Brooklyn Nets: For A New Generation, It's Wait Till Next Year, Again

From the desk of:   THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

 

2012-2013

NBA PLAYOFFS

 

GAME SEVEN FINAL

Bulls   99

Nets    91

 

Chicago Bulls Win Series 4-3

Brooklyn Is Eliminated From The Playoffs

 

BROOKLYN NETS - A Game Recap Should Not Be Confused With The Great Occasion That Was The Nets Inaugural Season In Brooklyn.


Otherwise, the difference between advancing to the next round, like the Knicks did, and beginning the off-season, like the Nets are - a player willing to put the game in his hands in the closing minutes and seconds of crunch time.  This might come off a bit harshly, considering everyone is still fresh of Game Seven's loss.  In the closing 0:40 seconds of the game, Deron Williams had a wide open look at a three point shot, but deferred, and dished off to an out of position Brook Lopez.  That play pretty much negated any chance the Nets had of overtaking Chicago.  To expand the thought, Deron Williams did a great job at consistently getting the ball to Brook Lopez in horrible places.  Lopez would have had more success playing in Flatbush Avenue traffic, than against a Bulls defense which constantly collapsed three and four bodies into the paint.  The more Chicago shut down Deron Williams' connection to Brook Lopez, the more Williams dished Lopez straight into them.   Why do you think Joakim Noah finished with six blocked shots?  Ponderous.  Williams also encountered his own traffic in the paint, as did any Net who entered.


Everything is relative.  Therefore, the following question begs to be asked.  Where was Joe Johnson and the outside shot?  If anything or anyone was going to relax Chicago's interior defense, it would have been Joe and his perimeter shooting.  He produced six inconsequential points during a dreadful shooting performance, in which he only shot 2 of 14 from the field, and 1 for 9 from beyond the arch.


The Bulls shot 48.8% for the game.  But in the fourth quarter, they seemingly had the Midas touch.  Left-handed, right-handed, off the dribble, in the paint, from the outside - Chicago scored from everywhere, and in every manner.  But which was it - horrific defense, or the Bulls ability to score at will?  Brook Lopez couldn't guard a mail box Saturday.  Whether Joakim Noah was dominating him down low, or Brook found himself outside picking up Nate Robinson on a switch, Brook Lopez missed most of his assignments like a high school truant.  In fairness to Brook, Nate Robinson burnt Deron Williams like toast off the dribble numerous times.  Chicago was just making every shot imaginable, and had Brooklyn's defense scurrying about.  Every shot the Bulls continued to make was more deflating than the last.  The Nets finished the game shooting 40.7% from the field.


The Nets were defeated by a Bulls team ravaged by injuries and illness.  Tenacious defense propelled Chicago through the series.  Just enough scoring, coupled with Brooklyn's lapses in defense and overall low shooting percentages earned the Bulls four wins before the Nets could straighten themselves out.


A celebration of Brooklyn's first season, is next.



Mike.BTB