Re: Criticism of Nets' big men no longer applies <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Here's a news flash: Time flies.Wasn't it only 12 months ago that it was suggested the Nets' power trio was a 21-foot canard, given its lack of power and the slim chance it would ever hold together long enough to be a trio?Wasn't it a given that Nenad Krstic was too green, Cliff Robinson too ancient and Jason Collins too landlocked and injury prone to get this team through a season?Is anyone still willing to make those same assumptions?Go ahead, he dares you:"The way Nenad played last year silenced a lot of people," Robinson said yesterday. "His ability to play inside and knock down the jumper surprised everybody. Jason had injuries, but coming into this season he feels pretty good. And I'm doing what I do, so whether they call me old or not, I still feel good about my ability and where I'm at."They have all earned that much. Robinson, who turns 40 in a few months, was still one of the league's most effective bench players last season. Krstic's progress was stunning, and at 23 he appears headed for All-Stardom. And Collins, as long as he stays upright, remains the team's defensive anchor.In short, while none are ever mentioned among the elite frontcourt players in the NBA, they are a near-perfect amalgam for the Nets' style, and a far better power rotation than most critics want to admit. If that sounds like an exaggeration, go back a year. Collins was coming off knee surgery, Robinson was purportedly old, and nobody knew when Krstic's next growth spurt would come.And then the Nets learned this: When their bigs played big, they could compete with anybody."You can always sit back and play fantasy GM and hope you can find an athletic power forward who can give you a double-double," Jason Kidd said. "But we're going to go with what we have, and we like what we have. We like our chances with the group that we have." You find that this group has a good collective memory. Just ask Collins:"Some people, before the Indiana series in particular, thought Jermaine O'Neal was going to do us in," he said. "But we did a good job of containing him. We do a good job of defending, first and foremost. We do a good job of helping teammates out. But you don't usually get credit for that stuff."Moreover, Krstic's final act of '05-06 has caused his reputation to take a hit, but that's just background music. After the conclusion of the Miami series -- a five-game nightmare for him, with averages of 10.8 points and 6.4 boards -- he spent the next two weeks on a beach in the Dominican Republic, marinating in self-loathing.His first conclusion: He would rest all summer, and skip the World Championships. His second: It won't happen again."It was very hard," the center said. "I was very sad with the way I finished the season. Maybe this is the biggest reason I didn't (play for Serbia). In that last game (against Miami), I was very tired."I was (obsessing) about it, and my girlfriend was like, 'You can't do anything about it now.' So I use it as a motivation.""Look, we've said this many times: We don't probably beat Indiana without Nenad," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "The guy was phenomenal. He saved us. So as a team we didn't get the job done against Miami. You turn the page. It's extra motivation. He's obviously a very, very valuable piece to our team, supported by the statistics last year. But you move on. The past is dead. You learn from it and you stay in the moment."That is essentially Robinson's greatest strength, which is why he's lasted so long. He is entering his 18th season -- two short of his ultimate goal -- and remains in superb shape. The drug suspension from the Miami series doesn't come up often, if at all. He is perpetually grateful about being invited back, and pleased the team added two more guys -- Josh Boone and Mikki Moore -- to the power rotation."Josh is a good young player, and Mikki had a really good year in Seattle last year," Robinson said. "He's very capable of catching and finishing around the basket. It's a matter of all of us understanding what's needed and trying to be consistent in what we provide."Notes: Krstic injured his neck during the morning practice (whiplash was his best guess), and Frank was planning to keep him out of the night session. ... Stu Jackson, league vice president, showed up yesterday to get a first-hand look at how the maligned new basketball was working. He did not address the players or tell them to stifle their complaints, but Vince Carter dialed it down a few notches: "If we play with them, we play with them," he said. "You're going to have to adjust to it like everyone else in the league." ...Carter's salute to Jay Williams: "You can see sometimes he's struggling, but we all appreciate his effort and the way he plays. He's an unbelievable player. He has great skills. It's just unfortunate that his accident slowed him down, but he doesn't make any excuses. I tip my hat to him."</div>http://www.nj.com/nets/ledger/index.ssf?/b...ll=1&thispage=2
Re: Criticism of Nets' big men no longer applies Good read. I still doubt our big men can mess with most team's big men, but we have good enough big guys to help us reach the Playoffs and semifinals a second time, right? Right.
Re: Criticism of Nets' big men no longer applies If Collins and Moore can work on their offense. and Kristic and IIillic work on there defense we will be beastly next year.
Re: Criticism of Nets' big men no longer applies Krstic is a good post up guy, and he can shoot too. He is a good offensive guy. Collins on the other hand doesn't bring offense to the table, but is a great defensive player. I think the Nets need another offensive big, and their fine.
Re: Criticism of Nets' big men no longer applies Yeah I agree, if they get a great PF (Josh Boone if he devolps) watch out for them
