Game 30 - Can the Nets play all their games away?

Still in Orlando, and watching the Giants/Pats on tv, I was able to keep one eye on the Nets gratia beloved Slingbox, and this time, also gratia pdaNet - so I watched it on my laptop.

The Nets did get one very crucial, very lucky break - up 78-77 with the ball, Malik Allen appeared not to get a shot off before the 24 second buzzer, but it wasn't called. He missed, but Carter got the rebound, fed Kidd and he drained a 3. Nets up 4 with 5 mins to go.

Despite other miscues, the Nets made that margin stick.

At one point in the 4th the Nets were 8 of 17 from the line, less than 50%. Thanks to a Milwaukee strategy to foul to extend the game (sound familiar?), the Nets ended 12-23, for less than 50% for the game. They actually were better from the field than the line. That's just embarrassing.

2 in a row, 4 of 5. Can we get a streak going, guys?

Game 29 - Bowl me over!

I did not attend the game tonite vs the Wizards, as I was at the Champs Sports Bowl, watching one of my alma maters, Michigan State, hand the game over to Boston College, with 5 turnovers, 24-21...

However, I do have Slingbox, so I watched it in between plays on my cell phone....

The Nets continue to play up or down to the level of their opponent. This time it was a rather hot Washington team who spanked them in their last meeting.

But the Nets play another solid 4 quarter game and win by 3.

A home win is good. They are now 7-11 at home, terrible but better. Now they play tomorrow night, in Milwaukee, who just got thrashed by Chicago. The last time the Nets played back to back night with the second on the road, it was vs the Knicks who got thrashed by Chicago. We all know how that wound up...

We'll see...

Game 28 - Piston in the wind

So what you need to know:

The Nets are up 42-36 with 2 mins to go in the first half. They are shooting 58%. I'm saying to myself, jeez, shooting 58% and only up 6... That doesn't bode well.

Halftime score: Det 45-Nets 44. Nets are outshooting the Pistons 55-43% and LOSING.

Detroit comes out for the second half and go up by 5. Call time! No dice. The Nets take another embarassingly ill advised 3 point shot, miss, and Detroit goes up by 7. Then he calls time. Okay.

After the time out the Nets run a play and Josh Boone gets fouled. Misses both. Detroit gets rebound. Defensive 3 seconds. Pistons up 8. Then they score again. Detroit up 10.

At this point RJ gets the ball and looks over to Frank. RJ senses that the Nets are out of sync, in disarray and need to get coordinated again. You don't see this on tv, I'm sure. RJ asks Frank to call time. Frank turns his back on RJ and makes a motion, play on, play on.

This was the second time in a week that RJ has questioned the coaching.

Um, do you think the Nets, particularly RJ, are losing confidence in the coach?

By the end of the quarter it's 76-62 Detroit. Game over.

Frank made a big deal about how the first 3 minutes and last 3 minutes of every quarter are crucial to stopping the Pistons. Let's see how they did:

1st 1st 3 Det 11-4
1st last 3 Nets 6-5
2nd 1st 3 Nets 6-2
2nd last 3 Det 9-4
3rd 1st 3 Det 8-2
3rd last 3 Det 7-6 (Nets down 76-62)
4th 1st 3 Det 5-4
4th last 3 Det 10-8

Not only did the Nets barely win 2 of these mini-periods (by a combined 5 points), look at the end of the second-beginning of the third. A total point swing of 11 points. A conversion of a 6 point lead into a 5 point deficit.

Lawrence, if the ends and beginnings of quarters are so important, WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING TO HELP YOUR TEAM DURING THIS TIME????

Game 27 - A Complete Game, with Character, no less

Golden State comes in, not having beaten the Nets in the Meadowlands since 1997. However, after an abysmal (and Steven Jackson-less) 0-6 start, they've won 15 of their last 20 and are 8-6 on the road. They like to run and are averaging 109 pts per game. Have the Nets even come close to that this season?

Time was when coming to NJ meant a track meet. JKidd likes to run, and so did Kittles, KMart and RJ back in the glory days... Now the radio announcers talk about the Nets having to keep up with the Warriors.

A surprisingly good start while I fiddle in unexpected cop caused traffic. My son and I walk into the arena and the Nets have a 24-14 lead with a minute or so to play. Pretty soon it's 24-17 and I meantion to my son, oh boy, here we go, another weak finish to a quarter. Instead the Nets nail a 3 and have a 10 point lead after one. At home, no less.

And they keep it up, playing good D. They shooting pct is a Net-like 40% but so is the Warriors'. And with a little more than one minute to go, they're up by a gaudy 14.

But, as I say, there is a little over a minute left. And by halftime the lead has been halved as well, Nets up 52-45. I want to know why Lawrence Frank had not figured out that the needs to coach the ends of periods differently...

All during halftime I fretting. GS gets the ball. Score. Nets give it up. GS scores. 11:14 to go in the 3rd and it's a 3 point game.

Sure enough, that's exactly how the 2nd half started. And more. Pretty soon it's a one point game. This is starting to look like all the other bad home losses.

But the Nets show character and close out the 3rd up 8. Can they hold an 8 point lead?

No. With 3 and change minutes to play the Warriors bury a three and lead a point, 93-92.

Then 95-92 and GS has the ball! Oh no, not another pathetic example of the famous Coach Frank burning up your time outs once the game is out of reach - for the other team.

But then something really strange happens - the Nets show character! They score the final 8 points of the game, play great defense, and pull out the win in regulation!

This is finally a quality win at home over a quality team. A complete game, end to end, with the exception of the end of the 2nd quarter.

Two in a row:
- an overtime road win
- a solid home win over a quality team

Can we get 3 (vs Detroit)?

Game 26 - A win is a win...

Let's give 'em a few points:
- It was a road victory.
- They pulled it out in OT on the road.
- Boone may be the real thing (except for the foul line)
- It's a W.

Hooray!

Now let's settle down...

Miami has the worst record in the East, 2nd worst in the NBA.
They just lost Mourning, probably for the year, if not the career (aw what a shame...)

Even still, it took OT.

But a win is a win.

Now, can they win 2 in a row? Especially with #2 being at home?

I doubt it...

Game 25 - They did it! (No, not win...)

Well it took 25 games, but I don't look forward to watching them. I am sick and tired of watching this much talent underperform game after game after game after game after game after game...

Know when this game was lost? At 0.01 of the 1st period. For the third game in a row, and perhaps the 6th time this season, the Nets allow a buzzer beater 3. Sacramento 28-25.

Game over.

4 minutes to go in the 4th. 85 all. Sac takes a three. Good! And he's fouled! Four point play! 89-85. A four point difference they could never close.

Oh sure, they had chance after chance after chance after chance after chance:

JKidd launches a 3pt brick. (12 on shot clock)
Nets get stop.
VC bricks (18 on the shot clock)
Loose ball foul on Sacramento.
RJ bricks a 3 (6 on shot clock)
Nets get stop.
Lost ball turnover on RJ.
Salmons drives and gets a dunk.

Nets down 6, 91-85. 1:30 burned off the clock.

Number of drives to the basket by the Nets during that run - 0.
Number of drives to the basket by Sacramento during that run - 1.

Net result - +2 for Sacramento.

Nets outshoot their opponent for the 4th game in a row, this time shooting over 50+. 50-45.
Nets outrebound their opponent 45-31.

And lose.

The Nets are officially the worst team in the NBA at guarding the 3.

Lawrence Frank has the temerity to say during the postgame: We need to find a way to put together a complete game.

Um, isn't that your job, Larry?

This team is in a deep, deep funk, lacking confidence, lacking identity. For the 4th year in a row in the Lawrence Frank era. Give him a mulligan for Year 1, when Kidd was out. How can a team with 3 veteran stars come out year after year after year, seaching for an identity?

They have an identity - they are gross underachievers. They are a team without passion.

They are a bad team very poorly coached.

I am sick of watching them.

Game 24 - Cirque du No Way

Another circus at the Garden...

Okay, let's reset the scene:

- The Nets just had a big team effort (10 players with non-trivial minutes) over the team that eliminated them last year, sporting one of the budding superstars of the game, who took them to the NBA finals last year.
- The Nets had their big victory in NJ, just 10 miles away from where they were to play tonite. Like a home game.
- The Knicks had just been embarrassed in Chicago, and faced a 2 hour plane ride after humiliation.
- Curry had just been held scoreless.
- The Knicks had beaten the Kidd-less Nets earlier in the month in the infamous "Migraine Game" and the Nets were looking for retribution.
- Marbury was not going to play.
- The Nets have dominated the Knicks at the Garden in the Kidd Era, and dominate the series something like 28-4 at both locations.

Final score: 94-86.

Knicks.

When I was in grammar school - GRAMMAR SCHOOL - I was a 60% foul shooter. We played some parochial schools, and those kids shot 90% - with regularity.

The Nets shot 43% from the line. An NBA team. 43%!

You never EVER see a HS team shoot 43%. Never EVER see a college team hit 43%. In the 60s, 70s and 80s foul shots were nearly automatic. Teams shot 85% for the year at the line.

43%...

Of course, they only took 16 foul shots for the game, so even if they shot 80% (as well they should!) it would have only been 6 points.

And why only 16 foul shots? (The Knicks took 36, some 20 more.)

The Nets outshot the Knicks, by pct (46-42) and number (80-76). The Knicks outscored the Nets 24-7 from the line.

Why?

Because the Knicks went to the basket. The Nets played yet another disinterested game, with both hands tied by themselves behind their back.

The Nets strength is when VC and RJ drive the basket. Both are 80% foul shooters, so even when they don't score they go to the line and usually convert. Yet how many times have we seen the Nets just sit back and take jumpers with 15 seconds left on the shot clock?

The Knicks are a bad team - badly conceived, badly coached. They were easily beatable. They have not shown the ability to stop the drive, to stop teams in the paint.

Had the Nets driven the lane, as their two stars are famed for doing, the Nets win. Even at 43.8% foul shooting, if the Nets get as many foul shot attempts as the Knicks, it's a tie game. If they shoot a respectable 75% they win in a walk.

But you don't get fouled taking jumpers from 20 feet out. With 15 seconds left on the shot clock.

The more tired you are the less likely those shots are gonna drop. The Nets succeeded in doing the sole thing that a team playing back to back cannot do in order to win - settle for the jumper.

I said to the guy next to me at the Clippers game - This team is like Springsteen's song - Like a river that don't know where it's flowin', they took a wrong turn and they just kept goin'. That's what these games are like - the Nets are not an organized team, a concentrated force. They're like a river, overflowing its banks, directionless, flooding some areas but dissipating it strength and by the time it gets to the dam it does not have enough power to turn the rotors.

That Franks must go is getting to be conventional wisdom. That the owner doesn't care is becoming obvious. That the GM is on cruise... Well, I hope at least not him.

Or J Kidd. So far both Kidd and Thorn continue to give an all out performance.

The Nets are down 10-14. With a modicum of discipline, of coaching, of professionalism (I mean, 43%!), this team could be 10 games over 500 by Feb 1.

Right now, tho, there are no levees, and the river just keeps flowing, taking wrong turns. And we have no idea where they're goin'.

Game 23 - Cirque du Soleil

That's where I was - at MSG of all places, watching Cirque du Soleil's "Wintuk", as a guest of my wife's company. I have been going to see CdS for nearly 20 years, having first seen them performing literally in a parking lot in San Francisco. They are fabulous, and you owe it to yourself to go see them, whether at MSG, Disney World or one of their 3 Vegas shows. Or anywhere!

So I wasn't at the Meadowlands. I would still choose CdS in general, but how I wish I had been there tonite! An entire game against a superstar player. A bad start out of the gate and another (!) buzzer three at the end of the half (what is that, now, 3 this year alone - forget about Milt Palacio (not that I'm bitter, of course...)). Yet they maintained their composure, captured the lead and maintained it despite a strong charge by Cleveland.

RJ apparently played great D on LeBron and the Nets shot 48% for the night. Boone and Sean have emerged as a tandem to be reckoned with (it's looking like Krstic is not gonna make a comeback this year).

There is hope...

They play the lowly, ugly, dysfunctional Knicks tomorrow night at (ironically) MSG. They got blown out by the Bulls tonite, with Curry being held scoreless. The Nets are on an upswing and the Knicks have to make a two hour flight in disgrace and get back on the court in less than 24 hours.

Could this be the beginning of the turnaround?

Game 22 - Will it ever end?

Harold Geneen, wizard of ITT, said:

Performance is your reality.

Basically he was saying the numbers that indicate your performance is your reality.

So here are the numbers:

The Clippers had lost 8 out of 9 coming in, this the first game of a road trip, after a transcontinental flight.

The Nets shot 30% for the game until the last minute, when some uncontested layups brought it up to a lusty 32%.

The Nets shot 0-15 to open the 4th; 5-25 for the entire period (and again, I believe 3 of those were uncontested layups).

The Nets got 20 turnovers, but only 10 points from them.

To my count, the Nets missed more than 10 layups in the game.

Jason Kidd, once again, got a triple double.

Final score: Clippers 91 Nets 82.

Look at it on the bright side - they shot near 20% better on Sunday and lost by 15. Maybe they're better off shooting 30% than 50%...

Finally, on the post game, fans are starting to ask almost exclusively coaching questions. Capshaw and Carino did their best to hew to the party line, but even wrapping up they were openly discussing the poor coaching.

Even they mentioned that altho the Nets were 9-13, they had started last year 9-13 as well, were 7-14 the year before and 10-14 the year before that, and made the playoffs all 3 years. So "Frank has that history of getting his team into the playoffs". I mean, really guys...

But then even they had to question whether the team can keep going back to that mode year after year. They mentioned that for a team with Carter, Kidd and Jefferson to be struggling like this, to be down 10+ points every game at home certainly points the finger at the coach.

But Capshaw brought up the 2 year extension. It would be a lot of money to buy out Frank.

Especially when you have an owner who doesn't care. Stefanski leaves and he is not replaced. The coach is rewarded for barely getting an allstar team into the playoffs with a 2 year extension.

I despair that this is going to be the return to the crap that reigned in the Meadowlands for decades, a return to the 17 to 35 win seasons. Why wouldn't JKidd want out? Why would VC want to stay in?

This season is a mess. It's no fun going to the arena.

Will it ever end?

Post Game - Frank vacuity

Frank's post game can be summarized as follows:
- "we" didn't commit to defense
- "we" were not the agressors on offense.

Whose offense are they running, brain boy? Bill Cartwright's? Brian Hill's?

Who's supposed to get the team to commit to anything? Jason Kidd? Rod Thorn?

The Net's offense is this - stand around the arc and take a jump shot. Period.

What in the world does this man bring to the team? Are they listening to him? Does he help them in the game by knowing when to throw cold water on runs? The OTHER TEAM'S RUNS? Can he call a play even if he does call time out?

Altho this is the first time I have been a season ticket holder, I have watched every game, basically, since 2002. I have never seen a team, not even the lowly Knicks, play the same game over and over and over again. This is because any coach worth 1/10th today's salaries could figure out This ain't working. Try something different.

Does Frank vary his substitution pattern? No.

Does he vary his timeout pattern? No.

Does he change his offense? No.

What is his value?

Game 21 - Franks Wash-out

Only down by 4 in 1st altho had been down 10.

Up by 6 at half, altho Wash had last shot.

Up 59-50. Washington gets it to 59-55 and nets are in disarray. No timeout called. What is he waiting for????

Timeout only called when Nets get down a point, ie, a 10 pt turnaround.

Tied at 70, Nets out shooting 58%-42, but Wash has taken 10 more shots and 6 more freethrows, all of which they made.

Nets up 72-71 and Carter fouls shooter shooting a three. Stupid foul. All 3 drained, Wash up 2.

Last minute. So far Nets have been outscored 3-0 at the end of the quarter, due to foul. Bad shot, another foul. 4-0. 5-0. (Kidd's on the bench, btw) Airball 24 sec violation. Wash will get last shot again. Good. 7-0 run. Washington leads by 6.

Commentator: "Nets once again not being able to finish a quarter, which frustrates Lawrence Frank." HE'S THE FREAKING CAUSE!

Twelve point turn around, unassisted by Frank.

Nets let Wash score 36 points. And Nets are OUTSHOOTING them 57-43!

Open the 4th. Kidd still on bench... That's helpful, brain boy Frank!

Hey, LF called a timeout! Just after Wash went up by 8! Great Larry boy! Only ONE QUARTER AND 14 POINTS TOO LATE!

Mark Jackson: What are the Nets trying to accomplish on the offensive end?

Being outshot 54-30 in the 4th.

Here's how Lawrence Frank teams have fared up to December 9th:
2004 5-13 (Ok, Kidd out with injury for beginning of the season)
2005 9-9
2006 7-11
2007 9-12

No Gil Arenas. Lose by 15.

Washington started the season 0-5. They now have a better record than the Nets.

There is not a single positive to be taken from tonite's game.

Clearly, it is Frank. He must go.

But the owner doesn't give a Ratner's ass. Get my project thru. And Rod Thorn looks like a guy ready to jump ship. Stefanski was allowed to leave. JKidd gets a migraine and people automatically think he's mutinying.

Lawrence Frank is an infected boil on this team. His infection is festering in this team. They look shell shocked, out of answers.

Frank has coached one of the best teams in the east to mediocrity for 5 seasons now. He is single handedly killing them. They have no hope while he rules the bench.

Because he has no clue. None. Whatsoever.

Game 20 - Didn't need to go

End of 1st qtr - down by 10
End of half - down by 15

Sound familiar? It's so repetitive I didn't even need to go tonite. I could have written this post and stayed home.

Is Lawrence Frank the only one who is not getting it?

The Nets are 4-8 at home. It's Dec 7 (a day that will live in infamy).

In 2001-2002, the Nets lost 8 games at home the ENTIRE SEASON.

Last 8 home games: 1-7 and the 1 was an overtime win over hapless Philadelphia.

Through it all, Frank maintains his mechanical substitution patterns...

No wonder Kidd had a migraine the other night. I'm getting one myself!

Here are the halftime scores for those 7 losses:

12/7 Houston 48-33 (and a 3 at the buzzer was disallowed)
12/5 Knicks 51-42
11/27 Memphis 58-45
11/17 Miami 45-35
11/16 Orlando 45-32
11/12 Hornets 49-37
11/10 Celtics 59-52 (only single digit deficit at the half of the run)

And here's the kicker: The game they WON, at halftime:

12/1 Phila 51-35

And just before that loss run, here's the halftime score of the game they won:
11/8 Wash 41-36

That is, the Nets have not had the lead at home at the half since NOVEMBER 6, over a month ago. And only twice were they within 10, and only won one of them.

Here's the first quarter scores of that run:

12/7 Houston 28-18
12/5 Knicks 26-18
12/1 Phila 28-19
11/27 Memphis 28-25
11/17 NETS 23-18 (lost anyway)
11/16 Orlando 25-10
11/12 Hornets 26-21
11/10 NETS 27-26 (against the Celts and they lost anyway)
11/8 Wash 27-15

Even the two games they actually won during this "run" ("this is the NBA and teams are gonna make runs..." - Lawrence Frank. Okay, so how come it's never the NETS??) they had to dig out of major holes, as early as the first quarter.

Night after night after night the Nets are coming out flat. What should that tell you, Frank?

CALL TIMEOUT IN THE FIRST QUARTER AND GET THEIR FREAKING ATTENTION.

Game 19 - Migraine, no gain

The Knicks win their first road game of the season.

Ok, JKidd sits with a migraine. But the Knicks had neither Marbury nor Curry.

Knicks win the first qtr by 8. Win the game by 7.

Last 3 mins of 2nd qtr: Knicks 11-4. 7 point difference. Number look familiar?

Timeouts by Nets during that period? ONE! With 2 seconds left, and the damage already done.

9-10. Mediocrity.

And their coach can't help them.

I can't imagine this is a stable situation. Something is gonna happen....

GV

Game 18 - Predictable blowout, predictably done

LeBron can't play. Cleveland lacks other talent. Ragtag Nets, even on the road. Win.

And finally win by 10+. And finally win by 20+. On the road.

IN a couple of weeks they play Cleveland at home, I would imagine with LeBron. Then we'll see...

Even so, Cleveland was 9-9, another mediocre team...

Tomorrow they play the awful Knicks at home. Can they get a home winning streak going?

We'll see....

Off day - Embracing mediocrity

Against teams .500 and over: 1-7
Against teams less than .500: 7-2

This is the classic definition of mediocre - a .500 team that can beat sub-.500 teams and can't beat those over it.

How can a team with so much talent be so mediocre?

Most of the time there is a complex of reasons, but in this case the data is so stark it's amazing to me that no one else is concentrating on it: Lawrence Frank cannot in-game coach.

The Nets are one of the few teams in the NBA yet to have won by 10 or more points. (The Knicks, Seattle and Minnesota are the others. Combined they have barely more wins than the Nets.) They have lost 6 by 10 or more, 5 by 20 or more.

During the Lawrence Frank era, as they say, the Nets are 166-138, a difference of +28. But 14 of them were the initial streak, so it's really +14. Over 5 seasons.

Bruce Ratner is not going to make a coaching change. What will happen?

JKidd wants to stay. VC is staying. RJ is the focal point now of the O.

The cases are:
- Frank suddenly and unaccountably "gets it"
- The Nets remain mired in mediocrity.

A shame, really. A decent coach would easily get 50 wins out of this talent. Might not get out of the 2nd round, but then again, the 2nd round might be a lot easier with 50 wins...

I wonder if Brian Hill would do better...

We'll never know.

It's time, for my own sanity, to mourn 2002, 2003, 2004 and embrace mediocrity, sadly...

Game 17 - Predictable blowout, predictably done

Here's some stats that will tell you everything you need to know:

Last 1:50 of 1st qtr: Detroit 5-0
Last 1:13 of 2nd qtr: Detroit 7-0
Last 2:00 of 3rd qtr: Detroit 7-0

Cumulative: Detroit 19-0
Final margin of loss: 23

Nets time outs during those periods above: 0

Say what you will - If your coach is not willing to help you out, at best you'll be mediocre.

At best.

Game 16 - Groundhog Morning

Ok, we all know the script:
- Fast start, no defense
- JKidd MUST come out with 2 mins to play in the first qtr.
- Nets down 9 after 1
- JKidd sits out the first half of the 2nd
- Nets down 10 when he gets back in
- Stupid foul at the end of the half
- Nets down 16 at the half

Shooting pct at half: Phi 59 NJ 37
Rebounds at half: Phi 28 NJ 12

How many times are we gonna see this stuff this year?

Then:
-Nets have furious 3rd qtr and trail at the end by 1
- Nets dawdle in the middle of the 4th and trail by 5
- Nets come back and have a 2 pt lead, and the ball, with 43 secs left.

Now, might this not be a good place to call timeout, set up a play, go back up by 4 with, say, 25 secs left?

Of course not, and Philly scores on foul shots. THEN the Nets call timeout (one play too late, a Lawrence Frank trademark), set up a play, and VC misses the shot.

OK, overtime.

15 seconds left, Nets up by 5. Remember that.

Philly has TWO POINTS in OT up to this point. But they launch a 3. Twish. Two point game.

Phila fouls right away, RJ cans one of two. Three point Net lead, 8 seconds to play.

Nets foul right away, in the back court, which ensures that no matter what happens, the Nets will be up by at least 1.

Ok, stop right there. Go back.

Remember previously, Nets up 5, 15 seconds to play. WOULDN'T HAVE MADE SENSE TO FOUL AT THAT POINT??? The Nets obviously had that in mind, since they used that strategy the rest of the game. But wouldn't it have been better to make it a 5-3 or 5-4 game than a 3-2 or 3-1 game?

It amazes me! He obviously gets the strategy, but even still doesn't implement it in time. One play too late.

The killer is, Philadelphia had a chance to WIN. That's right, only 2 seconds left but if you don't believe it can happen I have two words for you: Milt Palacio.

Air ball. Nets win.

A lot of people are getting on the Nets fans, but I have to say, they were cheering at the end and jubilant when they won.

But to be honest, it felt like a loss...