Rest assured the Nets are best in the league at something, and I think I know what it is: illustrating how fine the line can be between looking horrible and looking great, between looking like losers and looking like winners. A cortisone shot here, a trade audition there, one young big man developing a nose for the ball, another showing the first tentative steps toward rehabilitation, and still another growing literally by leaps and bounds. All of a sudden guys start defending harder, running harder, believing in each other and their coach more, and getting good results, which in turn fuels better concentration, confidence, and chemistry. Winning in pro sports sometimes seems to me that it must be every bit as delicate a balance to achieve and maintain as the balance of forces that hold the universe together at both the macro and micro levels. One wrong thing can lead to consistent losing but one right thing, by itself, is never enough to produce consistent winning. Rather a whole host of interdependent things that have to go right. And when they do converge, the inertia of winning is every bit as fierce as the inertia of losing, every bit as real as the inertia of a mack truck. It's hard to get it moving at a swift pace, but once it gets there, it's just as hard to stop it. Others have stated for several seasons that the Nets needed to "blow up the team", usually after enduring one of the Nets' frequent spells of confoundingly bad, lethargic basketball. I was very late to that party. Only this season, before it was 100% clear that Carter's diminished offensive aggressiveness and prowess was injury-related, did I believe that the Nets as constituted at their core were incapable of somehow finding the magic balance that could lead to consistent winning. I had begun to regain hope after the Miami game and had even maintained that hope through the Laker game. The Dallas game revives my belief that this group -- if they can avoid more major injuries -- can still be very competitive in the playoffs. One big reason is because the Carter of the last several games is the Carter that the Nets have come to expect and the one they resigned in the summer. It's no coincidence that, since getting a cortisone shot a couple of weeks ago, he looks physically like an entirely different player. All of a sudden he's cutting harder on offense, dunking, getting into the lane, getting lift on his long jumpers, running out on the break, and doing a terrific job defending the likes of Wade, Bryant, and Jason Richardson in consecutive games. If the effects of the cortisone shot are more than temporary (and the upcoming all star break should only help), then the Nets' outlook for the rest of this season is a lot better than it seemed a very short time ago. And the other reason is that I have no doubt that if Kidd is not traded, we can expect far more games like the last two than like the majority of the previous 10-15. If he's here beyond the deadline, he will stop pouting, his natural competitiveness will take over, and he will do his best to help this team win. And his morale will be markedly better after realizing that his backcourt mate is still physically and mentally capable of taking over a game. Put that together with the blossoming of Boone and Williams, the re-emergence of Krstic, and the possibility that Swift can come in and do with some regularity what we saw him do at the end of the Dallas game, and you have a team that could easily start to gain some confidence, win a few games, gain some more confidence, win some more, feel good about their chemistry, win some more, and so on. Before you know it, there's a brand new season called the playoffs in which none of their meandering failures and squabbles the past 6 months will matter except insofar as it makes them feel fortunate and motivated to have managed to still be playing. Boston killers they are not. They need at least one really good shooter before they could even think about that. (I agree with those who are pushing for Mike Miller since Memphis seems to be holding yard sales lately.) But if they could get a guy like Miller before the deadline and stay healthy into the playoffs, I still think this team is dangerous.
I love your posts, by the way. There are a lot of world-class athletes in the NBA. What sets teams apart is unselfishness, attitude, and cooperation. There are a lot of "ifs" for the Nets to play well. However, they've proven that they can do so with a core of Kidd, Carter, RJ, and Krstic when all are healthy. However, their lack of depth is obviously a problem. Even if they shorten their rotation to eight or nine guys, they'll have problems. Moving Sean to the bench is a plus, but their backup PG (whoever it is), Wright, Boki and possibly Swift have to perform when given a chance. Wright CAN be a defensive stopper off the bench who can hit some open shots. Boki CAN be the shooter off the bench. Sean CAN provide energy and run the floor. If Krstic can not contribute, they have NO chance. Will it all happen? Probably not; there are too many variables at play. Reducing Malik Allen's minutes to zero will certainly help. Obviously, Kidd's attitude--and the attitude towards him by his teammates--will be the final, deciding factor. I'd personally like to see him gone--I think he's a sleazy prima donna who has no leadership skills. I laugh when I see the Nets' "NBA Cares" commercial, where they show RJ reading books at a library, Carter packing boxes, and Kidd . . .what is Kidd doing? Oh, that's right; he is visiting an elementary school that was solely arranged as a marketing tool by the team. The fact that Kidd demanded to be traded when he KNEW that half the remaining starting lineup was injured disgusts me. Is there any doubt in anyones mind that this is all related to the contract extension issue? What a selfish ingrate. It is his whining that got Collins dealt, and Twin deserved better, regardless of whether Swift turns out to be able to contribute. (a part of me hopes that Collins is bought out, and the Nets resign him at the minimum). There are really only two good, deep teams in the East. Orlando has quite possibly the worst backcourt in the league, with Jameer Nelson, Carlos Arroyo, and Maurice Evans getting most of the minutes. What sets Detroit and Boston apart are the three things I listed at the top.
They better start finding a way to win now because the last two months of their schedule.. *gulp* And the sixth seed could be in reach again with the the Wizards in a slide. Ah, the one team where Collins would be most useful in guarding Dwight Howard... Please trade Magloire for some shooters by upgrading the backup PG, SG positions if they plan to make a run into the playoffs with this core group.
I think the role players are key but this team will only make it as far as Kidd and Carter take it. If Kidd doesnt get traded theres no doubt in my mind hes gonna play with 110% because hes a competitor and cause he wants to look good for those few teams that look like they have a serious chance to contend but got knocked out of the playoffs cause they were missing that 1 extra piece.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Feb 10 2008, 11:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I love your posts, by the way.</div> Agreed. I don't know where you find that optimism, but good for you. Someone needs to stay positive.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ly_yng @ Feb 10 2008, 10:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Feb 10 2008, 11:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I love your posts, by the way.</div> Agreed. I don't know where you find that optimism, but good for you. Someone needs to stay positive. </div> The difference between good Nets and bad Nets is typically the level of Carter's play.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Feb 10 2008, 10:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Obviously, Kidd's attitude--and the attitude towards him by his teammates--will be the final, deciding factor. I'd personally like to see him gone--I think he's a sleazy prima donna who has no leadership skills.</div> I agree. But, sadly, my opinion doesn't matter. What matters is that Kidd is still perceived as a leader by his teammates and by nearly everyone who utters his name in basketball circles (nice that Peter Vescey has his number, though). So the attitude he displays will have an influence on his teammates, and they will still feel like they are blessed to be playing with one of the league's two best point guards because that's his reputation and every now and then he will play well enough to actually deserve it. And there is some real measure of confidence that other players feel when they play next to a name like Jason Kidd's, a value that could not be replaced with any player Kidd could bring back in a trade. So as long as he's finished sulking -- and if the Nets continue to play well right up until the break -- I would not trade him until the offseason unless some team really came through with a nice offer. If he's here beyond the break and the team is competing reasonably well, I don't doubt that he will do his best to help them win. I totally concur about the bench. I really had hopes for Boki, but he has not lived up to them. I'll allow that he could still catch a hot streak if the team started playing consistently well enough around him that he could feel his role better. But Wright, I fear, is a lost cause. If either or both of them could be moved for a bona fide shooter, with Magloire's expiring salary thrown in as necessary, that's a no brainer. The biggest weakness on the team is the lack of a really good role playing shooter. But it would only take one the quality of a Mike Miller to really make a major difference. Then Frank would have to find some way to get Marcus Williams going again as I do believe the kid has real talent. But between the foot, the lack of floor time, the fragility of his confidence, and the fragility of the team around him (which meant he didn't have the luxury to play through his mistakes and find his confidence), he has been the biggest disappointment in a disappointing season thus far. I still think he could turn it around. And the first key to that is for the team to start playing well enough without him that Frank feels okay leaving MWill out there long enough to get himself going. You are correct that there are a lot of simultaneous variables. But the thing is that none of them seem individually improbable to me. If Marcus could play as well as he did for most of last season, that would be enough for now. If Krstic could get back to 80% of his prior form, that would be enough for now, considering the emergence of Williams, Boone, and the presence of another big man option in Swift. And I don't see why the Nets couldn't bring in Miller without giving up too much. All reasonable scenarios, thus my belief that the Nets could still turn this season around by mid April.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (FOMW @ Feb 10 2008, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Rest assured the Nets are best in the league at something, and I think I know what it is: illustrating how fine the line can be between looking horrible and looking great, between looking like losers and looking like winners. A cortisone shot here, a trade audition there, one young big man developing a nose for the ball, another showing the first tentative steps toward rehabilitation, and still another growing literally by leaps and bounds. All of a sudden guys start defending harder, running harder, believing in each other and their coach more, and getting good results, which in turn fuels better concentration, confidence, and chemistry. Winning in pro sports sometimes seems to me that it must be every bit as delicate a balance to achieve and maintain as the balance of forces that hold the universe together at both the macro and micro levels. One wrong thing can lead to consistent losing but one right thing, by itself, is never enough to produce consistent winning. Rather a whole host of interdependent things that have to go right. And when they do converge, the inertia of winning is every bit as fierce as the inertia of losing, every bit as real as the inertia of a mack truck. It's hard to get it moving at a swift pace, but once it gets there, it's just as hard to stop it. Others have stated for several seasons that the Nets needed to "blow up the team", usually after enduring one of the Nets' frequent spells of confoundingly bad, lethargic basketball. I was very late to that party. Only this season, before it was 100% clear that Carter's diminished offensive aggressiveness and prowess was injury-related, did I believe that the Nets as constituted at their core were incapable of somehow finding the magic balance that could lead to consistent winning. I had begun to regain hope after the Miami game and had even maintained that hope through the Laker game. The Dallas game revives my belief that this group -- if they can avoid more major injuries -- can still be very competitive in the playoffs. One big reason is because the Carter of the last several games is the Carter that the Nets have come to expect and the one they resigned in the summer. It's no coincidence that, since getting a cortisone shot a couple of weeks ago, he looks physically like an entirely different player. All of a sudden he's cutting harder on offense, dunking, getting into the lane, getting lift on his long jumpers, running out on the break, and doing a terrific job defending the likes of Wade, Bryant, and Jason Richardson in consecutive games. If the effects of the cortisone shot are more than temporary (and the upcoming all star break should only help), then the Nets' outlook for the rest of this season is a lot better than it seemed a very short time ago. And the other reason is that I have no doubt that if Kidd is not traded, we can expect far more games like the last two than like the majority of the previous 10-15. If he's here beyond the deadline, he will stop pouting, his natural competitiveness will take over, and he will do his best to help this team win. And his morale will be markedly better after realizing that his backcourt mate is still physically and mentally capable of taking over a game. Put that together with the blossoming of Boone and Williams, the re-emergence of Krstic, and the possibility that Swift can come in and do with some regularity what we saw him do at the end of the Dallas game, and you have a team that could easily start to gain some confidence, win a few games, gain some more confidence, win some more, feel good about their chemistry, win some more, and so on. Before you know it, there's a brand new season called the playoffs in which none of their meandering failures and squabbles the past 6 months will matter except insofar as it makes them feel fortunate and motivated to have managed to still be playing. Boston killers they are not. They need at least one really good shooter before they could even think about that. (I agree with those who are pushing for Mike Miller since Memphis seems to be holding yard sales lately.) But if they could get a guy like Miller before the deadline and stay healthy into the playoffs, I still think this team is dangerous.</div> Great post. That shooter could happen to be a healthy Krstic... or a confident Marcus.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dumpy @ Feb 10 2008, 10:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The fact that Kidd demanded to be traded when he KNEW that half the remaining starting lineup was injured disgusts me. Is there any doubt in anyones mind that this is all related to the contract extension issue? What a selfish ingrate. It is his whining that got Collins dealt, and Twin deserved better, regardless of whether Swift turns out to be able to contribute. (a part of me hopes that Collins is bought out, and the Nets resign him at the minimum).</div> First off, this thread thoroughly entertained me, and I'm glad I saved the best thread for last to look at tonight. FOMW and Dumpy always have something good to say, very entertaining and thorough. Secondly, I'm loving the Collins being bought out idea. Collins is a great guy. He'd be great to have on the bench, and everything. He'd be a great chemistry guy, a great morale guy, and a great teacher of defense for Sean, Josh, and Krstic, and maybe even Swift two. Also, it'd potentially get rid of my least favorite player to ever put on a Nets Jersey: Malik Allen. He'd be outta here. We'd have Sean, Josh, Collins, Swift, Krstic, and no need for Malik at all. It'd be like heaven...even if we're losing. As long as I don't have to see him completely screwing up. And then, with the Mike Miller talk - that would be a great pickup. He'd be exactly the type of player that we need. Not only can he shoot lights out, but he's also a pretty damn good playmaker. He'd be perfect. The only thing is, is it too late already? Are we already down the wrong track, with Carter seemingly in his decline, our perimeter players playing the worst defense of their careers, and Kidd wanting out? I'm not too sure. This win is a great win, no doubt, but it most definitely does confuse things a bit. Think about it: After this win, does Kidd still want out? Is Vince still in his decline, or is he bouncing back? Are our players actually gonna play as if they give a damn? Is Krstic "back"? Should we still blow it up ASAP, or should we wait until the summer? Should we expect more wins like this in the near future? Can we still make the playoffs, and make a splash in the playoffs? I'm not sure about anything right now. I already accepted that we had a shitty team, and that we had no reason to keep it together completely as-is. But this win has really mixed me up in my head.
boki, wright, malik, and maglorie work for mike miller according to espn trade. maybe we can get him for wright, malik, and mags and offer picks or cash instead.
The first two posts in this thread are brilliant and should be what everyone reads when visiting this site. Great work FOMW and Dumpy.
You know, in all the optimism, I didn't even mention Jefferson. He's only having the best individual season of his career, among the very best in the league at scoring from the foul line.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (soul driver @ Feb 11 2008, 09:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>boki, wright, malik, and maglorie work for mike miller according to espn trade. maybe we can get him for wright, malik, and mags and offer picks or cash instead.</div> The Grizzlies already have Kwame Brown, Darko Milicic, Hakim Warrick, Jason Collins, Andre Brown... Don't think they'd want 4 more big men in one deal. Then again what do I know. With Swift's luck he'll get traded back to the Grizzlies (again) in a package for Miller...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Stromile6 @ Feb 11 2008, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (soul driver @ Feb 11 2008, 09:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>boki, wright, malik, and maglorie work for mike miller according to espn trade. maybe we can get him for wright, malik, and mags and offer picks or cash instead.</div> The Grizzlies already have Kwame Brown, Darko Milicic, Hakim Warrick, Jason Collins, Andre Brown... Don't think they'd want 4 more big men in one deal. Then again what do I know. With Swift's luck he'll get traded back to the Grizzlies (again) in a package for Miller... </div> As much as I would like to see Miller come here I think he winds up in Miami. Nets could get him for Boki, Magloire and Allen, but it would put us over the luxury tax cap. Memphis would just buyout Magloire and Allen. Two biggest holes on this team are back-up wing and PG. Maybe we take a chance on Mike James? Salary is less than Miller and he can back-up both guards spots. Can score and defend. His contract isn't the greatest and he's having a shitty season under Adelman. Maybe he can be resurrected? I prefer Charlie Bell if we can steal him. Cheaper and younger. At lease a combo affords some room to give minutes to Marcus when appropriate.
