I’m in no way suggesting that Harris is milking his latest injury, but there becomes a point where a player transcends bad luck with injuries and just becomes injury prone. This past week, I believe Harris passed that mark. With his team challenging the 72-73 Philadelphia 76ers for the worst record ever, Harris missed the past two games with an upper respiratory infection.  There’s no question that the Nets would have had a better chance of pulling out one of those games if Harris suited up. I think the idea that some fans were perpetuating earlier this season that the Nets are a better team without Harris should be put to rest after Tuesday and Wednesday night’s losses to the Hawks and Sixers. In those two games, the Nets looked lost on defense and listless on offense. Outside of the occasional drive from Terrence Williams, no one was attacking the basket, and the team’s outside shooters, Courtney Lee and Jarvis Hayes, looked like they were struggling because there was nobody on the court who could pull defenders into the basket area.

What is frustrating as a fan is that Wednesday’s game, especially, against the Sixers looked like a great chance to secure win number eight, and the Nets came up lame in large part because their star player missed his 18^th game of the season.  If this was an isolated incident for Harris, it would be easier to overlook, but it’s not. He missed 13 games last year, including a number of games down the stretch when the team still had an outside shot to make the playoffs, and he missed 18 games the year before when he was traded from Dallas to New Jersey.  What’s most concerning is the kinds of injuries have ranged from wrists to hamstrings to elbows to bacterial infections. If there’s a body part, inside or out, Harris will probably find a way to injure it.

Yes, there are other point guards who have a penchant for getting injured. Chris Paul has only played in 38 of his team’s games this season, and Dwyane Wade was only able to suit for about 50 games each in the 05-06 and 06-07 seasons, but both have also demonstrated some durability in recent seasons (Wade played in 79 games last season and has only missed 4 this season. Paul played in 78 and 80 games the past two seasons before this year). Also, both are such transcendent players that their respective teams are willing to wait out their injuries to build around them. Harris is still too inconsistent to earn that benefit of the doubt.

It’s worth bringing all of this up now because as the nation fixes its eyes to March Madness over the next few weeks, there are going to be more and more basketball fans who will become enthralled with University of Kentucky PG John Wall, who despite the recent surge of Evan Turner love, is the prospective no. 1 pick in the draft. And a guy who knows point guards, Magic Johnson, recently said if the Nets got the pick and took Wall, he’s the guy you hand the keys to the car to, not Devin Harris. Given the events of this past week, I’m finding it harder to argue with that logic. Harris is a talented player, and you certainly don’t want to lose him for a song – if he becomes trade bait this summer he has to bring back another building block for a move to be considered, not more expiring contracts. But Harris is also unreliable, and you cannot build around the unreliable.

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?

When the Nets traded for Kris Humphries in exchange for Eduardo Najera, I was pretty excited.  Not only were the Nets able to get rid of Najera (who looked like he was running with a torn hamstring), but they brought in a young guy who showed flashes.  Early on, it looked like the Nets got away with highway robbery as Humphries brought his defensive energy and that was a new attitude for this team.  He was also scoring, in his first 9 games as a Net, Humphries reached double-digits 4 times (including two 20 point games), and got 9 two other times.  Sure he was taking some tough jumpers, but he made them so it was ok.  He’d settle down when he wasn’t as hot (shot 45.1% in January).

I was really high on Humphries, I was starting to think that the only reason he didn’t produce in his previous spots was just because he played behind really good players (Bosh in Toronto, Boozer in Utah, and Dirk in Dallas).  However, Humphries has hit a rough patch over the past two months.  He is still bringing the defensive intensity, there is no question about that.  The offensive end has been a completely different story though.  Remember those tough shots Humphries was making early on?  Well, he’s still taking them, but not making them at the rate he was (45.1% in January – 39.4% since – keep in mind his minutes has bascially been the same during his stay here), and when he makes the catch on the high post, you can pretty much assume he is going up with it.  No matter how well defended he is.

The question Nets fans and the Nets front office has to ask now is whether or not this is the real Kris Humphries or not, or was the real Kris Humphries the one we saw in January.  Personally, I think the Humphries we have seen the past two months is the “true Kris Humphries.”  The reason is Idon’t think he can maintain the shooting percentage to be an effective scorer in this league.  He takes too many bad shots, and takes the offense out of his flow too much.  He hasn’t only done this in New Jersey, this has been his knock every stop he has been at.

That’s not saying he isn’t a serviceable player, because I think he is one, but what I am concerned about is whether there is a spot for him on this team.  Better yet, what is his role?  One of the Nets’ biggest needs is power forward.  I think Yi has proven he can’t handle the starting responsibilities, so the Nets will be bringing a starting power forward (that is pretty much assumed), but who is going to be the backup?  In my opinion, Kris Humphries is the more valuable backup if you bring in an offensive minded PF to start, but are the Nets really going to stick Yi on the bench for good (Orlando showed that having 3 PFs on your roster doesn’t work – Brandon Bass hasn’t played much all year)?  I guess what I am getting to is don’t expect to see much of Kris Humphries next year unless Yi goes down with an injury.  Now, some of you guys may have already assumed that, but I have to admit, I got a little excited seeing a guy play with that type of intensity on the defensive end and being productive on the offensive end.

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Philadunkia – Liberty Ballers

A week ago, I made a plea on this site that despite whatever their record ends up being, the Nets are in no way the worst team in NBA history. After last night’s game, I might want to rescind those comments.

So is the life of a beaten down, albeit, devoted follower on the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets. A four game west coast road trip last week where the Nets lost all of those games, but were highly competitive in every single one, provided a glimmer of hope that the 9-73 mark set by the 72-73 Sixers would be safe. I was comfortable that the Nets were going to find a way to win at least three of their last 16 games, maybe even a few more, to distance themselves from any all-time records.

Then there was Tuesday night’s game against Atlanta. Sure, it was a lackluster effort for the Nets, who can’t afford to sleepwalk against anyone, but a case could be made that the Hawks are a very good team and the Nets were without Devin Harris. I don’t necessarily agree with that case – I think the Nets should be playing every game with absolute urgency – but I was willing to look past Tuesday if the Nets took care of business against a struggling Sixers team the next night. They didn’t. They looked just as flat early-on, and even after a second-half surge that was captained by Kiki Vandeweghe’s forgotten sixth man, Chris Douglas-Roberts, the Nets were never even remotely close to overtaking a team that had lost five in a row headed into Wednesday and was missing a slew of key players themselves.

At the risk of being accused of copping out of my recapping responsibilities, I must admit it’s getting harder and harder to think of new and creative ways to break down the obvious – the Nets stink. With their game against Dallas last week being an outlier, the Nets continue to fall behind early because they don’t do simple things like get back on defense and guard the perimeter. Meanwhile, on offense, the Nets settle for way too many low percentage shots and don’t take advantage of the fact that they have one of the best post-up centers in basketball on their roster. The Sixers shot more than 66 percent in the first quarter, and went on to shoot 56 percent from the game. At one point in the second quarter, the Nets had only two fast break points while the Sixers were in double-digits. Overall, the Nets were outscored 22-10 on the fast break and 52-34 on points in the paint.

Just look at the shooting percentages of some key players to get a sense for all of the settling that’s going on. Courtney Lee, 1-8; Terrence Williams 4-16; Brook Lopez 2-9. The Nets needed big games from all three of these games, and got one from none. Major props for CDR’s 23 points on 9-15, probably his best game in more than two months, but like Josh Boone’s 13 point, 20 rebound effort from Tuesday, it was all nullified by the lack of offensive and defensive support from the rest of the roster. Lopez didn’t attempt one single FG from the blocks and took jumpers on five of them. I understand that the rigors of the long season are starting to wear on Lopez, but if he can’t be even somewhat functional when he’s on the floor, then maybe Kiki needs to rest him for a game. I would have loved to see Terrence Williams to seize his opportunity after getting the starting nod, but it felt like a TWill game from November – complete with long jumpers, sloppy passes, and missed defensive assignments. Was Williams even aware that in Andre Iguodala, he was responsible for guarding the one guy on this Philly roster that can consistently kill you? Yet AI had a phenomenal game scoring 20 points and collecting 8 assists.

Within the first two minutes of the third quarter, Josh Boone received a great pass from Keyon Dooling that left him wide alone under the basket. In typical Boone fashion, he chose to attempt to bank a layup home rather than play above the rim and dunk the ball. He missed the shot. Is there a better analogy for this game? A struggling team, right for the picking. The Nets had a wide-open dunk here and blew it. Now, I’m not so certain if they’re going to get many more opportunities.

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.

• The Sixers had lost five in a row before tonight, and had never swept a season series from the Nets. But the Nets were more than willing to make winners out of Philly, playing lackluster defense most of the game and allowing one of the worst teams in basketball to score 108 points and shoot 56 percent from the floor. Seven Philly players scored in double digits, led by Andre Iguodala, who netted 20 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds.
• Great comeback game for Chris Douglas-Roberts, who scored 23 points on 9-15 shooting.
• Terrence Williams, in a surprise start had a shaky game, scoring 13, but going 4-16 from the field.
• Brook Lopez’s tough March continued as he scored 12 points on 2-9 shooting. He also grabbed 5 rebounds and seems to be losing his temper more than usual out there.
• The Nets were shockingly accurate from the charity stripe, going 23-24 on free throws.
• The Sixers outscored the Nets 52-34 in the pain and 22-10 on the fast break.

Meanwhile, over in Twitter-land, Chris Douglas-Roberts is making a case for Terrence Williams to become a starter.

Devin Harris vs. Lou Williams

While Devin Harris didn’t play yesterday, I expect him to play tonight as this is as good a chance as any to get win #8.  Lou Williams and Devin Harris are somewhat similar players.  Williams isn’t a true point guard, but more of a scorer first, the same with Devin Harris.  However, Devin has better point guard skills, he has better handle and better court vision which allows for his teams to get involved.  I understand why the Sixers are trying to turn Lou Williams into a PG, but to me he just doesn’t have to court vision to be a good one (4.1 APG out of your starting PG isn’t any good).

Advantage:  Devin Harris

Courtney Lee vs. Jrue Holiday

Courtney Lee has the size on Jrue Holiday (Holiday is 6′1″ while Lee is 6′5″), and he should be able to get off his shot with ease.  This is a good thing since Lee has been shooting well as of late, so more good looks = more points.

Advantage:  Courtney Lee

Trenton Hassell vs. Andre Iguodala

In my opinion, this is the only position where the Sixers have a clear cut advantage.  Hassell is still starting (though with Terrence Williams playing so well, his minutes may decline), and Andre Iguodala has the athleticism just to blow by Hassell every time.  It is going to be interesting to watch Iguodala go up against Terrence Williams.

Advantage:  Andre Iguodala

Josh Boone vs. Elton Brand

Elton Brand was a great player, but the injuries really slowed him down.

Advantage:  Push

Brook Lopez vs. Samuel Dalembert

Dalembert is a terrific defender and a shot blocker, but I think Brook Lopez can use his size to his advantage here.  If he is able to get his body into Dalembert’s he can negate his length and jumping ability.  Allowing him to knock down easy buckets.

Advantage:  Brook Lopez

AP Photo/Bill Kostrun

Hoopinion – Peachtree Hoops – View from the Couch

From the onset, last night’s game just seemed like one of those nights that was going to be totally forgettable for the New Jersey Nets. The Atlanta Hawks are everything the Nets are not: athletic, deep and offensively efficient. The last two times these teams met, the Nets lost by a combined 53 points. Then consider that the Nets were without the services of Devin Harris last night, who looked probable earlier in the day yesterday despite having a respiratory infection, but obviously was not in any kind of game shape. So the Nets were throwing a lineup out there consisting of Keyon Dooling, Courtney Lee, Trenton Hassell, Josh Boone and Brook Lopez. Umm, yeah. I guess I should be thankful the Nets only lost by 24 and not by 50.

Even when the game was tied at 22 in the first quarter, it was difficult for me to get excited. The Nets were only shooting 35 percent, and were in a close-game early because the Hawks matched their ineptitude by throwing up a 36.4 percent first quarter. Given what we know about the Hawks and what we know about the Nets, it was a bad first quarter for one team, and par for the course for the other. We did get the highlight of two consecutive free throws made by Josh Boone, which means someone should be doing a temperature check in hell. Actually, it’s a little unfair of me to rip on Boone after last night. He finished with a career high in rebounds with 20 rebounds and added 13 points to boot. That’s a double-double for Boone if I did my math correctly. He looked energized, especially in the first half and this may have been the best game I’ve seen Boone play in three seasons.

The problem is, the Nets need other players to perform for them to even stand a chance against most teams, no less a team that gives them match-up nightmares like Atlanta. You could just feel the foundation starting to shake towards the end of the first quarter when Terrence Williams – playing point guard point guard for the first time in a long while, and not point forward – turned the ball over on an 8-second violation. It set the tone for an out of sync second quarter where the Nets only scored 17 and Jamal Crawford scored 15 (and the Hawks 33 total). The Nets were going to need someone to have a stand-out offensive performance from at least two guys tonight and barely got one. Brook Lopez was solid, finishing with 21 points on 8-15 shooting, but didn’t do much else to help the team and may have been involved with the most bizarre offensive foul call I’ve ever seen when he set a screen for Keyon Dooling on Mike Bibby in the third quarter, and Bibby proceeded to jump into Lopez, grab his shoulder, and still draw a foul on the big man. I’m going to go out on a limb and say the refs botched the call there. But they probably looked at the game they were reffing and figured it wouldn’t have made a difference anyway.

A few more thoughts after the jump:

I know it’s competitive basketball and all, but I thought Atlanta might have been running up the score a bit at the end of last night’s game, so when I saw them go for a full court pass to Maurice Evans with less than a minute to go in the game, I was hoping someone on the Nets would get back down the court fast enough to prevent the hoop. It happened to be Terrence Williams who got called for the flagrant foul. I can’t fault him for it. The Hawks were up by more than 20 points and on total cruise control. Yes, I know it must be tempting to ram it down the throats against a team that can be as lazy as the Nets are on defense sometimes, but Atlanta also had to realize they were endangering their own players by busting out the Harlem Globetrotter passes in the game’s final seconds. The Nets know they are dangerously close to setting the all-time record for losses in a season, so it’s good to see they care enough to foul hard, even if they’ve already been embarrassed.

When Jarvis Hayes is cooking, he is such an asset for this team, but when he has night’s like he had last night (2-8 from the field, 1-6 from three), he’s just absolutely maddening. Still, I would have preferred to see Jarvis with the first unit yesterday, especially with Harris out.