Game 72 - A Win...

I turn on the TV (didn't go tonite) and RJ sinks two free throws to make it 68-52 with 1:45 left in the half. 68 for a half is their season high, made just recently. There's 1:45 to go in the half...

Marv and Jim patter about the bulge. Spanarkel opines that if Indiana can get to to within 10 by the end of the half it'll be a lift for them. Marv observes, well they have a 14 point lead....

Score at the half - 68-60.

Number of timeouts called by Frank during that run - 0.

Wait! It gets better.

To open the third the Nets get the ball. No matter. Indiana scored the first 6 points of the half to cut the lead to 2, 68-66. With just under 5 minutes to go in the quarter, it's all tied. To be fair, the Genius calls a timeout at the 8 minute mark. Of course, the Pacers are down only one at that time...

Here's the kicker - the Nets are shooting 54%! And it's tied!

I've never seen a coach do less with more. I can't stand to look at him. Even if they make the playoffs he should be fired. He's that bad.

And it ruins my enjoyment of the game. I watch in dread as they commit stupid fouls, giving Dunleavy, of all people, a 4 point play. A 4 point play!

Then with about 4 1/2 minutes left, Indiana, intelligently, starts the hack-a-Boone strategy. Boone misses both. Hack again. 1 for 2. Hack again. 1 for 2 again!

God, boob! Substitute him out! Any fool rec coach knows that! Put in Sean Williams. Put Diop back in. IT ELIMINATES THE PACERS STRATEGY, YOU BLITHERING JERK!

Luckily, and I do mean luckily, Indiana can't buy a shot, and with 2 minutes left, Frank can determine who shoots if Boone is hacked again.

No harm, but still foul coaching.

I give a lot of credit to VC - 14 rebounds, but the best part was watching him do what no other Net does - BOX OUT. It was a pleasure to watch him exert his will on the game.

I also like the fact that 4 guys scored 20 or more, with Boki contributing 18. Good balance. Like to see that.

On the other hand (another hammer of the coach), why didn't Sean Williams play? Where was Swift? And why did Hassell get minutes? 1-2 with 2 rebounds and 2 points in 15 minutes is not exactly what I would call a quality outing... You mean to tell me that SWill or Swift couldn't do better? I just don't get this fool...

OK, they're 1/2 game behind Atlanta, which cruised and crushed the Bucks. Saturday the Nets play Phoenix, so, as Spanarkel just said on the post game, winning in Indiana is crucial.

I'm sorry. I just have no faith in Frank's ability to get the team up and focussed, and we all know he can't coach in the game.

This stinks.

And we freaking WON!