Tick, Tick, Tick - Time Running Short for the Nets

by Net Income on Mar 24, 2010 12:19 PM EDT

The Nets have to win one-fourth of their final 12 games, knowing they've only won one-tenth of the first 70. The Nets have to prove they are not, in Bill Parcells famous line, what their record says they are: the worst team ever to wear an NBA uniform. The national media is now on the case. USA Today has a whole package of stories Wednesday on the team's demise, with an analysis of what went wrong, a statistical wrap-up, an interactive poll, even an interview with the best player on the 1972-73 Sixer team that by this point in the season had won their ninth--and last--game.

Filip Bondy, the veteran national basketball writer for the Daily News compares the personnel on the two teams. He thinks the Nets would lose on a last second shot. Fred Carter, who enjoys calling himself the best player on the worst team ever, thinks his Sixers would win easily.

Unhappy ending? Woeful Nets on verge of being NBA's worst - J. Michael Falgoust - USA Today
New Jersey Nets 2009-10 NBA Regular Season Schedule - USA Today
Fred Carter wants his '72 Sixers to retain 'worst team' title - J. Michael Falgoust - USA Today
Goin' down in history - Filip Bondy - New York Daily News

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Hard to think

that this team couldn’t luck into more wins. You would think teams would come in taking them for ganted and they could have suprised a few. And Devin and Brook are top 10 at their positions in the league. You would think they could have at least gotten a few more wins.. Sad

by djsupreme on Mar 24, 2010 12:31 PM EDT reply actions

Teams do take them for granted.

That’s how the Nets can pull off good first halves sometimes. Then the other teams wake up at half time and turn it around. After Boston though, they won’t surprise anyone for the rest of the season. Doesn’t help they can’t close out games either.

by navycavsfan on Mar 24, 2010 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Completely agree.
Having no “go-to” scorer in close games late makes winning really difficult.
And that’s when their mediocre talent overall that plays poor defense manages to be in a close game.

by NetsJetsFan on Mar 24, 2010 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions

We'd have a lot more wins

If the games were 24 minutes

by jrtallent on Mar 24, 2010 12:40 PM EDT reply actions

Winnable games...

Sacramento, Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago, Washington, Indiana.

by Joe Uras on Mar 24, 2010 12:43 PM EDT reply actions

We need to get at least one of the next two – both would be better. Things are obviously getting chippy in the stands – it’d be nice to get that next win in the bag. Tyreke Evans isn’t playing tonight – this one is definitely in reach. I’m looking forward to tonight’s game.

by GeoffreySchmits on Mar 24, 2010 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Thompson, Landry and Hawes are a pretty good trio of bigs.

Brook needs to keep his head in the game and lead our trio of he, Hump and Yi if we’re going to have a chance.

Devin Harris lighting up Udrih could be what pushes us over the top tonight. If Harris attacks and gets Udrih in foul trouble, who else would bring the ball up court? Garcia? Donte Green?

by Joe Uras on Mar 24, 2010 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Unfortunately

The impression that I am getting is that the gap between the Nets and the rest of the league is wider than the recent scores indicate. Teams are treating the first half like a scrimage, then they play to win in the second half. Have the Wizards won a game since Blatche embarrased the Nets?

by ispartan on Mar 24, 2010 1:10 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Wow when you put it that way… About the first half being a scrimmage… Looking back atthe season, it’s depressing how true that just might be.

by JohnFromLongIsland on Mar 24, 2010 1:52 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Second half meltdowns...

The other teams make adjustments and we keep going to the well, until it comes up dry, again and again.

If Lopez or Harris start out hot, the other team clamps down and the Nets have nobody else to step up. That is why you rarely ever see more then two Nets players having a great game.

Plus this Nets team is very young and don’t have a true PF or SF. Hard to win that way.

by M I K E on Mar 24, 2010 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

"The other teams make adjustments and we keep going to the well, until it comes up dry, again and again."

Isn’t that the definition of insanity?

by Morph on Mar 24, 2010 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Does it make me less of a fan to say i’m rather indifferent to this?

Really, all this means is that the MSM will be shocked when the Nets win 35 games next year when the team finally decides that layup lines are only for pregame warmup.

by TWilliAM on Mar 24, 2010 1:11 PM EDT reply actions

Let Frank Sinatra from N.J. sum this year up...

The lyrics of this classic song should become the Nets anthem…

“I said that’s life, and as funny as it may seem
Some people get their kicks,
Stompin’ on a dream
But I don’t let it, let it get me down,
‘Cause this fine ol’ world it keeps spinning around”

“I tell ya, I can’t deny it,
I thought of quitting baby,
But my heart just ain’t gonna buy it.
And if I didn’t think it was worth one single try,
I’d jump right on a big bird and then I’d fly”

“That’s life
That’s life and I can’t deny it
Many times I thought of cutting out
But my heart won’t buy it
But if there’s nothing shakin’ come this here july
I’m gonna roll myself up in a big ball and die
My, My”

Lets win one tonight… Lets go Nets…

by M I K E on Mar 24, 2010 1:15 PM EDT reply actions

Losing

I’ll watch a bad team trying hard. I’m HAPPY watching when my team has a chance. That’s all I need, a chance. Nets gave up some this year and that was unwatchable. We lost so many games because losing breeds losing. There was a thought that management didnt want this team to really win much.

I’m concerned with the long term effect on the players. How bad is this experience for the rest of your career? I think its fair to say that most NBA players are head cases to start with. Confidence and attitude seem to count as much as ANYTHING ELSE. Will these guys ever get into a winning, expect-to-win groove with this team or any other?

by PigDaddy3 on Mar 24, 2010 1:39 PM EDT reply actions

Get rid of the losers...

This season will not be in vain. We are finding out a lot about our players. The one’s that accept losing and quit, get rid of them.

by M I K E on Mar 24, 2010 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Kenyon Martin

Off topic but found this on Kenyon Martin over at Hoopsworld and he deserves a shout out:

“Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl has called Kenyon Martin the ‘quarterback’ of the team’s defense on a number of occasions. He often barks out calls on the defensive ends and sometimes calls out the offensive play the other team is going to run seconds after they call it. He doesn’t get a lot of credit for his basketball I.Q., but all of the coaches on Denver’s staff will tell you that he’s one of the smartest players they’ve ever coached. K-Mart is also Denver’s best pick-and-roll defender. This is an area where the team really misses him simply because the Nuggets’ other bigs — most especially Chris Andersen — are poor pick-and-roll defenders. The Nuggets also like to switch a lot defensively and Martin has the ability to switch onto smaller players and stay in front of them. Without him, this strategy becomes a lot less effective. Finally, Martin is Denver’s go-to defender. By this I mean Karl would often switch him onto the other team’s best offensive player in the final minutes. For example, Karl did this when the Nuggets beat the Cavs in Denver and Martin forced LeBron James into two turnovers in the final minute of the game.

Basketball IQ is something sorely missing at the Izod.

by mt57 on Mar 24, 2010 2:07 PM EDT reply actions

What's missing is a PF or SF.

What we have is a bunch of marginal players up front, Boone, Humphries, Yi, and a bunch of talented but young and “small” guards/wings.

This team has got to get bigger and tougher. A blind man could see this.

We get out rebounded almost every night. Can’t win that way.

Draft Cousins and you get bigger and tougher right away.

Draft Wall or Turner and you get more of the same, small guards/wings.

by M I K E on Mar 24, 2010 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Correction: What's missing is a PF "and" SF.

by M I K E on Mar 24, 2010 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Dark Tunnel begins with you, Kiki

Here’s hoping the Nets reach the record with Kiki on the sidelines that night, so this record of failure hangs around his neck throughout history. You reap what you sow, you cancerous thug….Spread dissent and mutiny and you think you could survive unscathed? Good luck…

Let me change my tune: KEEP KIKI….until he breaks the record. Then, FIRE KIKI!!!!!!

Hollah!

by ShawnCarter on Mar 24, 2010 2:20 PM EDT reply actions