injury, they would like to retain Mike Miller (although, I’m sure he will want to go play for a winner, perhaps taking less money to play with LeBron), and James Singleton is certainly looking like a player worthy of contract consideration.
The Wizards will be players in this Summer’s free-agent market, we’re just not sure how large. I’d like to see them be patient and build with young prospects and cap space, i.e., not do anything stupidly crazy like throw a bunch of money at Joe Johnson or Carlos Boozer. So, you’ll likely see the team just try to sign some worthy fillers this summer and save some of the cap space for 2012.
In any case, the makeover has already happened when various parts were shipped out of town. Now it’s all about finding quality players who will form the foundation for the rebuilding project.
Thoughts on the Game: Nets Bounced by Boykins
Jan 30, 2010 Nets vs. Wizards, Thoughts On the Game
Hoopdata Box Score – Truth About It – Bullets Forever
For six years, I owned a car that never really ran well, but got the job done. The problem was, I drove the thing to the ground, and by the time I had amassed about 150,000 miles, every time I got into the car, I would hope against hope that the piece of crap could just get me through this one last trip. If the car could just get me a little further, I vowed to never take another long trip again, retiring the thing for grocery shopping and the occasional trip to Target.
And then one day the car just died. And I realized that my plans for using the car going forward were irrelevant. It was never a good car to begin with, and the abuse I put it through for most of its lifespan gave it a specific expiration date. That date had passed. Game over.
I guess this terrible, terrible analogy I made regarding last night’s Nets/Wizards game would have worked better if I told you that my car died when the smallest person in my town jumped in front and slashed my tires, while smashing my hood in with a baseball bat. Sadly, things don’t happen like in real life, only in the NBA.
Last night’s 81-79 loss to the Wizards just felt weird, and despite the overall shock value of it – Earl Boykins, a guy who wasn’t even in the league last year hits the decisive shot with .4 seconds? – the outcome also seemed inevitable. Despite a solid defensive effort, holding the Wizards to 81 points and 42 percent shooting, the Nets were never able to put away a clearly inferior opponent and it came back to kill them. Up 12 in the first half, the Nets were owned on the boards throughout, getting outrebounded 40-32 and allowing 15 rebounds on the offensive end. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Nets, who had been shooting around 50 percent for most of the game, just seemed to sputter offensively, as Kiki Vandeweghe seemed to lose the Midas touch had had Wednesday night with his rotation choices. Kris Humphries, a hero against the Clippers, was the goat last night, going 1-8 from the field, including way too many long twos in crunch time. Terrence Williams, who seemed to do everything right a few nights ago, was on the bench for the Wizards. Courtney Lee, who didn’t miss in the first half, scoring 17 points, disappeared in the second, finishing with 19.
So, like my car, the Nets had an expiration date in this game. I wasn’t sure when the nail would be driven in the coffin, but I was fairly certain about the outcome. It was clear to me after Yi Jianlian hit a jumper with about 5:30 left in the third to put the Nets up by 8, and they ended tied with the Wizards towards the end of the quarter. After failing to score the knocking blow, it was just a matter of time before the Nets were going to stall out and be stranded by the side of the road.
Quick Recap: Washington Wizards 81, New Jersey Nets 79
Jan 29, 2010 2009-2010 Regular Season, Nets vs. Wizards, Quick Recap
An Earl Boykins jumper with .4 seconds left was enough to sink the New Jersey Nets tonight at the Izod Center, as the fell to the Washington Wizards 81-79.
- I guess this is a good story for the NBA: the diminutive Boykins, who wasn’t even in the league last year, scoring 15 points and hitting the game winner. But to quote the great Derrick Coleman, whoop-dee-damned-doo.
- The Nets could never put the Wizards away tonight. Despite leading by 12 in the first half, the Nets kept letting Washington hang around in this game and it bit them in the rear in the game’s final few minutes.
- Here was a night where the Nets rebounding woes really came home to roost. Washington had a 40-32 advantage on the glass, including 15 offensive rebounds. Considering the Nets outshot the Wizards (45.5 percent to 42.1 percent), and had less turnovers (19-16) and you could say the game was lost on the glass.
- Courtney Lee was on pace for a career night with 17 first-half points, but finished with 19.
- Kris Humphries struggled big-time tonight, shooting 1-8 from the field (8 points) and committing a costly turnover with about 1:20 left when he was caught in no-man’s land with the ball as the shot clock expired.
- 17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks for Brook Lopez, who also made a beautiful spin, up and under move on Brendan Haywood to tie the game at 79. If we could only clone you, Brook.
- Better effort from Chris Douglas-Roberts tonight with 8 points and 9 rebounds.
Game 45 Vs. Washington Wizards
Jan 29, 2010 2009-2010 Open Thread, Game Previews, Nets vs. Wizards
Before we get to the game tonight, I just wanted to talk about Brook Lopez and the All-Star game. Al Iannazzone’s post from today is what got me thinking about it. There, he has an awesome quote:
Brook Lopez could care less that he didn’t make the All-Star team. He was sleeping when TNT announced the reserves last night and he also watched Willy Wonka. We asked which one?
“The good one,” Lopez said.
That means the first one. Not the Johnny Depp disappointment.
“Gene Wilder is tough to beat,” Lopez said.
If Brook isn’t mad about it, us fans shouldn’t really be either. I mean did he deserve it? You can argue it, I mean All-Star teams usually take two centers and I think the the fight for the “second best center in the East” is a good one. You have a lot of candidates. You have Joakim Noah, David Lee, Al Horford, and Brook Lopez. Horford is probably the best defender and he plays on the best team, so I can see why the coaches took him. The comforting thing about this is that Brook is only 21 and still developing. If all goes according to plan, he should have plenty of All-Star games under his belt.
As for tonight, the Nets continue their pursuit of finishing the season over .500 against the Wizards. A team that you can argue is worse off than the Nets. You are going to see my projected lineup looks an awful lot like the one that fans don’t want to see. Here is my take on it. Kiki is going to stick with his guys (at least in terms of starting), but if they struggle he is going to have a quick hook. Just my opinion though, so we will see what happens. Anyway, onto the lineups!
Keyon Dooling vs. Randy Foye
You know what, I think it is smart to keep Harris out, especially now that Keyon got things flowing. As Mark said earlier, you got to go with the hot hand and Dooling is it. Foye in his own right is playing pretty good right now. But I think Dooling’s defense will be able to shut him down.
Advantage: Keyon Dooling
Courtney Lee vs. Mike Miller
Mike Miller has returned from injury and is playing pretty well. Lee is returning as well, coming off getting his wisdom teeth removed. Lee, despite all the talk about how much he sucks, has been playing well (though not to the level people expected him to at the start of the season), and most importantly, he has been aggressive. All that being said, I think Kiki will have a short hook with him.
Advantage: Push
Chris Douglas-Roberts vs. Caron Butler
Do I think CDR is intentionally not shooting? I don’t know, it is tough to say, I mean his change of style of play is so drastic, that it could be possible. What could also be possible is that he just misunderstands Kiki’s play through the bigs mantra, that he is doing it to a fault. Maybe the win gets him going, and he will return to his aggressive self.
Advantage: Push
Yi vs. Antawan Jamison
When I was talking about a quick hook, I was talking about Yi specifically. He has a tough matchup in Jamison, so if he isn’t hitting his shot, expect to see Kris Humphries in real quick…
Advantage: Antawan Jamison
Brook Lopez vs. Brenden Haywood
If you remember the last time these two played, Haywood did an effective job of shutting Brook down. He was able to use his strength to push Brook out of his post position. It is going to be fun to watch these two go at it again.
Advantage: Brook Lopez
Bloggers Talk: Washington Wizards
Jan 29, 2010 Bloggers Talk, Nets vs. Wizards
Today’s guest is Kyle Weidie from the superstar TrueHoop Wizards site, Truth About It. Kyle talks about one of the few franchises that may be in even worse shape currently than the the Nets.
NAS: What are your thoughts on the trade rumors involving Caron Butler? The Nets seemed to be backing away from trading Devin Harris now, but would you be interested in a Harris for Butler swap?
I haven’t been particularly fond of Caron’s play this season. He has not adjusted his offense game to be more team-oriented in order to fit into Flip Saunders’ system. His assists per 36 minutes is down to a measly 2.0; it stood 4.4 and 4.0 in ‘07-08 and ‘08-09 respectively. Even in ‘06-07, the last time Gilbert Arenas was really on the court before this season, Caron managed 3.4 assists/36.His latest transgression, ignoring the play Flip Saunders called with the Wizards down one point with 6.7 seconds left against Dallas, clearly outlines that Butler is playing selfishly and that two All-Star appearances has led him to egotistically believe that he’s a number one option, superstar player when he is not.As far as I’m concerned, his time in DC has passed because he has vastly strayed from the reason he was given the nickname “Tuff Juice” in the first place. I don’t want to completely trash Butler. He’s a good guy, a decent locker room presence, and a great community man. But it just ain’t working out.That being said, I’d be completely down for exploring a Harris for Butler trade. Why not invest in a decent young PG for the future? Problem is, I’m not sure the Wizards’ brass wants to put themselves in the position to take on two more years of contract that they’d be getting back in Harris.Why do you guys want to get rid of him anyway?
NAS: What can you say about the current direction of the Washington franchise? Their struggling through another poor season, their star player has been indefinitely suspended… where do you go from here?
You forgot to mention an ownership in transition …. limbo. Basically, there is no direction. I say they try to get value in return for their assets, but without completely blowing up the house with a fire sale. Sounds neither easy nor likely. Rebuilding is so painful, so enduring, so unpredictable … and something Wizards fans don’t deserve. They really need to find a way to remain competitive while rebuilding … so, not like the Nets. But to do that, you need luck in the draft. After Kwame Brown, I’m not sure the Wizards franchise will ever have luck in the draft again.
NAS: Where do you rank Antawn Jamison among the top players in the NBA? Is he a part of that conversation?
I guess you’d have to put a number after “top” to really get the convo started. At 33-years old, his ability is obviously on its down-slope. That being said, Jamison is still putting up incredible numbers. He rebounds like a man and his offensive trickery (and the fact that he doesn’t play in the paint much) lends itself to more sustainability as he ages. Currently, Jamison is unquestionably a top 40 NBA player … maybe even top 30.
NAS: In your opinion, does Gilbert Arenas ever play for the Wizards again?
I highly doubt it. My clairvoyant opinion indicates there’s a 20% chance he’ll play for the Wizards again. Seems pretty high, right? But you wouldn’t bet your life on a 20% chance. If by some strange circumstance he plays for the Wizards again, I will welcome him with open arms, conditionally of course. He must be repentant, and the must prove himself to be more mature, which will obviously take some time. Oh yea, he needs to stop lying and being so delusional too.He’s a good guy when it comes down to it, and everyone deserves a second chance. The idea that Americans love comeback stories has become cliché, but true. Why does Gil have to comeback somewhere else? Why can’t D.C. have his comeback story? Who knows …at this point, I’m not sure I care either way.
Lawrence Frank Has Lost Whatever “Magic” He Had
Nov 3, 2009 Analysis, Coaching, Front Office, Lawrence Frank, Nets vs. Bobcats, Nets vs. Magic, Nets vs. Timberwolves, Nets vs. Wizards, Opinion, Xs and Os
Going into this season, Lawrence Frank’s record record as a coach was 225-225. Exactly .500. After last night’s loss, Lawrence Frank is now 4 games under .500 for his coaching career. This season’s start has taken him from a winning coach to a losing coach, and whatever “grace period” his magical start to his coaching career bought him is now fading away. A lot of Lawrence Frank supporters (are there even any of those anymore) point to that 14-0 start as an example for what type of coach he is. Frank’s trip below .500 proves that this might not be the case. This being said, I am not delusional. I wasn’t expecting the Nets to be 4-0 right now, but with what is going on right now (we scored 7 points in a quarter against the Bobcats) you need to look at the coach for an explanation. When you do that, you find that Lawrence Frank is responsible for a whole lot of head-scratching moves in this short season:
Rotations
I don’t know if it is just me, but these rotations just seem off. I know the Nets are young, and they have been hit with a bunch of injuries, but even still. When you have a young team (and the Nets are indeed young, they have the youngest starting lineup in the NBA), it is the coaches job to put his team in positions that make being successful easier. It is like Lawrence Frank is trying to do the exact opposite.
Some examples after the jump: