Brooklyn Nets: Hollins, Harden, Howard and Head-Butts

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Waiting for the other sneaker to drop?

Trade Deadline ~ February 19th

BROOKLYN NETS: The Hoops of Flatbush Rumble with Houston Rockets; Kevin Garnett Head-Butts Persona Non Grata Dwight Howard...

....but Nets still lost.

Unlike the first two seasons in Brooklyn, the new calender year hasn't yet ushered in a successful turnaround like many hoped.

After ending 2014 on a high note with a decisive victory over the Bulls, then winning their first game in January over the Magic, the Nets have since gone 0-6 to establish their longest streak since moving to Flatbush Avenue.

Their best effort during this recent stretch came against the Mavericks, that is, until they petered out in overtime.  Then of course, a pathetic loss to the moribund Sixers was an especially bitter pill to swallow.  The Pistons loss followed, which brings us to Monday night's latest meltdown.

Brooklyn scored 28 points in the 1st period, dropped to 24 points in the 2nd, and scored just 18 points in the 3rd.  They scored 29 lightly defended points in the 4th, which infers Houston's 113-99 victory was already well in hand.

Brooklyn actually scored more fast break points and more points in the paint.  Rebounds, free throw attempts, and most other pertinent game stats were relatively even.

Their demise however, came from beyond the arch.  Led by James Harden, the Rockets launched 40 three-point attempts, and connected on 40% (16) of them.  Otherwise, the Rockets took 86 shots from the field and the Nets ended with 84, but attempted 19 less three-pointers than Houston.

James Harden exploited Bojan Bogdanovic en route to a game high 30 points, and tied Brooklyn's Jarrett Jack with a game high 6 assists.

Kevin Garnett earned his 8th career ejection when his temper got the best of him early in the 1st quarter.  After getting called for non-shooting foul on Howard, Garnett gave Howard a slight shove.   Howard shoved back more authoritatively.  Garnett then threw the basketball at Howard.  When the two drew closer for a sure confrontation, Garnett head-butted Howard, and Howard landed a retaliatory slap to the neck.

After Garnett's ejection, the home crowd and Mason Plumlee took good care of Howard thereafter.   In his first trip to Brooklyn since the whole "2012 Dwight Howard to Flatbush" drama played out, the Rockets center got booed every time he touched the ball, and ended the night with just 8 points and 5 rebounds.  Mason Plumlee (one of the few bright spots on this team), meanwhile, posted his 9th double/double of the season, with a team high 24 points and 10 rebounds.

Forced into early action off the bench, Brook Lopez scored 12 points and pulled down 6 rebounds in 24 minutes.  His opponent, however, had his way against Lopez in Kevin Garnett's absence.   Houston's Donatas Motiejunas was 8/11 from the floor, with a team high 11 rebounds, and a complimentary 18 points behind Harden.

If The Coach Yells Loud Enough, The Owner Just Might Hear Him

With Lionel Hollins, owner Mikhail Prokhorov is getting the best raw analysis of his basketball enterprise without the extra added cost of paying him overtime.  Proactive and image conscious corporations pay small fortunes to outside consultants for this very type of harsh critique.

Prior to Monday's game, Coach Hollins was asked if the team is still searching for an identity.  He answered very matter of fact -  ...the team has an identity; they're a bad shooting team.

(They actually shot 46% from the field Monday night, but......)

If the truth hurts, then the Nets players should be hooked on pain medication by now.  Coach Hollins has been brutally honest in his assessment of this team throughout the season, and his words only cut deeper with each passing game.

Make no mistake, he does speak the truth.  My only question is, how long will Billy King allow his coach to openly mock (!) the team he assembled?

Because the Eastern Conference is polluted with garbage 10 teams playing .500 basketball or below, the 16-22 Nets still have a solid hold on 2nd place in the Atlantic Division, and still rank 8th in the conference.  If the conference were only slightly better, the Nets would surely be worse.

That said, the trade deadline is just over a month away.  What's a general manager to do?

Better question is, considering the present cost of this team, the salary cap hell they're in, the lack of a return on that money, and lack of draft picks, and the fact that the team is on its 4th coach in 4 years, what's an owner to do?

Think about it - Coach has basically intimated throughout the season how this team sucks, to the point where, the owner just might agree with him.



Mike

Brooklyn Nets: Deron Williams Facing Big Test Against Steph Curry

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Nets Suffer Deflating Loss In Phoenix

TONIGHT

Brooklyn Nets

vs.

Golden State Warriors

from

Some Left Coast Arena

BROOKLYN NETS: Adversity Has Entered The Building.

Prior to Wednesday night's final in Phoenix, I viewed Joe Johnson's criticisms as a positive; a proactive measure before things got out of hand.  He just also happened to be  right.  Many times the Nets have looked and played like five individuals on the court.

Good for Joe.  He's put in his time.  Johnson has tenure, and produces on the floor (which perhaps resonates most among fellow athletes).

His veteran team mates also backed him up in the media.  What else were they going to do?  But Kevin Garnett indeed seemed all in, and Deron Williams' was particularly succinct with his response.

After a second half meltdown, however, and a 112-102 loss in Phoenix, Joe Johnson's message might have lost resonance.

The Nets took a 63-49 lead into halftime, only to shoot 27.5% in the second half, and get outscored by a 63-41 margin.  Many long faces grew on the Nets bench after watching a 19-point lead eroded by Gerald Green and the Suns

What Wednesday's game accomplished was to reiterate what a plodding half court team the Nets remain under Billy King.  Sure, the Nets shooting iced up as if gripped by the northern vortex, but the Suns sped up the game in the second half and never looked back.

The game also provided another glimpse into the potential rift growing between Coach Hollins and Brook Lopez, who again was given a seat on the bench during key stretches of the fourth quarter.

While Hollins/Lopez is making for good theater, tonight all eyes will revert back upon Deron Williams.  The Nets were undone in Phoenix in part due to late turnovers - Williams included.   Tonight they'll take on the Golden State Warriors - no easy task.

Deron will face his biggest challenge since opposing Rajon Rondo back in the season's opener.  That night, Rondo posted a double/double with 13 points and 12 assists, while Williams scored 19 points with 8 assists.  Tonight, he'll square off against Stephen Curry, who is averaging 26 points per game this season.

Deron Williams entered the season with a chip on his shoulder for having felt written off by most.   He also believes that with two healthy ankles, no one can defend him.  So far, actions have spoken louder than words.  In a sign his duel ankle problems are indeed behind him, Deron's recent efforts earned him NBA conference player of the week honors.  He averaged 21 points and 7 assists in 4 home games at Barclays Center.



Mike

Brooklyn Nets Tip-Off Season In Beantown

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

2014-2015

Regular Season Opener

TONIGHT

Brooklyn Nets

vs.

Boston Celtics

from

Beantown

BROOKLYN NETS: Billy King Facing His Most Uncertain Season On Flatbush.

The Nets won 49 games during their first season in Brooklyn.  After a horrific start last season, the Nets still managed to post 44 victories.  They finished in 2nd place of the Atlantic Division each time.

So what does Billy King's ever changing roster, and the 2014-15 Brooklyn Nets have in store this time?

• Key Losses: Shaun Livingston, Andray Blatche, Reggie Evans, Coach Jason Kidd.

• Key Additions: Jarrett Jack, Bojan Bogdanovic, Sergey Karasev, Jerome Jordan, Coach Lionel Hollins.

• 2014 Draft: Billy King has compromised the Nets draft for years to come.  Somehow, he managed to purchase the 44th overall pick (from Minnesota) guard Markel Brown, and 60th overall pick (from the 76ers) forward Cory Jefferson.

• Returning: Deron Williams, Brook Lopez, Joe Johnson, Kevin Garnett, Mason Plumlee, Alan Anderson, Mirza Teletovic, Andrei Kirilenko, and Jorge Gutierrez.

I'll start by saying this will perhaps be Billy King's most uncertain season.

His biggest worry is split between his two top players.  Deron Williams and Brook Lopez are both returning from off-season surgery, and the latter will miss the season opener Wednesday evening in Boston.

Lopez missed nearly all of 2 of the last 3 seasons with recurring foot injuries.  More so than even Deron Williams, Brook's presence on the court, or absence, factors most in Nets success, or lack thereof.  He also effectively dictates what style of play the Nets utilize (although Coach Hollins is trying to dispel that notion).  Nevertheless, the Nets open the 2014-15 campaign with front court issues.

Deron Williams had off-season surgery performed on both ankles.

The big trade with Boston didn't work out the way Billy King had hoped.  Paul Pierce is now with the Wizards, while at 38-years of age, Kevin Garnett returns for his 20th NBA season.

Andrei Kirilenko, Joe Johnson, and Alan Anderson, albeit all good players, are no spring chickens either.  Andrei will turn 34-years old in February, Joe-Jo turned 33-years old in June, and Anderson turned 32-years old this month.

There will be a huge spotlight shining upon 31-year old veteran Jarrett Jack - Billy King's big acquisition (via the Cavs) of the off-season.

Joining him will be a pair of European imports.  After a few years playing in Turkey, Bojan Bogdanovic is an NBA rookie, while Jerome Jordan is returning to the NBA after playing last season in Italy.  He was drafted in 2010 by the Bucks, and played one NBA season (2011-12) with the Knicks.

On the more familiar side of things, Mirza Teletovic and Mason Plumlee perhaps represent two of the Nets more promising players.

The grand plan ultimately circles back around Deron Williams, Brook Lopez, and Joe Johnson - the three main constants of the Brooklyn era.

Coaching on the other hand, has been far from settled.  The Nets are on their 4th coach since moving to Brooklyn.  Lionel Hollins is the new man in charge promising more team cohesion, and less isolation.  Defense remains to be seen, rebounding will pose a big problem, and forget about team speed.

The Nets competition across the river is in Phil Jackson's hands now.  They will also be contending with Toronto, Indiana, Cleveland, Miami, Washington, and Chicago makes 7 teams.

Include any other team you like, but the 2014-15 Nets season looks like it will be a battle for the 6th to 8th seed in the conference....again.

Ending the regular season between 44 and 49 victories will be quite a challenge.




Mike

Brooklyn Nets: Wait Till Next Year Reprise

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Time To Hang Up The Sneakers Till Next Year.

BROOKLYN NETS: The Nets have a good jab, and an effective left hook, but they lack a straight right to put teams away.

Wasn't it a dependency on ISO (isolation basketball) that was partly, if not largely responsible for Avery Johnson and P.J. Carlesimo getting fired?

So, there was Joe Johnson isolated on LeBron James to end the game....  By itself, that might have been fine.  But, in truth, the first thing that came to my mind was - there's no plan here.  I thought that, because in the closing minutes, I felt Jason Kidd was guilty of designing some of the poorest plays coming out of time outs (I'm talking Mike Woodson poor), punctuated by a horrific in-bounds attempt.

Indeed, there was something very Knicks-like about the way Game Five ended, which explains why the Brooklyn Nets are free to make plans for summer vacation.  They had 14 assists all game - pondersous.

Did the Nets get screwed on a couple of whistles, or lack there of?  Sure.  Different calls could have fostered a different outcome.  In fact, I'd love the for the league to explain how it was that LeBron James went to the foul line more times than the entire Nets team.

The Nets nevertheless beat themselves.  The Miami Heat were begging for defeat this series, but on three occasions, Brooklyn could not close them out.   That's what makes this all so frustrating.

Once again, the Nets faded away late in the game, while Miami finished on a 13-3 run.  It was actually worse than that.  After Joe Johnson connected on a jumper at 4:48, the Nets missed on their next nine attempts.  They went through the next 4:37 before Joe Johnson connected on another three-pointer with just 0:11 left on the clock.

By then, the look on Paul Pierce's face said it all.  He was clearly hacked by LeBron James in the closing moments, but was also guilty of an 0 for 3 in the final minutes as well.

This is the way Brooklyn's second NBA playoff ends, having played a series of good games marred by horrible finishes.  For the record, it ends in a (second round) Game Five 96-94 loss to the defending champions from Miami.

Now what?

For Billy King, it may not necessarily be back to the drawing board, unlike after the Nets inaugural season in Brooklyn, but at the same time, the fix may not be that easy.

Billy King's top two salaried bipeds suffer from chronic lower appendages.  Deron Williams is going for an MRI on both ankles, and of course, there's Brook Lopez.  It was painfully obvious the Nets could have used a healthy Lopez against both the Raptors and Heat.

Paul Pierce's contract will be expiring.  Shaun Livingston also becomes a free agent this summer, and should parlay this season into a substantial increase.  Kevin Garnett and Joe Johnson aren't getting any younger either.

What became very clear in these playoffs, is that the Nets need someone who will provide a knockout blow. Collectively, the Nets have a good jab, and an effective left hook, but they lack a straight right to put teams away.

The off-season will be interesting to say the least.




Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: Failure To Close Out Games Has Flatbush In A Bind

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

BROOKLYN NETS: Flatbush Needs Angry Deron Back.

Some things never change.

LeBron James' Monday night romp was no different than the way Michael Jordan used to come to town and light up the Knicks.  You knew he was going to get his points.  The objective was to shut down Scottie Pippen, and everyone else.

And, as was the case on many nights back when those Bulls visited the Garden, despite the main attraction putting on a show, this Miami Heats team, like those Bulls, have been similarly begging to lose.  But, now, as then, teams fail to step up, and suffer from poor late game execution.

In Game Four, the Nets simply failed to deliver a knockout blow.  Worse, they increasingly look discombobulated in the final rounds.  A failure to close out the Heat has now cost the Brooklyn Nets two games this series.  One more loss, and they'll have no one to blame for their elimination, but themselves.   They opted for a rope-a-dope in Game Four, and paid a price.  Now it is the Heat who are on the verge of delivering a TKO in Five.

The Nets were right there, in the middle of the ring exchanging haymakers.  But, we've seen this team suddenly go limp time, and again.  Thing is, Brooklyn took more shots from the field, converted more free throws, won the battle of the boards, distributed more assists, actually scored more points in the paint, and got more scoring from their bench.

But, you just can't let the Heat hang around.  You have to score late buckets with similar 1st quarter-like accuracy, or risk becoming undone.  That said, with roughly 4:00 left in the game, and the score locked at 92-92, that's exactly what happened.  The Ghoul of Flatbush reared its ugly head again to spook Brooklyn.

After Joe Johnson's free throws at the 3:55 mark, the Nets went 2 for their last 10 possessions, getting outscored 10-4 in the game's closing minutes.   Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Joe Johnson combined to shoot 0 for 4 from the field on the Nets final 6 possessions, while the Nets only points in the final 2:30 came on Kevin Garnett's 2 free throws, and Mirza Teletovic's layup with just 0:07 left.

Miami shot 52.9% from the field, while the Nets slumped in the 4th quarter to finish 43.6% for the night.   The Nets additionally only managed 20 points in the final quarter - their lowest output of the four sessions.

No one really expected the Nets to repeat their Game Three performance from beyond the arch.  Instead, Game Four was all about late, clutch, 2-point buckets.   The Nets even secured a series of defensive rebounds in those closing minutes, but failed to convert.  There's your game.

The Nets now face elimination for the third time in the 2013-14 playoffs.  They faced two straight elimination situations against the Toronto Raptors, and prevailed each time in games Six and Seven.  But, these are the defending NBA champions the Nets are now forced to defeat three straight times, and do it without the benefit of home court advantage.

I understand trying to slow down LeBron is a mixed bag of goods.  Over defending him will just set up the next guy's shot.  But, letting him start his drive from Calle Ocho, then allowing him to remain untouched all the way to the basket, is getting embarrassing.  I'd additionally keep a watchful eye on Chris Bosh too.  He's been slipping through the cracks and delivering big buckets.

On offense, the Nets need 10 points from Garnett, and can Deron Williams finally outplay Mario Chalmers for a change?  Deron's off-season narrative is going to be brutal as it is.  For now however, the formula is proven. When Deron plays well, the Nets win.   When he drives the lane and misses layups (or runs into three defenders without a plan, and turns the ball over), Game Four happens.

Where's the Deron Williams that got pissed off after getting torched by John Wall (back during the regular season)?  The Nets need Angry Deron back.



Mike.BTB

BK Nets: A Team Grows In Brooklyn

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Game Three Final

Heat      90

NETS  104

BROOKLYN NETS: Someone Please Advise George Carl The Nets Play On Flatbush Avenue Now, But That We Appreciate His Minimalist Comments Anyway.

For his part, Jason Kidd again proved adept at making adjustments.  Just ask the 12 Nets players who touched the floor in Game Three.  It was evident in the Nets reaction to double-teams, and their overall ball movement.  It was evident in Kidd's decision to reinsert Andrei Kirilenko, who, after a DNP in Game Two, played brilliant defense over 19 minutes.

It should not go under spoken how hard it is to get teams tp buy into playing defense.  Yet Coach Kidd got his guys to reinvest themselves.  After allowing 52 points in the paint in Game One, the Nets allowed 34 in Game Two, then allowed just 26 in Game Three.  The Nets additionally held the Heat under 20 points in both the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

The Nets also wound up limiting the Heat to just 13 assists for the game, and out-rebounded them 43-27, with Andray Blatche leading all players with 10 boards off the bench.

Six of Jason Kidd's payers scored in double-digits - all dropping near 20 points each.  While the bench, led by Mirza Teletovic, Andrei Kirilenko, and Andray Blatche, inspired the still learning Brooklyn fans how to finally host a raucous playoff game.

Teletovic made particular impact with 12 points in 19 minutes.  All 7 of his shots from the field came from beyond the arch, and he connected on 4 of them.  He also pulled down 6 rebounds.  But, it was Andray Blatche who blistered the Heat with a personal career playoff high 15 points (and 10 rebounds).  He was 5 for 10 from the field, and damn near broke Chris Bosh's ankles with a devastating cross over move in the paint.

The Brooklyn crowd was on its game Friday, their best performance by far.  So were the Nets, who shot 52.8% from the field.  When the Nets shoot with that kind of accuracy, they most often win games.  It's when they fall to the 33%-35% range when things seemingly go awry.

Deron Williams was not among the team's double-digit scorers, but his did issue a game high 11 assists, and led the floor with a +18 rating in 40 minutes.  It was Joe Johnson who once again led the Nets with 19 points, on 7/10 shooting from the field.  Kevin Garnett contributed 10 points and 7 rebounds.

Another way of saying all this is, the Nets handed the Heat their first defeat of the 2013-14 playoffs, while another raucous night at Barclays Center awaits.




Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Taking Their Talents To South Beach

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

!Nos Vamos a Miami ~ We're Going To Miami!

Brooklyn Wins Series Over Toronto 4-3

I - BKN 94; TOR 87

II - TOR 100; BKN 95

III - BKN 102; TOR 98

IV - TOR 87; BKN 79

V - TOR 115; BKN 113

VI - BKN 97; TOR 83

VII - BKN 104; TOR 103

2013-2014

NBA PLAYOFFS

ROUND TWO

GAME ONE

BROOKLYN NETS

vs.

Miami Heat

FROM

The Rony Seikaly Green House

BROOKLYN NETS: If Paul Pierce is The Truth, then Kevin Garnett was The Difference.

In seven games against the Raptors, Garnett averaged 20 minutes, 8.4 points, and 5.4 rebounds.  The real story however, was told in games Six and Seven.

In the first five games of the series, KG averaged 17.8 minutes, 6.8 points, and 4.4 rebounds.  Those averages include a deflating Game Five, in which he was relegated (along with Paul Pierce) to the bench in the 4th quarter after playing only 12 minutes, and scoring 4 points with 2 rebounds.  Those five game averages are similar, if not quite up to par with KG's regular season averages of 20.5 minutes, 6.5 points, and 6.6 rebounds in 54 games played.

However, in games Six and Seven, KG averaged 26 minutes, 12.5 points, and 8 rebounds.  He posted double-digit points in each game, and in the series finale, posted a double-double (11 rebounds) for the only time in 7 games.  That's called showing up when it counts.

You also have to give him credit for his work at the other end of the floor.  Kevin Garnett was a defensive presence throughout the series, and helped neutralize Jonas Valanciunas, after the Raptors center went wild in Game One.  Garnett kept the overall battle of the boards honest.

Now we're really going to find out how much The Big Ticket has left in his tank.  He will turn 38-years old this month.  He missed 30 games in March with a cranky back, but, one month later, he appears free of discomfort.  Tuesday will technically only be his 62nd game of the year, and so Kevin Garnett might be fresher than he might otherwise have been.

In fact, his last two games more resemble his November production, than some old guy struggling to hold on. Last November he averaged 22.6 minutes, 6.4 points, and 8.4 rebounds a night.  It's the month when Garnett scored his season high 16 points, and brought down a season high 14 rebounds.  So maybe Garnett is indeed feeling fresher than anticipated.

Thanks to Garnett, and Paul Pierce, and Alan Anderson, Marcus Thornton, Shaun Livingston, Andray Blatche, Mirza Teletovic, Mason Plumlee, Andrei Kirilenko, and yes, Deron Williams, this year's Nets did what last year's version could not.  Billy King's team advanced to the second round.  And make no mistake, this is Billy King's team.  But, I don't think he's breathing a huge sigh of relief having escaped the f***ing Raptors alive.  There is still a mandate in place.

However, I small measure of congratulations are still in order.  Brooklyn has their first ever NBA Game Seven playoff victory.  For the Borough, and the brief story that is Brooklyn basketball, that's significant.

I know.  But, what of Joe Johnson?  Yes, where on earth would Flatbush be without Joe Johnson, who's contract was widely criticized upon his acquisition?  While he was already noted for hitting big shots since his Atlanta days, whether fairly or not, he also developed a reputation for disappearing for stretches, if not games at a time, which was not easily shaken upon his initial arrival in Brooklyn.

Last season, he was hobbled by a foot ailment, that sometimes was mistakenly viewed as recurring withdrawal on his part.  But this season, ever since Brook Lopez went down, Joe Johnson has been the undisputed leader, and the team's primary offensive weapon.  He basically had his way with Toronto, and is the primary reason why Brooklyn's 2nd NBA season will continue deeper into Spring.

Joe Cool, 32, ended the regular season averaging 32 minutes, 15.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and shot 45% from the field.  His numbers were actually slightly down from his first season in Brooklyn.

With perhaps the exception of Game Four, when Toronto threw double, and triple teams at Joe, the Raptors had no real answer, and could not stop Joe Johnson in 6 of the 7 games.  For the series, Johnson averaged 40 minutes, 21.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and shot 52% from the field.   By comparison, DeMar DeRozan shot 38%, and Kyle Lowry shot 40% from the field.

In Game Seven, Joe led the Nets with 26 points.  After getting limited to just 7 points in Game Four, he roared back in Game Five with a Nets high 32 points, albeit in a 115-113 losing effort.  In all, he scored 24+ points 4 times in the series.  He figures to draw Dwayne Wade in the next series, and should enjoy another size advantage.

For Joe Johnson's beleaguered back court mate, it's time for Deron Williams to regroup, address some issues, an prepare for LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

Moving forward, he needs to limit his turnovers, which at 2.7 for the series doesn't seem like much, it's just they came at the absolute worst times.  Ideally, he needs to stay aggressive and continue driving the lane.  It's getting him to the free throw line just fine, but, that's where a preponderance of his 18 turnovers have occurred.

No one is questioning his effort, but when his shooting from the field plummets to 30% levels, his game seemingly unravels, and the Nets correspondingly suffer.  He was only 3/8 (37%) from the field in Game Seven, but 7/10 from the line, and tied with Joe Johnson with (only) 4 assists.

In games One, Three and Six victories, Deron combined to shoot 23/50 (46%) from the field, averaging 23 points, and 5 assists.  In three Nets losses, Deron was 12/34 (35%) from the field, averaging 12 points, and a slightly higher 6.6 assists, mostly due to his 9 assist performance in Game Five's loss.

My last word involves the last shot of Game Seven.  Upon receiving the in-bounds pass, Kyle Lowry had three Nets players blanketing him where ever he attempted to go.  When detoured, Garnett cause him to mishandle, and Paul Pierce ultimately closed out the game with a blocked shot.

That said, how about Jason Kidd getting a bunch of very veteran players collectively buying into playing defense, throughout the season, and through Round One no less?

The additions of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett indeed made a difference this season, and we're about to find out how much farther all these Nets can go.

With regards to 4 regular season meetings against Miami, the Nets swept the series, but, 3 of the 4 games were only decided by a single point - (just like Game Seven against the Raptors.....)

Nets Swept Season Series 4-0

I - BKN 101; MIA 100

II - BKN 104; MIA 95

III - BKN 96; MIA 95

IV - BKN 88; MIA 87

You know what I say - once is an event, twice is a coincidence, and three times starts a trend.

Defense indeed.

It's time to trade in Toronto's sweater weather, for the Heat of South Beach.

Flatbush, meet Collins Avenue - Collins Avenue, meet Flatbush.




Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: Will The Real Flatbush Five Please Stand Up

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

The Phantom of 2013 Strike Again!

Raptors lead Series 3-2

GAME FIVE FINAL:

Nets        113

Raptors  115

BROOKLYN NETS: They Almost Pushed The Rock All The Way Up The Mountain, But Ultimately Watched It Roll Back Into The Valley.  No One Cares How Close They Came. They Just Want The Freakin' Rock On Top Of The Mountain.

BROOKLYN FACING ELIMINATION ON HOME COURT

GAME SIX

Toronto Raptors

vs.

Brooklyn Nets

FROM

Barclays Center

Flatbush Avenue at Atlantic Avenue

Starting at 101-101, the score in the 4th quarter was tied several times.  This came with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett on the bench.  After the Nets came back the way they did, you can't really knock Jason Kidd for putting them there.  But, just as I said after Game One....

....more than anything, he (KG) combined with Paul Pierce in handling the ball with very sure hands in the closing three minutes of the game. His ability to gain the high elbow, and pass back and forth with Paul Pierce on the wing, without panic, exemplified their respective playoff experience at its finest.

Too bad much of the blame for Sunday's loss went to Andray Blatche for misplaying the ball in the closing seconds. I'll just say that in the closing moments, Jason Kidd had less sure players on the floor.  But, please point to an otherwise miserable team performance before everyone piles on Blatche.

The Brooklyn Nets must now win two in a row, or get bounced from the post-season.  They get to play at home tonight, but must travel back to Toronto and win there as well, should they prevail in Barclays Center first.

Now we'll get to see if investing in all this experience will pay off.  Billy King took a a major gamble and spent a lot of dollars assembling this team.  For them to get bounced in the first round would be a colossal failure.

The GM of the Raptors hasn't said too many bright things, but, among his more rational musings was, be careful what you ask for - in reference to the Nets positioning themselves for a first round match-up with Toronto.  That plan is now only 60 minutes away from backfiring.

We know what needs to be done.  No use beating Deron Williams over the head.  He'll have enough to deal with regardless whether the Nets win or lose this series.  His criticisms have piled high since Game One.

Keep the team of 2013 in the closet, and unleash the team we saw between January and April.




Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: Time For Deron Williams To Seize The Moment, And A Borough

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Game Three - Jason's Kidds Narrowly Avoid An Accident On Flatbush Avenue

The Team's 2.6 Millionth Man

Game Two - Paul Pierce Detonates A Well Timed Team Improvement Device

Game One - Raptors Foiled By The Truth

GAME FOUR

Toronto Raptors

vs.

Brooklyn Nets

FROM

Barclays Center

FLATBUSH AVENUE

BROOKLYN NETS: Deron Williams Made a Big Decision To Sign, And Stay In Brooklyn.  The Time Has Now Come For Him To Seize The Moment.

Toronto Raptors May Have Poked The Bear

In three games against the Toronto Raptors, Deron Williams has been employing a wide repertoire of moves, and featuring a particularly strong cross-over.  There is a burst to his first step again. And, why not?  He's only 29-years old - the middle of his prime.

Since his arrival in New Jersey, then Flatbush, his critics have only grown in number.  And, truth be told, Deron Williams has been somewhat of a potential local superstar in suspended animation.

At the moment, knock on wood, ankle problems that caused him to miss 18 games early this season now seem like a distant memory.  But, the overall damage his ankles have caused him over recent years, have certainly taken their toll on the way Williams is perceived throughout the league, and most importantly, in greater NYC, and Brooklyn specifically.

Heading into the post season, no one was necessarily doubting Deron Williams' determination, or commitment to playing at a high level.  The debate raged instead, over how far he had fallen below elite point guard status.

At the moment, he finally appears to have health on his side again.  And, thanks largely to Billy King's maneuverings, Deron Williams also has veteran experience, floor leadership, scoring options, and bench depth all at his disposal.

It seems then, the conditions appear perfectly set for him to finally silence his many naysayers, and once and for all, endear himself to the borough.

Albeit hampered by said ankles, he averaged 14 points and 6.1 assists this past season.  But, according to his Per 36-minute averages, he posted 16 points and 7 assists.

On March 15th, the Nets visited the Washington Wizards, and were soundly beaten.  The Wizards overcame a 10 point deficit in upending the Nets.  Washington was led by PG John Wall, who scored 33 points, issued 6 assists, and also secured 4 rebounds.  Wall was 10/15 from the field, 4/6 from 3-point range, and 9/10 from the line.  Quite simply, he outplayed Deron Williams, by more than doubling his point output.

Deron Williams played 35 minutes that game, and was limited to just 14 points, with 7 assists and 7 rebounds.  He was just 4/14 from the field, 3/7 from beyond the arch, and 4/4 from the stripe. Afterward, Deron became incensed with his performance, and admitted as much numerous times.

He played his next game with fury, taking out his frustrations in Phoenix, where he torched the Suns for 28 points, on 11/13 shooting from the field.  Still upset, he followed by dropping another 25 points on the Bobcats, with 11 points coming in the 4th quarter.  He additionally led the floor with 8 assists.

In Deron Williams' final 23 games of the regular season, he averaged 16 points and 7 assists.  Over that span, Deron scored 20+ points 6 times - significant because, over his first 40 games of the season spanning October through February, he had only done that 7 times.  However, a significant level of anger dissipated from his game sometime between Washington and the final game of the season.

When Friday's game against Toronto started getting physical, Deron Williams took exception to one push too many, and eyeballed a Raptor player or two.  It was that moment when the look came back - his anger returned.  From it, I believe, evolves a killer instinct - something that has generally lacked in Deron's game, and from last year's entire team for that matter.

In three games against the Raptors, he is averaging 36.6 minutes, 20.3 points, and 5.3 assists.  He scored 24 points in Game One, on 8/20 from the field, and 6/6 from the line.   In Game Two, he scored 15 points, and issued 5 assists.  In Friday's game at Barclays Center, Deron scored 22 points on 7/14 from the field, and issued a game high 8 assists.  All this, while effectively outplaying Kyle Lowry.

Statistics aside, in the closing minutes and moments of the first three games, the ball has been placed in the sure hands of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, who won't panic under duress.  In Game Three, the ball was placed in Joe Johnson's hands late in the game, and has otherwise carried the team.

But, it is Deron Williams, not the others, who will ultimately define this initial era of Brooklyn basketball.  He will be the measure.  As he goes, so will the tale.  But, without the ball, that may prove difficult.

Last year's playoffs ended quickly for the Nets, not to mention in very disappointing fashion.  This time around, and three games into the post-season, he has yet to really seize an endearing moment.

Hopefully, there are many more games to come.  At some point, he'll need to make the closing minutes his showcase if he truly wants to make this era his.  Deron Williams made the decision to sign and stay in Brooklyn.  The time has now come for him to seize the moment.

Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: Game Three - Jason's Kidds Narrowly Avoid Accident On Flatbush Avenue

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Flatbush Leads Series 2-1

I - BKN 94; TOR 87

II - TOR 100; BKN 95

III - BKN 102; TOR 98

IV - SUNDAY @ BKN

V - BKN @ TOR

VI - TOR @ BKN

VII - BKN @ TOR

Game Three Final:

Raptors  98

NETS   102

BROOKLYN NETS: Flatbush Hoops Blow 15 Point Lead To Make Things Uncomfortable Down The Stretch.

Everything almost went according to plan.  The crowd was good enough, and the Nets similarly played good enough to win.  To be honest though, the crowd could have been better, at least in the first quarter, and the Nets could have played better, after all, they let a 15 point lead dwindle down to one with less than a minute left in the game.  Truth be told, Toronto screwed themselves in the closing minute by hoisting a series of bricks from the free throw line.

Now, because I live here, there's every chance I might be over critical of last night's game, but, when I see guys like Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett buying into their Brooklyn experience more than perhaps some of the ticket holders, well..........  there's something about last night that wreaks to me of underachievement, or lacking killer instinct.

This is a resilient borough, but I warned you apathy runs deep here.  The Brooklyn Dodgers were not called The Bums for nuthin'.  Either that, or this place still has a lot to re-learn about being a major league town again.

Be better this Sunday!

The Brooklyn Nets took a 2-1 lead in their best of seven series against the Atlantic Division winning Toronto Raptors.  Joe Johnson continued leading Brooklyn's way with 29-points, which was only one behind DeMar DeRozan's game high 30-points.  Joe was 11/17 (65%) from the field, and 6/9 from the line.  He led all players with 40 minutes.

The Nets won Game Three's points in the paint by a 42-32 spread, largely thanks to Joe Johnson, who is getting to pick his spots on the floor.  Kevin Garnett and Mason Plumlee combined on 30 minutes and could only muster 6 points, on 3/7 from the floor, and 0-2 from the line.  They only pulled down 6 rebounds and blocked one shot.

Deron Williams was 3rd on the scoring list, with 22 points, and issued a game high 8 assists.  He was 50% from the field on 7/14 shooting.  There was a point we saw the angry Deron again, which is a good thing.  He glared at a few Raptors when the game started getting physical.  That was a look missing since Deron torched Phoenix for 28 points, in the first game after John Wall lit him up for 33 points on March 15th in Washington.

Shaun Livingston's contributions however remain minimal.  Be it because of Toronto's effort, a compromised toe, or feeling ill, Livingston has yet to give Brooklyn a true back court edge the three provided together during the regular season.  Yet, he led the Nets with 6 rebounds Friday.

Brooklyn closed the rebounding gap considerably over Game Two.  This time they only got out done by a 35-29 margin.  Defensive rebounds were almost even, but Toronto pulled down 5 more offensive rebounds than did Brooklyn.

However, the Nets defensive effort is still causing an abundance of Raptors turnovers.  They also continue to keep Kyle Lowry somewhat bottled up, and finally came up with a measurable defense against Jonas Valanciunas.

Andray Blatche fueled Brooklyn off the bench with 18 minutes, 12 points and 4 rebounds.  He was 2/3 from the floor and a perfect 8/8 from the line.

The Nets must continue holding court in Flatbush.  Sunday's Game Four at Barclays Center is set up for them to take a 3-1 strangle hold on the series.  Let's see what kind of killer instinct they play with then.




Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: Game One - Raptors Foiled By THE TRUTH

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

2013-2014

NBA PLAYOFFS ~ ROUND ONE

GAME ONE FINAL:

NETS     94

Raptors  87

BROOKLYN NETS: "The Truth" - Paul Pierce Offers Up A Lesson In The Fine Art Of Closing Out Playoff Games.

Nine of Paul Pierce's Fifteen Points Came In The Final 3:30 Of The Game.

Paul Pierce finished unlike any Brooklyn Nets player ever has prior to his arrival.  Game One in Toronto demonstrated exactly why Billy King rolled his dice on Pierce, as well as Kevin Garnett. In the final 2 minutes of the game, the ball was in their hands, and they delivered Brooklyn to victory on the road against a tenacious Raptors team.

From the onset, the Toronto crowd heckled Kevin Garnett - KG SUCKS! - and he did.  Garnett couldn't buy a shot.  The Nets opted to get him the ball early, but he missed the Nets first three attempts of the game.  He was only 1/5 for the game, and 3/6 from the line.  But, his 1st basket came in the 3rd quarter, a free throw, which tied the game 51-51 at the 9:02 mark.  Then, his first field goal of the game was nothing short of clutch.  He gave the Nets a 79-76 lead with 3:30 left. Looking back, they were two of the several stabilizing moments in the game.

Kevin Garnett led the team with 8 rebounds, 7 defensive.  But more than anything, he combined with Paul Pierce in handling the ball with very sure hands in the closing three minutes of the game. His ability to gain the high elbow, and pass back and forth with Paul Pierce on the wing, without panic, exemplified their respective playoff experience at its finest.

For all Kyle Lowry's and Deron Williams' efforts, the respective back courts were still playing to a stalemate with less than 5:00 left in the game - 32 points each.  That's exactly when Paul Pierce started taking over.

Nine of Paul Pierce's 15 points came in the last 3:00 of the game.  With 2:57 to go, Paul Pierce's three-pointer opened up an 82-76 lead.  He followed on his next possession with a layup to make it 84-78 Nets.  At 1:30, he jumper made it 86-78 Nets.  After Greivis Vasquez responded with a three, Paul Pierce answer back with another jumper to give the Nets an 88-81 lead, with just 51.5 seconds left.

Once the Raptors resorted to fouling and stopping the clock, Brooklyn ensured the ball was in Joe Johnson's hands.  Mr.Big Shot nailed 4 free throws in the closing seconds to secure a 94-87 Brooklyn victory.

While Pual Pierce provided the finishing touches in Game One, it was Deron Williams and Joe Johnson who spent Saturday's opening game in the trenches.

Joe Johnson led all players with 45 minutes, while Kyle Lowry was a close second with 44 minutes. Johnson tied for the game lead with 24 points.  Joe also pulled down 8 rebounds, and distributed 8 assists.  He was 62% from the field on 8/13 shooting, and a perfect 8/8 from the line.

Deron Williams issued his opening statement with conviction, and won small victory over Kyle Lowry, who finished with 22 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds.  Deron Williams tied Joe Johnson with a game high 24 points.  He also had 3 assists and a rebound.  Deron was 40% from the field on 8/20 shooting, and 6/6 from the line.

The Nets got out-rebounded again.  Mason Plumlee put himself into foul trouble, and through three quarters, the rebounding disparity was considerable.  Garnett, Joe Johnson and Andray Blatche closed the gap somewhat, but Toronto won the battle by a 45-37 margin.  The Nets had absolutely no answer for Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas, who dominated the glass with 18 rebounds, and also added 17 points, and 2 blocks.

The Raptors also distributed six more (22-16) assists than Brooklyn.

Brooklyn suffered from poor shooting from several members: Garnett 1/5; Blatche 2/5; Mirza Teletovic 1/6; Marcus Thornton 0/4.  That equates to 20% FG average.

Toronto may want to limit their turnovers (17) in Game Two, but at the same token, several Nets just need to improve their accuracy.



Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: The Borough's 2nd NBA Regular Season Is In The Books

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Season One; 49-33

Season Two; 44-38

BROOKLYN NETS: That's A Wrap On The Second NBA Regular Season In Kings County.

The second NBA regular season of Kings County basketball is complete.  The Brooklyn Nets ended up with a 44-38 regular season record, which, considering their awful start, was quite an impressive achievement.

The early season Nets hardly lived up to the pre-season hype.  They lost their first game of the season to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and things just got worse from there.  In the month of November, the club posted a 5-11 record, and endured a pair of losing streaks, three and five games long.

Another poor 5-9 record in December seemed to be the least of the club's troubles.  Inner turmoil threatened to sabotage Jason Kidd's inaugural season as head coach.  He and assistant coach Lawrence Frank engaged in a heated exchange over philosophy, roles, and matters of control.  In effect, Coach Kidd was forced to seize his own team, and stripped Lawrence Frank of his bench role, and relieved him of his overall coaching duties.  Kidd then reassigned Frank to crunching numbers behind the scenes, and compiling scouting reports.

Compounding problems, on December 20th, center Brook Lopez played his final game of the season.  He first rolled his ankle in November.  Then, after a total of just 17 games, Lopez was ultimately felled by yet another season ending foot/ankle injury.  At the time, he was the team's leading scorer, averaging 20.7 points per game, with 6.0 rebounds.

Deron Williams also missed considerable time early in the season, as ankle issues continued to dog the point guard.  He missed 19 calender days from late November through early December, and another 2 weeks in January.  Once Deron Williams returned, he was back for good.

After Coach Kidd adjusted the starting line-up by shifting Paul Pierce to the four, and inserting Shaun Livingston into the starting line-up, the Nets started turning their season around.

Flatbush posted a 10-3 record in January, highlighted by a pair of five-game winning streaks.  In February, they came down to earth somewhat, but still posted a strong 7-5 record.  In their final game of the month, they closed within two games of .500, with a victory over Denver.

In March, they finally busted through.  On the 3rd of the month, they achieved .500 for the first time of the season with a victory over the Bulls.  In their very next game, they went over .500, with victory over the Timberwolves.  Brooklyn went on to post a pair of three game winning streaks, and one four game streak, and finished the month with a stellar 12-5 record.

Between January and March, the club posted a 29-12 record, and improved their season record to 39-33, which was a 17 game swing from their record at the end of December.

Flatbush ended the April portion of the regular season with a 5-5 record - their worst mark of the new year.  They wound up losing four of their last five games, and their last two in a row.  They additionally finished five victories shy of last year's mark.  However, most would agree, this team is far better equipped for a playoff run than last year's edition.  While many in the media accused Jason Kidd and the team of tanking their last 5 games, in order to align a first round series against Toronto, Jason Kidd merely says he was resting players, and trying to get them healthy for a playoff run.

Just be careful of the soda on the court please.

When the NBA playoffs begin this weekend, the Brooklyn Nets will be the only local team representing New York City.  Their opponent will be the Atlantic Division champs, Toronto Raptors.  Back in October, no one would have thought that.   The Knicks and Nets were pre-season favorites to win the division.  Of course, with a losing record, the Knicks failed to even qualify for the playoffs, while the Nets finished 2nd in the division standings.

At 15.8 points per game, Joe Johnson posted his lowest scoring average since his rookie season. However, his .454 shooting percentage was his 4th best mark.  Make no mistake, Joe Johnson was money this season.  He did not take those confounding nights off, that pockmark his career.  He's been present, and nothing short of clutch this season.

Deron Williams was limited to 64 games this season.  He averaged 14.3 points, and 6.1 assists per game.  Like Joe Johnson, those were Deron Williams' worst averages since his rookie season.  In his final 23 games however, Williams averaged 16 points per game, and 7 rebounds.

Shaun Livingston's play this season presents one of Billy King's largest off-season dilemmas. Somehow, the GM must find a way to retain Livingston, who, after signing for the veterans minimum, will become an unrestricted free agent.  Any player debate regarding team MVP must include him.  He played 76 games, but after Coach Kidd inserted him into the line-up, Shaun started 54 games.  In his 36-minutes per, he averaged 11.5 points, and 4.5 assists.

Paul Pierce averaged less than 30-minutes for the first time in his career.  In fact, he averaged a full 8-minutes below his career 36-minute average.  At 36-years of age, he still impacts games.  Per his 36-minute averages, he gave the Nets 17.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.  This season, he became only the 18th player in NBA history, to achieve 25,000 points in a career.  Paul is presently the 4th leading active scorer in the league.

Heading into the post-season, the Nets are well positioned at center with the emergence of Mason Plumlee, the return of Kevin Garnett, and with Andray Blatche leading a very strong cast off the bench, which also features Mirza Teletovic and Alan Anderson.

Billy King's 2013-14 acquisitions should not go under spoken.  As noted, Shaun Livingston became invaluable to the Nets this season.  The signing of Andrei Kirilenko, who has played steady minutes lately, is showing how effectively smart he is on the floor.  Marcus Thornton has been flat-out huge since his trade deadline acquisition, and will be coming off the bench launching back-breakers.

Perhaps more so this season than last, the Nets enjoyed a distinct home court advantage.  Arena attendance was strong, and the crowds were Brooklyn loyal and loud.  Barclays Center averaged over 17,000 per home game.   The Nets rewarded their fans with a 28-13 record, and at one point, won 15 consecutive games at home.

With a 44-38 record for the season, that means the Nets struggled on the road.  Indeed, they posted a troublesome 16-25 record away from Flatbush.

Brooklyn's second ever NBA post-season starts Saturday.





Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: Welcome To (Billy) King's County

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

SUNDAY NIGHT FINAL:

Magic   88

NETS   97

Flatbush Improves Season Record To 44-36,

and 28-12 At Barclays Center.

BROOKLYN NETS: Mirza Teletovic and Mason Plumlee Lead Bench Assault Over Magic; Deron Williams Returns With 16 Points.

At present, the overriding sense of the Nets seems considerably better than it did this time last season.  That's somewhat odd considering the team will not match last year's 49 victory total, and Brook Lopez has missed most of another season, yet technically remains the team's leading average scorer.

Despite Sunday's 97-88 victory over the Magic, the next two games against the Knicks, and Cleveland should change little in the Eastern Conference standings.  Brooklyn appears settled into the 5th seed behind the Toronto Raptors, and ahead of the Washington Wizards.

The fact last year's team lost the opening round of the playoffs in seven games to the depleted Chicago Bulls escapes no one.  It was a disappointing ending to say the least.  Gerald Wallace didn't even know what his role was.

This season, Jason Kidd placed everyone exactly where they needed to be.  Except maybe for LeBron James, the Nets have certainly gained league wide attention this season with the way they've surged since January.  But on April 19th, the Nets odyssey to justify all Billy King's off-season maneuverings truly begins.  The general manager has made no secret of where he believes this team should finish.  The owner still has one year left on his championship mandate, but Billy King wants to win now.

In my more pragmatic view, this team must advance to the second round, and still perhaps may need to advance into the conference finals in order for the season to be deemed successful.

BILLY KING'S SUCCESS IS CONNECTED TO THE FOOT BONE

While the Nets are a somewhat versatile, and very deep team when healthy, if Deron Williams doesn't lead them, the Nets won't get far.

According to his 36-minute averages, Deron is averaging 16.0 points, and 7.0 assists this season. But when you start any argument with a cushion, it means you're hiding something.  As such, his regular per-game averages are not as forgiving - 14.3 points, and only 6.2 assists per game.

Observant eyes have watched Williams' game devolve over the last three seasons.  He has yet to recapture his level of play of just two seasons ago, and, his days in Utah are but a dot in the rear view mirror now.  At 29-years old, the burst in his first step is seemingly all but gone.  Ankle problems have no doubt had their effects during his time with the Nets, and he just missed another two games with a sore foot.  All told, he will have missed roughly 20 games this season.

Things may be looking up though.  Over his last 22 games, Deron Williams has averaged 33.6 minutes, 15.1 points, and 5.7 assists.  Over that stretch, he scored 20 points or more 6 times.  He had only done that 7 times in his previous 40 games spanning October through February.  While his numbers still aren't on par with his Utah days, he is nonetheless making modest improvement at the right time.

Sunday evening was Deron's first game back after missing the previous two.  He played 35 minutes against the Orlando Magic, scored 16 points, and had 5 assists.  So, at least there's been a level of consistency about him.

Out of anyone associated with the team, Deron Williams' and Billy King's reputations seem poised to suffer the most.  Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Kidd all have rings, and should be able to walk away from any potential defeat untarnished, and with relative peace of mind.

Billy King, however, failed to achieve a championship with Allen Iverson in Philadelphia, and four years ago, decided to invest max money, and make another run with Deron Williams, who in turn committed to staying in Brooklyn.

After years spent building up to this moment, failing again in Brooklyn, may be harder for him to compartmentalize.  Deron Williams is equally under the microscope, and is expected to perform like the franchise player Billy King thought he traded for.

They both bound themselves to the Borough of Brooklyn, and now both bear the majority of responsibility for winning Flatbush their first NBA title.

THIS IS NO ORDINARY FLATBUSH AVENUE BENCH

While the pressure is certainly on Deron Williams to perform, the weight of the world actually is not.  Shaun Williams is expected back in time for the playoffs, and together with Joe Johnson, Flatbush still boasts one of the more potentially formidable back courts in the league.

Mirza Teletovic led all scorers Sunday night with 20 points off the bench, and pulled down 6 rebounds.  With Teletovic and Mason Plumlee at the forwards, and Andray Blatche at center, there are very few teams in the league that can sub-in entire front courts quite like Brooklyn can.  One of the best things these guys do is get to the line.

Throw Andrei Kirilenko into the mix, while still having a quality two-threat like Marcus Thornton, and the Nets bench almost suffers from an embarrassment of riches.

Kevin Garnett is back, and played extended minutes against the Magic.  Since his return, the battle of the boards has turned back in the Nets favor.  Kevin pulled down 7 rebounds (5 defensive) in 19 minutes.  The Nets out-rebounded the Magic by a 43-31 margin.

Mason Plumlee held down the fort well in Garnett's absence, and continues to be the big man on campus.  His work along the offensive baseline has been highly productive, and his confidence is soaring.  Against the Magic, there were two instances where he was a little lackadaisical with the ball, and turned it over, but that's correctable.  Paying more attention to detail should rectify that. Otherwise, Mason pulled down a game high 11 boards with 5 coming on the offensive end, and completed another double-double with 17 points in 26 minutes off the bench.  The rookie will enter into his first NBA playoffs on the heels of playing his best ball of the season.

Two Games Left In Regular Season:

Tuesday - vs. N.Y. Knicks

Wednesday - @ Cleveland

Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: Things Only Get Harder From Here

From the desk of: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

The Brooklyn Nets Will Likely Hit The Road

As The Eastern Conference 5th Seed.

PAUL PIERCE

Became only the 18th player in NBA history

to achieve 25,000 points in a career.

BROOKLYN NETS: The End Of The Road Just Got A Little Bumpy.  Flatbush Has Three Games Left To Smooth Things Out.


Safe to say, that last game against the Orlando Magic exactly mirrored the Nets recent effort against the Knicks.  What does that say?  The Nets suck in back to back games.  We knew that.  They have one more back to back which will conclude their regular season.

But what do we make of the loss to Atlanta?  Both Deron Williams and Shaun Livingston did not play.  They are both dealing with nagging appendage issues to a foot and toe, respectively.

Therefore, considering Jason Kidd teamed Andrei Kirilenko and Jorge Gutierrez, with Kevin Garnett, who is still trying to get his game legs under him, along with regulars Paul Pierce and Joe Johnson, the better question is what should we read into Friday's game?  After all, they were in position to win in the closing minute.  Friday night withstanding, the season long conclusion is that Brooklyn has trouble against young teams that play small no matter who is on the floor.  We knew that too.

At least the Nets bench reaffirmed themselves as one of the league's strongest units, and should factor prominently in the playoffs.

Are the Nets cooling off?  I do not think so.  They are 3-3 in April, but I think consecutive losses to the Magic and Hawks were just coincidental instances of shit happens.

The Nets will get a chance to avenge their 115-111 loss in Orlando on Sunday when they host the Magic at Barclays.  Brooklyn will then host its final regular season game against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, before ending the season in Cleveland on April 16th.

*          *          *          *

In Friday's loss to the Hawks, Paul Pierce became only the 18th player in NBA history to achieve 25,000 points in a career.  He is the 4th leading active scorer in the NBA, behind only Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, and his team mate, Kevin Garnett.

*          *          *          *

Brooklyn was unable to gain ground on the Toronto Raptors, and therefore will most likely enter the post-season as the Eastern Conference 5th seed.  In failing to catch the Raptors thus far, they also failed to gain a home court advantage, where they have played superior basketball this season. If the current standings hold, Brooklyn and Toronto would face off in the first round.  The two teams split their four game series this season.



Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: Chasing Bulls And Raptors Proving Difficult

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

BROOKLYN NETS: Moving Into Top Four No Easy Task.

Brooklyn's defeat to the Knicks, which came on the tail end of back to back nights, was just that - a night they played flat.  It appears if that was just a minor setback, as Brooklyn rebounded to win their last two.  The Miami Heat loom next on Tuesday.

Kevin Garnett was back in action Saturday night.  In his first game after missing the previous 19 with back spasms, he played 13 minutes, scored 10 points, and helped the Nets out-rebound the 76ers in Philadelphia.

Deron Williams led the Nets against Philly with 19 points and 9 assists.  Six different Nets players pulled down at least 4 rebounds.  The Nets also dominated the 76ers with 60 points in the paint.

Kevin Garnett's return comes none too soon, as the team is playing exceptionally well down the stretch.  While he looked far from rusty last night, he'll nonetheless need to rebuild his game stamina in time for the first round.

Whether the Nets enjoy home court advantage is still a questionable proposition.  They still trail the 4th seed Chicago Bulls by 2.5 games with just 6 games left in the regular season.  They trail the Toronto Raptors by the same margin in the Atlantic Division standings.

The Bulls are in the midst of a 5 game winning streak.  They have five games remaining against Minnesota, Detroit, NYK, Orlando and Charlotte.

The Toronto Raptors have won 3 in a row, and 6 of their last 7 games.  They have 5 games remaining against Philadelphia, Detroit, Milwaukee, and two against the Knicks.

Remaining Schedule:
@ Miami
@ Orlando
vs. Atlanta
vs. Orlando
vs. NYK
@ Cleveland

The Nets have taken all three previous games from the Heat this season.  Perhaps none of that matters heading into Tuesday night's clash in South Beach.  The Heat are fresh off disassembling the desperate Knicks on Sunday, and I'm sure will want to exact a measure of payback against the Nets.

A pair of games against the Orlando Magic are potentially the final, and only breaks the Nets will receive for the remainder of their regular, and post-season run.  The Magic currently sport a 22-55 record.

The Knicks could ill afford to lose against the Heat, which means they will be exponentially more desperate when it comes time to face the Nets in Brooklyn.  Before then however, the Atlanta Hawks may have already sealed their fate.  In any event, the Nets might be facing two very desperate teams.




Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Nets: Look What The Wizards Did To Flatbush, Again

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Nets Fall Flat Against Washington

FINAL

Flatbush   94

Wizards  101

BROOKLYN NETS: Wizards Complete Three Game Sweep Of Jason's Kids.  Flatbush Gets Bumped Down To 6th In Eastern Conference Standings.

Atlantic Division:
1) - Toronto......37-27
2) - Brooklyn....33-31  4GB
3) - New York...27-40  11.5

Look what John Wall and the Wizards did to the Nets..., again.  This was only Brooklyn's second loss of the month, but to a team they have failed to defeat this season.  John Wall scored 33 points, as the Wizards completed a series sweep.  Their victory also snapped a tie with the Nets for 5th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

At no time throughout the three games, did Brooklyn ever find an answer for Washington's point guard.  In the first meeting, with 17 points, John Wall outscored every Nets player, save Brook Lopez.  In game two, he led Washington with 21 points, on a night 7 Wizards scored in double digits.

Saturday's result - the Wizards overcame a 9 point halftime deficit, and a 10 point deficit inside the 4th, to defeat the Nets by a 101-94 final.

With Kevin Garnett missing his 8th straight game, the Nets continue to get out-rebounded.  But, despite missing Garnett's defense, what the Nets allowed Drew Gooden to do was a bit inexcusable. Playing on a 10-day contract, Gooden was 2nd on the Wizards with 21 points, and pulled down a game high 9 rebounds.  He scored 11 of those points in the 4th quarter.

Brooklyn's free throw shooting was also inefficient.  The Nets missed 7 of 22 attempts, for a 68.2% mark.

For the game, the Nets shot 47.9% from the field.  But, as John Wall and Drew Gooden were taking over in the 4th, the Nets all went cold midway through, at the same damn time.  Once the Wizards captured the lead (for the first time all game) they never looked back.

Although Deron Williams tied for team high with 7 rebounds, and distributed a game high 7 assists, he was the chilliest of them all.  He played a team high 35 minutes, and led the team with 21 shots from the field, but struggled mightily, shooting 2/7 from beyond the arch, and 4/14 from the rest of the floor.

Marcus Thornton had another big game, scoring 19 points to lead the team off the bench.  Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce were the only starters in double digits.  Mason Plumlee got the start, and added 8 points.  In 31 minutes, Shaun Livingston was very inconsequential, attempting just 5 shots from the field, and 4 free throws.

Andray Blatche has played with mixed results against his former team this season.  In 25 minutes off the bench, he contributed 9 points and 4 rebounds Saturday night.  In game one of the series, he scored 10 and pulled down 13 rebounds.  In game two, he scored 12 points, but managed just 1 board.

Where do the Nets go from here?  The answer is home, for three games at Barclays Center, where they will host Phoenix, Charlotte and Boston.  For the moment, the Suns are on the outside looking in, currently 9th in the Western standings.  Charlotte is biting at the Nets heels, only 2 games behind in the 7th spot of the Eastern standings.  Boston has no doubt struggled this season, but the Nets better be prepared nonetheless.

Back in the Atlantic Division race, after closing to within three games, the Toronto Raptors lead Brooklyn by four again.  The Nets have 18 games left on their schedule.



Mike.BTB