<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Coach Lawrence Frank was about two degrees shy of his head exploding after the Nets embarrassed themselves in a 105-81 disgrace in which they put up jump shot after jump shot against Orlando's zone. "We live and die by the jump shot. That's the way this season has been. As much as we want to get it inside, when we win or play at a high level, we make jump shots," said Jason Kidd, who seemed inordinately calm ? almost resigned ? about the Nets possibly saying good-bye to playoff aspirations. "We're way behind and we're trying to play catch-up. Everything has to go our way to even have a chance. We have to try to make a push, and if it doesn't happen, we have to be professional about it," he added. Maybe Kidd is being more realistic than anything. Or maybe he's plotting a summer exodus, referring to an inside game that lacks Kenyon Martin, the source of Kidd's unhappiness. Kidd in the past asked out and was denied a trade, notably to Minnesota. In the recent past, Kidd and the league saw Alonzo Mourning, Jim Jackson, Elden Campbell and Baron Davis sulk and hold their breath. And then get their way. </div> Source
Rodney Buford going down back in early Febuary was a major hit to our playoff run. It didnt seem that way to some because we were able to keep it together for a few weeks after. But this team realy lacks his ablity to be that 3rd scorer on a routine basis. And he is the best player to stretch the opponents defense to open up even more room & lanes for Kidd. RB is back now but he isnt playing alot of minutes & Iam not for sure if he will be able to establish that role back to the point where he can truly be an effective piece to our playoff push over the next month & some change. But right now, we dont have a routine 3rd scorer, Carter has to darn near score 40 for us to even be competive on most nights. So we just dont have enuff right now to beat a quality teams,and it shows when we play a team like Miami or Orlando, teams who have multiple scorers, size opn the frontline etc. I want the Nets to stay in the playoff race because during a playoff race pressure you get to kind of examine the team better. And that will allow us to decide which parts we need to keep & which parts we need to try & move during the offseason cause Iam hoping for a somewhat vast offseason make over, to get some better pieaces to go around Kidd-Carter- jefferson & a developing Krstic. Missing the playoffs if it happens wont be a bad thing Kidd probably wont be happy. But if we can par-lay that into a quality pick then we can live threw it.....
Personally, as a fan right now, I dont feel energized. I turned the Orlando game off during the second quarter. I do not know whether the team actually is feeling the same way to a degree, but if they I am more interesting in seeing the Nets finishing this season injury free as well as in condiontion to do somthing in the off-season. The way the big-men positions are right now, the Nets do not have a chance to make noise in this year or subsequent years. Kristic and Collins are ok, and Robinson off of the bench seems fine, but the Nets need focus on drafting a big energetic PF. Kenyon Martin was that in a way and the Nets will never be able to get the same or close to the same player back, but they can draft a descent guy. I am also 100% sure that the Coaching staff will work with Kristic this summer and make sure that he will be on the same page defensivly and rebounding wise. This season seems almost up right now to me. If the Nets beat the Spurs tommorrow night, maybe I'll consider otherwise, but for now the Nets do not have what it takes.
Well I wouldn't give up on the playoffs yet, considering their relatively easy schedule that's still ahead of them. Yes I was disgusted by the orlando game, but let's look at it this way: The Nets current record is 26-34 The Nets have 22 games left. 41 win will probably get you into the playoffs, 42 a guarantee. So they need to go at least 15-7 the rest of the way. 11 of those teams are .500 or higher Only 2 of those 11 are elite teams, .576 or higher (San Antonio, Miami) 8 of those teams are .400 teams 3 of those teams are just .300 teams (Charlotte, New Orleans, Utah) If the Nets: lose against the 2 elite teams (0-2) win half against the .500 teams (5-4) win 2/3 against the .400 teams (7-1) win all against .300 teams (3-0) then the Nets will be a needed 15-7 the rest of the way. It's not impossible, and also likely, but the hardest challenge will be going 7-1 against the .400 teams. But 4 of those teams (LAC, Toronto, and New York) have an equal or worse record, and should be definite wins (last game vs toronto not withstanding). The Nets also play division rivals 6 times, all in the crucial last month of april, and those games could be key to a playoff berth as well. So 15 is the magic number, and it's also Vince Carter's number. If he can lead the Nets through the next 22 games, and win the right games, Nets are in the playoffs.
