Thorn: "We Should've Been Champions in 2003"
by Net Income on Aug 27, 2010 7:00 PM EDT
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PrintRod Thorn is with the Sixers now, his "retirement" lasting a matter of weeks. For 46 years, he's been part of the NBA, but he tells Shaun Powell that one of his biggest disappointments was the Nets loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2003 Finals.
"We were tied 2-2, and in Game 5 we throw the ball away in the last few minutes of a close game. We then go to San Antonio for Game 6 and have a double-digit lead and blow it", recalled Thorn. "We should've been champions; I'll always believe that."
Thorn also talks about the moment he knew Michael Jordan was going to be special and his special relationship with Detroit's "Bad Boys."
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I've been saying this for a while but...
That Spurs series really was a lot closer than the media claims it was.
If I remember it correctly ...
even the Spurs felt good that they stole it from us.
And the Nets believed they could have won it.
But mistakes are part of the game, so …
"It's time", "I'll take my talent to ..." "Beat the Heat!"
Chooo Chooo ... all aboard!
I've got my 2003 Nets World Champions Shirt (Should've Edition)
It’s awesome. Can’t believe how awesome that Game 7 should’ve been, when that player should’ve hit that shot. I should’ve gone crazy.
Good luck with that squad Captain Thorn. I actually think you and the Wizards are the sleepers for Melo. No joke.
Another time in Detroit, I was sitting a few rows up, and with about a minute left in the game, a guy walks by and says, ’You’re a [bleep].’ I don’t say anything, I just let him keep walking. And then this older lady, who’s sitting in front of me, turns around and says, ‘That guy is right. You are a [bleep].’
“I was with Horace Balmer, the director of security, and he says, ’I’m never sitting here with you again.’”
Hilarious!!
I AGREE!
ticky tack fouls all over the place too. Kenyon couldn’t come close to Duncan without refs being all over him. Really could have won that series… that really grinds my gears
Kerry Kittles missed many shots
An Anthony Morrow type player would’ve meant a championship.
Serious.
What stings more
Is Jason Kidd not winning the MVP the year before.
It pisses me off so much, even to this day. I want to tear down bookshelves and throw things at handicap kids.
It’s bad.
I thought the Spurs were the clearly superior team in that series. Duncan was just too much, no way he would have allowed the Spurs to lose the title. Thorn was almost too optimistic about that team and others during his tenure and his comments reflect that outlook. In truth, we were an excellent team but benefited from a very weak eastern conference.
Hell Yeah Rod
The Nets will never get their respect they deserve for those 2 magical seasons in Jerzey!
I was very young but I remember listening to this game in the car… AnD when I got home I saw the spurs celebrating ;(
"I want to win, I want the team to win and I'm in complete control."
-Coach Avery Johnson.
by Andy. on Aug 27, 2010 7:56 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Kidd thought the same thing, that is why he wanted Scott fired
Scott’s coaching decisions in Games 5 and 6 are what killed the Nets. Funny how Rod overlooks that little detail.
Please Prokhorov never again listen to the fools that told you it was a good idea to retain Rod Thorn
by cpawfan on Aug 27, 2010 9:21 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
how about
KMart’s 3 for 23 game 6 performance?
or Timmy almost recording a quadruple double in that game? there’s nothing you can do against that
Kenyon should have been on the bench long before he hit 20 FGA's
And I say that as huge Kenyon fan. There were a ton of tactical mistakes from Scott in game 6.
Please Prokhorov never again listen to the fools that told you it was a good idea to retain Rod Thorn
Scott got coached out of his socks
"No one stands on the top of the world. Not you, not me, not even gods. But the unbearable vacancy of the throne in the sky is over. From now on...I will be sitting on it."
by MrDollarBills on Aug 28, 2010 8:35 AM EDT up reply actions
totally agree
His refusal to play Mutombo more allowed Duncan to go wild.
by calling all toasters on Aug 28, 2010 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Thorn is Gone...
I don’t care about him anymore…….He is a Traitor……
by NetFan48 on Aug 27, 2010 11:25 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
The media makes it seem like we got trashed in that series.
I was actually rooting for the Kings to make it out of the west that year because I thought we matched up better against them.
"No one stands on the top of the world. Not you, not me, not even gods. But the unbearable vacancy of the throne in the sky is over. From now on...I will be sitting on it."
Before Magic, before Bird, before Jordan...
There was Dr. J. He was an amazing player who doesn’t get the recognition he deserves because he played his best years in the ABA. And he proved that you don’t have to be a jerk to be a superstar. I love articles like this that talk about the Nets’ roots in New York. After all, we are ABA champs forever!
At 2-2 with game 5 at home
they definitely had a shot and very little people even remember that being the case unfortunately. Too much is made of how the East was weak when J-Kidd’s Nets ruled the conference and too little credit is given to his teams as a result. That being said, Kenyon going 3 for 23 in the biggest game in team history and then demanding a max contract was beyond absurd, and yet he got one.
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