Brooklyn Nets: The Great Purge of Flatbush

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

It's back to the old drawing board 

as Mikhail Prohorov trashes his initial blueprint for greatness.

BROOKLYN NETS: Billy King's all-out effort to build an immediate winner instead set the Flatbush Hoops back for years to come.

There's an old saying -  Haste Makes Waste.

What did you expect?

When Bruce Ratner purchased the team, then announced his plan to move them to Brooklyn, his refusal to resign Kenyon Martin essentially became the first indication he was less interested in owning a basketball team, than he was using them as a vehicle to get his proposed downtown Atlantic Yards development realized.

The team inevitably initiated a great rebuild anyway, by first deconstructing the roster during their final years in New Jersey.

After all Ratner's legal wrangling, majority ownership of the team ponderously, if not conveniently, transferred to Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov even before the concrete foundation at Barclays Center had been poured.  

The new owner's first order of business was to revamp the front office, beginning with the unceremonious purging of Rod Thorn.  The Nets in turn hired Billy King to be their next general manager.  In his defense, King was charged with not just turning the Nets into a competitive team in time for their Brooklyn debut, but to fulfill the owner's mandate of winning a championship within five years of assuming control.

Suffice to say, that hastily executed mission ended in disaster.  To date, Billy King has done more to help rebuild the Boston Celtics than he has the Nets, whom are in their fourth straight season of regression.  Presently sporting a 10-27 record, only Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Lakers have fared worse this season.

For two seasons now, I've wondered aloud why Billy King was still GM of the Nets...

I no longer have to wonder.  Owner Mikhail Prokhorov finally had enough of this futility as well, and this weekend cleaned house.

Billy King, and Coach Hollins have been relieved of their duties.

This means the Nets will finish out the regular season with their fifth head coach since moving to Brooklyn (in 2012-2013), and will most likely begin next season with their sixth coach in 5 years.

On the bright side, the Nets will gain a measure of salary cap relief next season.  Otherwise, the Nets draft has been compromised till 2020, when they finally regain control of their #1 pick again.  Till then, Boston will reap the benefits of Brooklyn's futility.

Assistant coach Tony Brown will finish out the season as interim coach, while Billy King will be retained, reassigned, and made responsible for finding his own replacement.

Knicks and Nets: The Not Ready For Prime Time Cagers

From the desks of:  

DUTCH PANTS CAN'T JUMP  and  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

If futility ignited rivalries, 

this one would be a 3-alarm fire.

Like Two Bottle Rockets in the New York Night...

Remember how Carmelo Anthony's haste for leaving the Denver Nuggets, and seeking a max-contract before the league's new CBA kicked in (that would have otherwise reigned in his earning potential as a free agent) almost got him traded to the New Jersey Nets?

Remember how the Carmelo Anthony tug-o-war between the Nets and Knicks unfolded, or rather, how James Dolan trampled over Donnie Walsh in his own haste to intercept Carmelo?

Both teams were prepared to show Melo the money, so to say.  But the Knicks ultimately offered more players than could the Nets, and so on Feb. 22, 2011, Carmelo Anthony became a Knick.

That seemingly set the next day's headlines in stone - until the Nets secured guard Deron Williams from the Utah Jazz under cover of night.  In an astonishing turn of events, the Feb. 23rd morning tabloids proclaimed New Jersey's trade for a top point guard trumped New York's acquisition of a high scoring small forward.

Then came the Nets move into Brooklyn (Knicks' turf, the land of Bernard King), and an inevitable clash between owners James Dolan and Mikhail Prokhorov.  You might say Prokhorov stuck Dolan with a hot cattle prod when he first purchased billboard space two blocks from Madison Square Garden, and again when he decreed the Brooklyn Nets would win a championship within three short years.

The hardwood battle, however, was supposed to feature supreme two performances - the respective abilities of Carmelo Anthony and Deron Williams in leading their respective teams, and boroughs, to postseason glory.

In 2012-2013, the city got a small taste of what could potentially still become a furious inter-city rivalry (perchance to dream....).  The Knicks and Nets finished one and two atop the Atlantic Division:

• Knicks (54-28); Carmelo Anthony led the league with 28.7 points per game.  His team advanced passed the Boston Celtics in the first round of playoffs, then bowed to the Indiana Pacers in Round 2.

• Nets (49-33); Deron Williams averaged 18.9 ppg. and 7.7 assists.  In their inaugural season playing in Brooklyn, the Nets fell to an undermanned Chicago Bulls team.

If you missed it, too bad, because that's as good as things got.  If futility ignited rivalries, this one would be a 3-alarm fire.

The Knicks quite literally fell off a cliff, forcing Dolan into somewhat out-of-the-box thinking.  Alas, he called on 1970's Knickerbocker hero/1990's Bulls nemesis Phil Jackson to help clean up the mess, despite a glaring lack of front office experience.

The Knicks failed to reach the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.  In 2013-14, they posted a sub-par 37-45 record.  Then came last season's record breaking disaster, in which the Knicks posted a 17-65 record, that some might argue was solely authored by the man (Phil Jackson) whom help the Knicks win their last championship over 40-years ago.

On July 13, 2014, the Knicks ponderously re-signed Carmelo Anthony to another max-pact, which totally flew in the face of Phil Jackson's rebuilding effort.

Brooklyn's rate of regression wasn't as shocking as that of the Knicks, but has been no less methodically painful to watch.  The Nets made the playoffs in 2013-2014 with a 44-38 record, and again last year with a sub-par 38-44 record.

While Melo was in full effect at Madison Square Garden, Deron Williams was incredibly ineffective during most of his time with Brooklyn.  Never able to shake the injury bug, he struggled mightily after accepting the role of franchise player.

On July 11, 2015, Deron Williams was mercifully waived by the Nets.

Like two bottle rockets on a mid-summer night, the fireworks demonstration over the East River anticipated by Manhattan and Brooklyn alike fizzled out.

Even the owners stopped taking cheap shots at each other.

Now what?

Brooklyn Nets: The unraveling realm of Billy King.

As noted, the Nets are in regression.  After posting 49 wins during their inaugural season in Brooklyn, they slipped to 44 wins in year two, to only 38 wins last year.

Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson are still here, but the player formerly known as the franchise, is not.   Deron Williams plays for Dallas now, waived by Billy King.  He follows Gerald Wallace, Paul Pierce, Alan Anderson, Kevin Garnett, and the seemingly hundreds of other players Billy King has brought in and out of Kings County.

With Williams gone, Jarrett Jack takes over the lead point guard role this season, but will not be available when the Nets host the Bulls in Wednesday night's season opener at Barclays Center.  Until Jack's hamstring gets jumping again, Shane Larkin will open the season at point.

Mason Plumlee is gone too.  Not happy about that!

Re-signing Brook Lopez was one small step for the Nets, but two giant feet of trouble for Brooklyn-kind.  The free agent opted to stay with the Nets - the only team he's known since 2008.

Brook played 82 games in each of his first three seasons, but not since.  His history of on and off again foot issues screams beware in 2015-2016.  He was limited to just 5 games in 2011-2012, then followed up with 74 games in 2012-2013.  He only appeared in 17 games during 2013-2014, then followed up again with 72 games played last season.

Will this turn into another problematic season for Brook and the Nets?

While his feet say one thing, Coach Hollins says another.  Remember how Lionel Hollins effectively benched Lopez?  Last season marked the first time Brook failed to start in any game which he played going back to his rookie season.  Last year he only started 44 of his 72 games played.

Joe Johnson is entering the final season of his contract.  That's nice, but the upcoming season won't be.

Lionel Hollins will make them play defense, but this does not strike me as a top eight Eastern Conference team.

That said, can someone explain to me why Billy King is still in charge?

New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony, Phil Jackson, and Derek Fisher; a Triumvirate of Dysfunction.

Either they change the Knicks narrative together, or not at all...

Why re-sign Carmelo Anthony?  Last season, he played with a knee injury that would ultimately require surgery.  He played injured since opening night, yet only cared long enough in order to play in the all-star game before shutting down his season.

The Knicks entered the all-star break with a 10-43 record.  They ranked either last, or next to last on both offense and defense.  So why was he playing in the first place?

Exactly!

Robin Lopez gets to playing the same city as his brother, though.  That's nice.

Not so nice - Carmelo Anthony's reaction to Phil Jackson drafting Kristaps Porzingis.  Way to make the kid feel welcome.  If Melo knew the Knicks were in rebuilding mode, why re-sign with them?   I'm sure it had nothing to do with the Knicks ability to pay more than all other suitors...

Exactly!

This is still Melo's World.  We just get to live in it and watch.  Although, I'm still terribly interested to see who prevails as Knicks alpha-male - Phil Jackson or Carmelo Anthony.  Coach Fisher will be their battleground personified.

Team projections?  Don't make me laugh.  The Knicks will be lucky to win 25 games.

This non-burgeoning rivalry is still in search of better days.  

Their Dec. 4 clash will be nothing more than a pillow fight, 

as both contend for a second division participation trophy.

BK Nets: Deron Williams bids farewell to Flatbush

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

THE DUD of FLATBUSH

w/Utah - 17.3 ppg; 9.1 assists; .466 FG%

w/NJ,BK - 16.6 ppg; 7.5 assists; .418 FG%

Last 2 seasons - 13.6 ppg; 6.3 assists

BROOKLYN NETS: Franchise Player Expectations Go Unmet.

Giddy up...!

Life along Flatbush Avenue proved too much, and so goodbye Brooklyn...

Foiled by his own physical limitations, Deron Williams failed to meet or exceed a Borough's expectations.  Moreover, when made to play (or not play) under coach Lionel Hollins, Williams perhaps became demoralized as well.

It's been a tough 4 1/2 years for Deron Williams, playing in a tough town, for a tough coach.  And so, the Nets embattled guidon bearer during their inaugural march on Kings County resigned his post, having agreed with the team on a buy-out.

Deron Williams is now headed back home to Texas, where he'll continue his playing career with the Dallas Mavericks, in front of a friendlier fan base, and a kinder, more gentler media.

He's lucky the old Brooklyn Eagle wasn't still in circulation.  They'd have ripped him with an intensely local ferocity that Deron was lucky to escape, particularly here in New York.  I hope Williams realizes, that despite what he may feel, he got off light for the very little he provided.

Just ask Melo....

The Nets moved like thieves in the night, acquiring Deron Williams in February 2011 from the Utah Jazz.  In doing so, they also stole the next day's headlines away from the Knicks and their ballyhooed acquisition of Carmelo Anthony.  The consensus, back then, was the Nets acquired the better player, a franchise player, an all-star point guard in his prime.

The only question remaining was if the soon to be free agent would stay?

The answer remained in doubt right up until the second Williams signed a 5-year, $99 million dollar contract - not just to stay a Net, but more importantly to lead the team's long planned move from New Jersey to Brooklyn.

A new deal, a new life in the city, a new team brand, and a new arena to fill, all meant Deron Williams faced a monumental challenge.  He knew that, and excepted the terms (and the money).  He indeed came to Brooklyn with a certain cache, and was indeed the right move in so far as enticing a new fan base.  Unfortunately, he otherwise leaves with his primary responsibilities largely unfulfilled.

In the end, Coach Hollins summed it up best (paraphrasing) - Deron Williams is not a franchise player, an elite point guard, or even one of the NBA's top stars...., anymore, and certainly not while he was here.

In fact, Lionel Hollins stepped all over Billy King's franchise player-elect this past season like Godzilla going through Tokyo.  Coach was ruthless at times, but always spoke the truth.

Recurring ankle injuries not only diminished Deron's level of play, but seemingly polluted his disposition as well.  Whether on or off the court, injured or healthy, the man outwardly spent an inordinate amount of time sulking and brooding perhaps over his existence with the Nets, or playing in Brooklyn, or both.

To his credit, Deron was always a man about things.  He remained accountable, and never ducked the media.

However, you have to wear Brooklyn like a red badge of courage!

There's the rub...



Mike

Brooklyn Nets: Billy King and the Mess of Flatbush

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

The Five Year Mission Failed.

BROOKLYN NETS: Instead of celebrating their first NBA championship, the Hoops of Flatbush are facing a rebuild without any nails, hammers, or wood, and the wrong guy in charge.

Yeah.., ouch!  Keep reading.

In the last three seasons, the Nets went from a 49-33 record during their inaugural season in Brooklyn, to a 44-38 record in 2013-14, to posting a sub par 38-44 record this past season in what proved to be a very weak Atlantic Division, and Eastern Conference.

That's called regression.

Let's jump right in, then, with the Atlanta Hawks recently opting to swap #1 picks with the Nets, as is their right dating back to the Joe Johnson trade.  The Hawks #29 overall pick in the upcoming 2015 draft now belongs to the Nets, while Brooklyn's #15 overall pick is headed to Atlanta.

Since we're on the subject of draft picks, the Boston Celtics will benefit from Billy King's benevolence till the year 2018.  As part of the trade to acquire Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, the Celtics received the Nets 2014 #1 pick, and are still due the Nets 2016 #1 pick, the option to swap 2017 #1 picks, and the Nets 2018 #1 pick.

Moreover, heading into Summer the Nets suffer from incredible salary cap inflexibility, not to mention being indebted to the NBA's luxury tax.  On that note, Alan Anderson, Thaddeus Young, and Brook Lopez, can all opt of of their deals and become a free agents.  If Billy King has intentions to retain Lopez and Young, it will potentially cost him yet more money.  That would leave very little to address the team's greater deficiencies.

Those are just some of the enduring ramifications stemming from Billy King's tenure, and five year (or three year..) failed mission to win his boss an NBA championship.

The NBA's most expensive team is now in need of a complete overhaul, although one is not likely because Billy King has created an unmanageable, and in all likelihood, an immovable mess.

When I last chimed in, I was about to lambaste Jarrett Jack for an utterly pathetic defensive effort in Game 5.  But, after getting blown out by the Hawks in Game 6, that became a moot point.

Today, the Nets situation is less promising than its ever been on Flatbush.  Meanwhile, Billy King still has one more year left in his contract.

Does this mean the Nets will be challenged to win 35 games next season?  My answer to that is - Once is an event, Twice is a coincidence, and Three times is a trend.  Read into that what you will.

All I know is that Joe Johnson said this -

"We never had that (chemistry) going into seasons.  That's probably the thing that hurt us most because you can have coaching changes but as players, you have to have cohesiveness to be successful in this league."

That's on Billy King, for his revolving door of both coaches and players.

This much I do know.  Billy King's 4th head coach in three years is astonishingly blunt, brutally honest, but speaks the truth.   Lionel Hollins demoted, and made bench players of Deron Williams and Brook Lopez.  I have yet to decide whether all of it helped, or hindered the team.

Among his more biting critiques:

On Deron Williams -

"He's not a franchise player anymore."

On Brook Lopez -

"He has some limitations.  ...there's a lot more that goes into a franchise player than just skill, so I don't even want to go there." 

On the team -

"I thought we had a higher basketball IQ as a group than we did.  I thought we had more toughness and all of that.   

...looking from the outside, that's why I always say until you come in and coach a team you don't know for sure.  I thought the skill level was better..."

Ouch!

He basically dumped all over Billy King's creation, and in fact, dumped on them all season long.

I don't know how King is going to improve this team.  He's got the entire organization in a bind.  We do not know if Mikhail Prokhorov has true intentions to sell, and if he's just trying to maintain a positive image.  That might explain why Mikhail Prokhorov hasn't fired him yet.

King's failure on the court should only be part of the owner's reasoning.  Marketing wise, I'd be focusing on Billy King's failure to seize the city as the Knicks were falling flat on their faces.  Over the last two seasons, Brooklyn was the only NYC representative in the playoffs, and as such, failed to encroach on the Knicks' popularity, never mind seizing the moment (or a Borough).

This is still a tenuous time for professional basketball in Brooklyn.  So far, fans kept their side of the deal.  They packed Barclays Center, and in all honesty, sometimes I had my doubts.  This can be a very apathetic, and on the more positive side, an ambivalent town.  The organization should now act before they lose something more than just games and money.  They need to worry about sustaining interest.  Therefore, a proactive approach is in order.

Billy King has been the architect of an incredible mess on Flatbush Avenue.  Someone else should be brought in to dismantle it, then rebuild it, quickly.



Mike

Brooklyn Nets: The Elation of Relavance

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Flatbush defends home court; Even series at two

Series tied 2-2

I - ATL 99; BKN 92

II - ATL 96; BKN 91

III - BKN 91; ATL 83

IV - BKN 120; ATL 115; OT

V - Wednesday Night

GAME FIVE

BROOKLYN NETS

vs.

Atlanta Hawks

from

Hotlanta, GA

BROOKLYN NETS: Monday Might Have Been Flatbush's Finest Day in the NBA.

Three regular seasons have been spent getting re-acclimated to being a professional town again.  The final wrinkles seem to be getting ironed out, as fans are finally feeling at home, in their home, with their team.

The team is presently in the midst of what is now Brooklyn's 4th ever playoff series, and may have finally struck their emotional resonance with the borough.  The Nets and its fans - Barclays Center - arguably might not have had a better night in their three years together than on Monday.

On April 15th this team finished the regular season with a sub par 38-44 record; a considerable decrease from the 49 victories registered in their first season along Flatbush Avenue.  That record included four failed attempts against the Atlanta Hawks.

• In December, the Nets were limited to just 75 points by the Hawks.  On April 4th, the Hawks posted a 32-point margin of victory over the Nets in Atlanta, then visited Barclays Center four days later, and beat them again by a 114-111 score.

Despite their sub .500 record, the Nets qualified for the playoffs as a result of a weak field.  

Then came another pair of fruitless attempts to defeat the Hawks in the series' opening two games in Atlanta.  Both games were frustratingly winnable (aren't they all...), but the Nets nonetheless came up short, twice.  Pretty standard stuff considering no one on TV, radio, or in the tabloids predicted otherwise.

No shot failed to hit its mark more than that of Deron Williams, both literally and figuratively.

He has long been relegated to coming off the bench by Lionel Hollins; the media has effectively written him off; fans have been dismayed with his continuing propensity for injury, and they are generally displeased with his overall deterioration of play since becoming a Net, to say the least.

After scoring 13 points during a representative effort in Game 1, Deron then registered two hotly debated performances.  

In Game 2, he scored an alarming 2 points, but posted 10 rebounds and 8 assists during a tightly contested loss.  In Game 3, he scored an equally confounding 3 points, but pulled down 7 boards and had 6 assists.  The team, however, made their game winning push with him on the bench.

Williams was resoundingly criticized by the media for pulling a disappearing act, but Coach Hollins was not entertaining any of that, and in fact became irritated at the suggestion and chastised the entire pool of reporters.

On the one hand, you can't help but be empathetic to Deron's plight.  There is no denying the man plays hurt and doesn't make any excuse of it.  Joe Johnson offered that Williams is presently playing with severe tendinitis.

On the other hand, he was brought here, and handed over a large sum of money to be the franchise player, be their best player, and ideally lead this team through numerous playoff runs.  The results, so far, speak for themselves.

With their second straight victory at Barclays in Game 4, the Nets tied the series at two.  This is now a best 2 out of 3 games affair.

On April 14th, no one would have believed the Nets could be in this position.  The New Year turnarounds enjoyed in two previous seasons by P.J. Carlessimo and Jason Kidd during their time here was a period of disjointed play and force adjustments for Lionel Hollins.

But, the Brooklyn Nets just might have found the best time imaginable to finally get in lock step with their coach.

Deron Williams scored 35 points in 46-minutes during Monday's 120-115 overtime victory at Barclays.  He pulled down 5 defensive rebounds, had 7 assists, and 3 steals.

The crowd also handed in what was by far their best performance to date.

The Nets have achieved equal ground - albeit heading to Atlanta.  The Eastern Conference's #8 team is now tied with the #1 team in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

The Hawks also have absolutely no answer for Brook Lopez.

This all sort of wipes the slate clean, no?



Mike

Brooklyn Nets: Billy King's Last Stand

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

2014-2015

National Basketball Association 

PLAYOFFS

TODAY

***GAME ONE***

BROOKLYN NETS

vs.

Atlanta Hawks

from

The Peach State

BROOKLYN NETS: Strike one; Strike two; Strike three and you're out...  Is this Billy King's Flatbush Finale?

How bad would it have been had the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics qualified for the playoffs, and not the Nets?  The answer, of course, is academic as the Nets open the playoffs this evening in Atlanta.

As a non-starter, however, this is the final season in which the Nets can fulfill their owner's manifest destiny, AKA - Mikhail Prokhorov's proclamation they'd win an NBA championship within five seasons upon assuming a control.

Give credit where it's due; sure.  Since the Nets move from New Jersey, Brooklyn qualified for their third straight post-season in as many seasons.  However, the situation along Flatbush Avenue has nevertheless deteriorated.

In Brooklyn's first season the Nets posted a fine 49-33 record, then lost a tightly contested 7-game opening round series against the Chicago Bulls.  Last season, the Nets posted a 44-38 record.  In the playoffs, they defeated the Atlantic Division winning Toronto Raptors in round one, then fell to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semis.

This season, in a very weak Eastern Conference field, Brooklyn fell to a below par 38-44 record, and 3rd place in the Atlantic Division.  They barely qualified for the post-season with a victory in their final regular season game (and with help from a Pacers loss).  As the 8th seed, they will be in Atlanta this evening to challenge the #1 seeded Hawks.

Lionel Hollins will be the third coach in as many years to lead the Brooklyn Nets into the post-season.  After Avery Johnson's dismissal shortly into year one, P.J. Carlessimo took over and guided Brooklyn towards its first post-season.  Jason Kidd was then given a clean slate the following season. After tossing assistant coach Lawrence Frank overboard, Captain Kidd righted a listing ship enough for a first round playoff series victory.

Few would argue Jason Kidd's attempted coup d'etat partly warranted his dismissal from the Nets.   So, off to Milwaukee he went.  The Bucks posted a 15-67 record last season.  Then, as the youngest team in the league, they improved to 41-41 this season under Jason Kidd to qualify for the Eastern Conference #6 seed.

Not incidentally, the Nets were 1-3 against the younger, more athletic Bucks this season.  On April 12th, the Nets 96-73 loss to Milwaukee tied their season low for points scored.  In January, the Nets put forth an even more pathetic 108-73 losing effort against Deron Williams' former (and equally more athletic) club.

Two seasons ago, the Boston Celtics initiated a full blown rebuilding, yet still managed to post a 40-42 record this season and qualify for the playoffs.  One might even argue general manager Danny Ainge's decision to gut the Celts was partly inspired by Billy King's generosity in offering Boston the Nets #1 draft picks for the foreseeable future in exchange for the aged Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, etc.

The two were no doubt positive influences on the Nets.  In fact, Paul Pierce made sure everyone knew that.  Now playing with the #5 seeded Washington Wizards, Pierce very recently sounded-off regarding the Nets (perceived) pathetic attitudes, lack of will and effort in practice, their overall team and individual defectiveness, and even singled out Deron Williams.

On a more positive note, prior to his trade back to Minnesota, Kevin Garnett was an extremely positive influence on Mason Plumlee that should benefit the Nets moving forward. A Duke/Coach K background, and a heavy dose of KG is a great foundation to build upon.

Saying the Nets backed-in, or limped into the post-season is being kind.

They nevertheless will challenge the Eastern Conference #1 seeded Atlanta Hawks, against whom they lost all four regular season meetings.  In December, the Nets were limited to just 75 points by Atlanta.  On April 4th, the Hawks posted a 32-point margin of victory over the Nets in Atlanta, then visited Barclays Center four days later, and beat them again by a 114-111 score.

The big three of this team; the big financial three if nothing else; have arrived at what should be their final go-around together.  The triad of Brook Lopez, Deron Williams, and Joe Johnson, have been the only measure of consistency for this team over three seasons.  The otherwise supporting cast members have entered and exited Billy King's commune via a fast and free spinning revolving door.

The results have been minimal; one playoff series victory in two previous post-season appearances.

Inconsistency, has been constant around here.  There's times when the Nets play inspired basketball, and look like legitimate contenders, but then suffer through episodes when they flat out suck.   Unfortunately, this season they played like second division dwellers more often than not.

The Nets have gotten off to bad starts in all three of their seasons in Brooklyn.  However, Lionel Hollins never quite orchestrated the January turn-around the Nets enjoyed in the previous two seasons.

The "season turn-around" didn't materialize until, arguably, late March.  Weeks and months of underachieving, heightened by tension over the benching of starters Deron Williams and Brook Lopez, rabid trade rumors, and another mid-season roster shake-up, all led up to a 27-39 record by March 18th.

The Nets went on to win 10 of their next 12 games, which included a 6-game win streak with victories over the likes of Cleveland, Indiana, and Toronto.  However, they struggled with a 3-4 record down the stretch and placed their potential playoff appearance in serious jeopardy.

I have argued Billy King should not have lasted this long - not after 4 head coaching changes, spending the team into salary cap and luxury tax oblivion, the yet unrealized damage this organization will suffer due to lack of control of their #1 picks through 2019-2020, the consistent lack of speed in transition or otherwise - basically non-athletic players, and dwindling win totals.

What should await the general manager should the Nets quietly bow out of the playoffs for a third straight season?

Part of the answer is complicated by the fact that no one is really sure of the owner's level of commitment towards retaining or selling the team.

All that being said, it's time to shock the world!

Let's go Brooklyn.

Let's Go Nets!



Mike

Brooklyn Nets: Fading Away

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Now 11-games under .500, and fading fast...

BROOKLYN NETS: Look what the Utah Jazz did to Flatbush, again.

Let us tell no lies.

The 2011 trade bringing (then) 26-year old point guard Deron Williams to the Nets was a no-brainer. Negotiated under the cover of night, the transaction even stole headlines away from the Knicks upon their acquisition of Carmelo Anthony.

Despite being limited to just 55 games in 2011-12, Deron Williams' 21-ppg was his best rate as a pro, which continued ratifying the trade as a coup.

Then came the team's relocation to Brooklyn.

Beset by ankle problems throughout, Williams averaged 18.9 points and 7.7 assists in 2012-13, then fell precipitously to just 14.3 points and 6.1 assists per game last season.

Now 30-years old, Deron Williams underwent surgery to both ankles this past off-season and was off to a spirited start this season.  However, he has since been relegated to playing off the bench by Coach Hollins, and is presently only averaging 13.2 points and 6.2 assists per game.

His former team, the Utah Jazz were in Brooklyn Sunday featuring forward Derrick Favors - one of the players packaged in exchange for Williams.

Favors, 23, played a game high 38-minutes and shot 50% on 8/16 from the floor.  He was second on the Jazz with 22 points and 8 boards.  Deron Williams on the other hand, played 30 minutes and was only 2/5 from the floor.  He registered 6 points, 4 assists, and 5 rebounds.

The Jazz 95-88 victory over the Nets Sunday improved their record to 26-36, while the defeat dropped the Nets to 25-36 this season.  At first glance, the teams look relatively even.  The observant fan, however, knows otherwise.  While the Jazz are 10 games under .500, they are young, rebuilding and improving.  The Nets, however, are now 11 games under .500, and devolving at a accelerating rate.

The New Year turnaround experienced under both P.J. Carlessimo and Jason Kidd has failed to transpire under Lionel Hollins.  Despite impressive back-to-back victories over Golden State and Dallas, and additionally strong victories over Toronto, L.A. Clippers, and Washington, the Nets have posted a 10-20 in 2015.

They have now dropped 3 in a row, and are now 11-18 at home.  They've fallen into a second place tie in the Atlantic Division with (another rebuilding team) the Boston Celtics.  They're additionally 2.5 games behind the Indiana Pacers in the race for the Eastern Conference 8th seed along with Boston, both of whom trail Miami.

Even Jason Kidd's team, the Milwaukee Bucks, widely considered a pre-season afterthought, are presently the 6th team in the conference with a (surprising) 33-29 record.

Brook Lopez was finally reinserted back into the starting line-up on Sunday, and responded with 19 points and 10 rebounds.  It was his second straight double/double, as he scored 19 points and pulled down 13 rebounds against the Suns.

While Brook was back in, Joe Johnson was strangely out.  In a very peculiar move, Coach Hollins had Joe Johnson on the bench and put the ball in Jarrett Jack's hands for the final, and potentially game winning shot in regulation time against Phoenix.  Jack's shot rimmed out, and the Nets eventually fell apart in overtime.

Joe Johnson is playing out of position and his game is suffering as a result.  That being said, Lionel Hollins has truly been a brutal presence for Brooklyn's envisioned big three; Johnson, Williams, Lopez.

Obviously, the problems confronting this organization lay above Hollins.  This team was constructed to win in the very near term, but will clearly fail in their five year mission to win a title.  Instead they are fading away, and other than negotiating a sale of the team, the deep pocketed owner now appears indifferent to affecting change.

Translated - Billy King continues unfettered in his present capacity.

That's sad, because all indications say he engineered a bottom third club with little chance of improving.  The Nets are 23rd in scoring, 22nd in rebounds, 27th in assists, and 18th in points allowed.

Yet, Billy King stayed relatively put at the deadline (or arguably got outclassed by his competitors), so it's no surprise the situation continues to worsen.

If that wasn't enough, by negotiating the team's draft picks he's effectively compromised the near future as well.

That puts the real Nets turnaround light years from now.



Mike

Brooklyn Nets: Kings of the Second Circuit

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Billy King's Borough Of Misfit Toys

BROOKLYN NETS: Dear Ownership, Forget Lionel Hollins; Billy King Is Your Problem.  He Created This Mess That Will Compromise The Team For Years to Come.

Previously: The Woes of Flatbush

I've been saying for a while now, that it was only a matter of time before either Billy King or Mikhail Prokhorov got tired of listening to Lionel Hollins openly disparage the team.

The players certainly have.  But, in their case, the truth hurts.

On the one hand, it's nice that someone in upper management is actually worried whether Hollins' message is getting through to the players.  On the other hand, upper management just doesn't get it, because they're a large part of the problem.

In fact, Coach Hollins is least of the Brooklyn Nets problems.

He became available because of the "new ownership wanted to go in a new direction" thing.  Hollins otherwise left the Memphis Grizzlies in very good shape, and left behind some very good player relationships.

Lionel Hollins leaves no question as to who's in charge of the Nets locker room.  I couldn't say that with confidence about Jason Kidd or P.J. Carlesimo.  And, I know the Nets are a defensively improved team under Hollins.  That's also something I couldn't say about P.J. Carlesimo's or Jason Kidd's time as coach.

Hollins coaches with a heavy hand, and blindfolded to the names on jerseys; just ask Brook Lopez and Deron Williams.

But, what was already an erratic offensive team has gotten astonishingly worse under Coach Hollins, and they still lack a discernible offensive system of play.

The thing is, P.J. and Kidd each coached their respective variations of this roster, and had them turned around by January.  As January 2015 draws to a close, Coach Hollins' variation of the roster has so far failed to turn things around, and are failing in increasingly miserable fashion.

At least P.J. and Kidd were able to turn bad situations around, and guide their teams to the playoffs.   Last season, Jason Kidd and the Nets even won their first playoff series as a Brooklyn franchise, but were eliminated in the second round.

The last two games for Coach Hollins and the Nets were particularly distressing, in which they were outscored by a 231-157 margin.  On Jan. 22nd, they got routed by the Los Angeles Clippers, 123-84; a 39-point discrepancy.   On Jan. 24th, they were likewise blown out by the Utah Jazz, 108-73; another 35-point discrepancy.

They are just 3-10 in January, and 18-26 for the season, and have now fallen out of the Eastern Conference top eight teams.

There are two things, however, that Carlesimo, Kidd, and Hollins, all have in common: their general manager, and that for the third straight season the roster he assembled has been woeful against teams with winning records.

Billy King has taken Mikhail Prokhorov's passionate fiscal investment into Brooklyn basketball, and has by all counts built the worst team money can buy.  The man has maxed-out the salary cap for another season after this, and has severely compromised the team's draft for the remainder of the decade.

To the dismay of a borough, the Brooklyn Nets have become nothing more than the Kings of the Second Circuit.

Instead of an intensive audit into Lionel Hollins work, who the hell is putting Billy King under the spotlight?

Lionel Hollins signed a four year deal.  What is King going to do?  Fire him?  If he does, King should follow him through the door.  There is no way he can survive his present employment and be allowed to hire what would be the team's 5TH coach in less that three full seasons?

And, with the trade deadline looming, he's on the brink of making what would be his fourth radical makeover?

No mas!

Dear ownership, look no further.  Billy King is your problem.

Save us.

Hello?  Is any one there, or have you sold the team already?



Mike

Brooklyn Nets: The Woes of Flatbush

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Outside of a Kevin Garnett headbutt, 

the Hoops have been doing little rumbling in Flatbush.

BROOKLYN NETS: Time For Hollins and the Hoops to Get Out of Town and Regroup.

With forty-one games in the books, the Brooklyn Nets are at the halfway point of the season.

If the playoffs started today, the Nets would qualify as the Eastern Conference 8th seed.  That's a small consolation though.  Along with the Miami Heat, they are presently the only two qualifiers with losing records in a very weak field.  That makes them nothing more than the best of the rest; hardly a contender.

The Nets have a 17-24 record, which in today's NBA is actually good enough for 2nd place in the Atlantic Division; nine games behind the Toronto Raptors.

In closing out the first half of their season Saturday night against the Wizards, with less than a minute left in the game and the Nets down by only five, I saw Coach Hollins implement no particular plan, and a team playing with no particular enthusiasm, or clue.

After the game, Jarrett Jack said they were tired.  That might have been true for him, otherwise, yes, Barclays fans are getting worn down by a tired situation.

Sensing the Nets desperately needed to get out of town, the schedule makers mercifully sent Coach Hollins and the Hoops out west this week for games against the Kings, Clippers, and Jazz.

The damage, however, has been done.  Friday's victory over Washington on the front end of a home-and-home snapped their 7-game losing streak.  Saturday's loss nonetheless became their 8th loss in their last 9 games; made them 2-8 in the new year; and dropped them to 8-14 at home.

They have exactly three highlights this season; an overtime victory over the Spurs, an impressive win over the Bulls, and perhaps Friday's victory over the Wizards.  They otherwise failed to sustain, following the San Antonio victory with a 3-game losing streak, and following that Bulls victory by losing 8 of their next 10 games.

What comes next is anyone's guess.

What we do know, is that this team is a slow, plodding, nonathletic, non-rebounding mess.  They lost a ponderous game to Philadelphia earlier this month, and for a third straight season own an amateurish record against winning teams.

Through 2 1/2 seasons in Brooklyn, the Nets are 110-95, and fading.  They won 49 games in their inaugural season, then dropped to 44 victories last season.  They need to go 23-18 the rest of the way just to reach 40 wins for a 3rd straight season, and go 24-17 just to finish the season with a .500 record.

For too long now, their two franchise players have failed to stay healthy.  This season, their limited play on the floor earned them seats on Coach Hollins' bench until further notice.

Worth mentioning is that Lionel Hollins is Billy King's 4th head coach in less than three seasons, and in an indirect way, Billy King's harshest critic.  The man minces no words when criticizing King's creation to the press.  During a recent post-gamer, he said the Nets identity was that of a bad shooting team.

Lines like that leave little room for interpretation.

Gerald Wallace; Paul Pierce; Shaun Livingston; Andray Blatche; Reggie Evans; Andrei Kirilenko; Marcus Thornton just to name a few - including the present collection - it's been three seasons of revolving rosters with no end in sight.

In the process, Billy King has this team financially capped out through next season, and has compromised the draft for years to come.

Their #1 pick in this summer's draft is expected to be swapped with the Atlanta Hawks - the #1 team in the Eastern Conference.

The Nets future drafts are no less compromised.  Boston owns the Nets 2016 #1 pick, and the Clippers have a right to swap #2 picks.  In 2017, Boston holds the right to swap #1, while the Nets #2 went to Atlanta.  In 2018, Boston owns Brooklyn's #1, and their #2 is potentially lost to Philadelphia. Philly also owns their 2020 #2 pick.

You would think such circumstances would inspire ownership to get involved, if not trigger a mushroom cloud rising over Flatbush.  But, instead of lashing out at his overly expensive, woefully under performing team, and at the GM responsible for putting this mess together, Mikhail Prokhorov is reportedly bailing out on Brooklyn.

The trade deadline is one month away, and with an apparent lack of oversight, Billy King is seemingly free to continue running a muck.

Woe is Flatbush.


Mike

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: Somewhere between Miami and Mediocrity

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

BROOKLYN NETS: Flatbush Big Three; Garnett, Jack, And Plumlee; Looking To Turn Up Heat In Miami.

That wasn't the plan, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Conventional wisdom..., right?

Is it conceivable that Lionel Hollins would finish the balance of the season with Deron Williams and Brook Lopez coming off the bench?  That remains to be seen, but don't put it past him.  He's made it very clear to everyone exactly how he feels.

Then again, the trade deadline is in February, so perhaps he'll bend (if it helps Billy King seek moves).

Whatever Hollins is doing, it's starting to work.

Entering tonight's game with the Heat, the Nets seemed to have gained a measure of balance.  At 16-16, they haven't been at .500 since November 14th.  They're 8-8 at home, and 8-8 on the road.

The numbers go askew, however, when you consider their 14-3 record against sub .500 teams, and their 2-13 record against winning teams.

According to those numbers, the Nets should have a good night in Miami against the Heat, who have cooled since the departure of LeBron James.  They enter Sunday's game with a 14-20 record, and an 6-12 record at home.

The Nets have won three in a row, and six of their last seven, and are two games removed from a dominant performance against the Chicago Bulls.

The Nets should escape the heat tonight, but they're still battling mediocrity.

POST GAME: Heat Burn Nets Early; Turn Back Nets Comeback Late.

FINAL

NETS  84

Heat    88

Not so fast...!

The Nets win steak got stopped at three Sunday night by the Miami Heat.  The Boys from Flatbush fell behind 30-21 after the opening quarter, and couldn't make up the difference.

Or, you could say the Nets shooting was atrocious; your pick.

Brooklyn hoisted 86(!) shots from the field, and only connected on 34 for a 39.5% night from the field, with 24 of those attempts coming from beyond the arch.  The Heat were 31/67, for a 46.3% success from the field.

Miami was lenient in the paint.  Brooklyn scored 40 points in the paint, and only took 13 shots from the stripe.  Miami diced up the Nets with 21/28 from the line.

The Nets had five players score double digits, versus two for Miami.  Chris Bosh led all scorers with 26 points, and was followed by Dwayne Wade's 25 points.  Joe Johnson and Mason Plumlee led the Nets starters with 19 and 12 points respectively.

Off the bench, Brook Lopez scored 16 points, while Deron Williams added 13 points and led all players with 8 assists.

Mason Plumlee and Brook Lopez lost a rebound battle 12/15 to Chris Bosh and Hassan Whiteside, whom led all players with 10 rebounds off the bench.

The important numbers dipped under par again.

The Nets are below .500 again with a 16-17 record, and are now 8-7 on the road.  Their record falls to 14-4 against teams with below .500 records.

The Nets have a quick turnaround.  They'll fly from Miami back to NYC for a Monday night game against the Dallas Mavericks at Barclays Center.

With Sunday's convincing 109- 90 victory over the Cavaliers, the Mavs arrive on Flatbush Ave with a 25-10 record, and just 1/2 game behind 1st place Memphis in the Southwest Division.  By the way, the Mavs also feature Rajon Rondo these days, who's scoring 7 points more per game over what he scored with Boston.

Mason Plumlee averages a (per-36 minute) double/double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.



Mike.

Brooklyn Nets: January Has Usually Meant Better Days Ahead

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Nets Hoping For A Happy New Year Under Coach Hollins

BROOKLYN NETS: After Yet Another Slow Start, Flatbush Banking On A Three Year New Year's Trend.

The 2012 calender year ended with Billy King firing head coach Avery Johnson because the team was floundering at .500 under him with a 15-15 record.  The Nets then won their first game under P.J. Carlessimo and closed out December with a 16-15 record.

From January on, the Nets posted a 33-18 record to finish the 2012-13 season with a 49-33 mark.

Last season, the Nets finished the calender year with a dismal 10-21 record.  It was right around Christmas when Jason Kidd effectively fired Lawrence Frank by banishing him from the bench and practices, and relegating him to providing scouting reports.

From January on, the Nets posted a 34-17 record to finish the 2013-14 season with a 44-38 final mark.

This season, the Nets will enter their first game of January with a 15-16 record.  No one got fired this past December, but there is clearly a new alpha-male in town who takes no prisoners.

The 4th Nets head coach in the last three years has basically called the owner's money based star system to task; he demeans Billy King's roster almost nightly; and has benched the team's highest paid players in Brook Lopez and Deron Williams.

Brook Lopez enjoyed a night of redemption last Tuesday when he poured in 29-points against the Bulls in Chicago, and the Nets have won 5 of their last 6 games with Deron Williams coming off the bench.  But, Coach Hollins said that's where they'll stay for now.  The team is now riding the wave created by Jarrett Jack and Mason Plumlee instead.

After a strong start that saw Deron Williams averaging 19 points and 7 assists per game, his play has cooled off considerably, to where he now averages just 14.4 points and 6.6 assists per game.  He is also shooting a career low 39% from the field.

His name also continues to get included in trade rumors.


Mike

Brooklyn Nets: Working The Phones Is Code For Trouble

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Flatbush Hoops Snap Three Game Skid

Friday Night Final

76ers    70

NETS   88

BROOKLYN NETS: Coach Hollins Deftly Points Out All The Cracks In Billy King's Castle.

The Nets previous two seasons in Brooklyn have taught us it takes roughly 2 months in order for this team to right itself.

Twenty games into the Lionel Hollins era, the trend is holding true.  The question remains however, can they play themselves out of this funk once January arrives?

They entered Friday's action having lost three straight, all by at least 20-point margins.

If you've listened to Lionel Hollins lately (who seemingly took a cue from Phil Jackson), he flatly states the Nets are not a good team (for the moment at least) despite Greg Popovich's recent words of encouragement.

Hollins has been brutally honest when it comes to discussing the team and their shortcomings.  While I find it somewhat refreshing, it is at the same time worrisome because that tact quickly wears thin - just ask Avery Johnson.

The man also certainly knows the game, which, combined with his frankness, makes his post-game analysis a fascinating listen.

If anyone should be taking his words to heart, it should be the general manager.

While the Nets were busy Wednesday night losing to the Bulls, their general manager traded Andrei Kirilenko to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Was that the first bottle rocket in what could become a greater fireworks show over Flatbush?  Recent scuttlebutt says Billy King is ready to blow up this core group of players, or, is open to the idea.

As Billy King put it before Friday's game against the Sixers, his job is to work the phones.

Good answer.

My question is, when does it become time to protect this team from Billy King himself?

Despite the huge sums of money spent on salary and luxury taxes, for a third consecutive regular season the Nets are failing to distinguish themselves as one of the NBA's top teams, or even within the Eastern Conference, or even within a pathetically weak Atlantic Division.

In what is now a trend, Wednesday's loss to the Bulls made the Nets just 1-8 against teams with a winning record.  That's right in line with their previous two seasons.  As one series victory in two playoff appearances might also suggest, the Nets have merely been among the best of the rest.

If rumors hold true, then Joe Johnson, Deron Williams, and Brook Lopez, the most expensive trio in the NBA, are on the block.

Joe Johnson perhaps has provided Billy King the most bang for his buck.  Deron Williams battled injuries and has largely underachieved since coming to the Nets, while Brook Lopez just can't manage to stay on the floor.  Good luck moving those contracts.

In their defense, the much maligned core-3 has been forced to adapt to a continually revolving cast of supporting players and four head coaches in just over two year's time.

Overall, the slow and plodding (and old) teams Billy King has assembled clearly struggle against younger, more athletic teams.  They continually get victimized by fast-breaks; they fail to defend the paint; and routinely get outworked on the glass.

Even should Billy Kind ratchet up the trade mill, there's little he can do to replenish all the draft picks he traded away for years to come.  So, if the present seems dark, the future doesn't appear much brighter.

If any of this seems in conflict with Friday night's victory over the Sixers, I respectfully remind you, it was the Sixers.  Next Wednesday they face the Toronto Raptors; a far greater measure.

To date, however, what's done is done.

In order to endorse Billy King's continuance, we must ignore:

• a severely compromised draft for several years to some.
• salary cap and luxury tax hell.
• per Joe Johnson (paraphrasing), a group of individuals playing selfish ball.
• per Deron Williams (paraphrasing), unlike the Nets, the Bulls have benefited from consistency and continuity with regards to their roster and coaching.
• on that note, four Nets head coaches in less than three seasons.
• two unimpressive playoff appearances.

January is soon coming, maybe then Old Acquaintance be forgot.

Mike

Brooklyn Nets: 25 Years After Princess Di's Visit, We Welcome The Duke and Duchess of Flatbush

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

In 1989, Princess Diana visited the

Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Tonight, Kings County welcomes back her son and his wife,

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,

Prince William and Kate Middleton

"Welcome Back..., to that same old place that you laughed about."

BROOKLYN NETS: Coach Popvich Said Be Patient, That The Nets Will Become A Conference Force.  He's Friggin Hysterical Isn't He?

Just when it appeared as if he was playing his way out of Coach Hollins' doghouse, Brook Lopez is hurt again.  But, this time his lower back is barking.  Thankfully, his foot bone is still connected to the ankle bone....  Whew!

He'll certainly miss tonight's game against King James, with Prince William and Princess Kate in attendance.  Reports say he'll miss a week.

In the mean time, remember when Milwaukee (the youngest team in the league) started two teenagers, and outscored the Nets 58-54 in the paint, and outpaced them 16-9 on fast-breaks during an overtime victory on Brooklyn's turf?

That was 8 games ago, I know.  But the Nets effort against the Hawks reminded me.

Know why the Nets beat the Spurs?  Because San Antonio is old, and somewhat just as plodding.

In the Nets defense, Coach Popovich had nothing but praise for Coach Hollins and the team, even saying Brooklyn would be a conference force by Spring.

Interesting.

So far, the Nets are 1-7 against .500 teams or better, which makes them 7-3 against the rest of their early   competition.  Their 8-10 record has allowed them to loiter in 2nd place of a very weak Atlantic Division.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are 11-7 this season; not a juggernaut by any stretch.

Perhaps with Brook Lopez out, the Nets can speed up the tempo of tonight's game.

Above all, pay attention to detail..., ok?  Don't embarrass yourselves tonight.  The Royal Family has been very good to this Borough.  So Don't Mess It Up.

And don't let LeBron James orchestrate a royal show on the court of Flatbush.

This is Kings County, not his county!



Mike

Brooklyn Nets: Bad Just Got Worse

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop

BROOKLYN NETS: Rift between Coach Hollins and Brook Lopez widening; team's downward spiral continues; and don't look now, but here comes Jason Kidd!

Joe Johnson's attempt at a preemptive kick in the ass has seemingly resulted in a major case of team indifference.

How else do you describe it?

New coach; new players; I get it.

Not really; not to this degree.

The graffiti is spray painted on the brick wall.  Three games on the west coast proved how vulnerable the plodding Nets are to small line-ups.

Three games; three losses.  They played well at times, but not well enough, and clearly not long enough.  They played in spurts; the Brooklyn Spurts.

In Phoenix, the Nets were up by as many as 19 points, and took a 63-49 lead into halftime.  Then their shooting soured; they only shot 27.5% in the 2nd half.

But in truth, the game changed on a dime when the Suns imposed their style in the second half.  The Nets still led 84-78 after three quarters, but the defense took the rest of the night off as the Nets were outscored 34-20 in the 4th quarter en route to a 112-104 defeat.

Joe Johnson manned-up with 21 points, and Kevin Garnett posted a double/double with 12 points and 10 boards.  Mirza Telotovic and Brook Lopez chipped in with 16 points each, but all Lopez could manage was 3 rebounds.

Making a Point:

• Eric Bledsoe - 18 points, 3 assists.  Isaiah Thomas - 21 points and 2 assists off the bench.
• Deron Williams - 14 points and 5 assists in 34 minutes.

The Brooklyn Spurts were at it again in Oakland against the Warriors.  They jumped out to a 36-32 1st quarter lead, but trailed 66-54 at the half.  They played to a 3rd quarter stalemate, and the Nets even outscored the Warriors 24-20 in the 4th, but the damage had already been done.

Brooklyn's lack of interior defense was all too clear, allowing Golden State 50 points in the paint, and getting outpaced on fast-break points by a 30-9 margin.

They also got out-rebounded, and trailed Golden State 30-19 in team assists.

The Nets shot a sub-par 43.8% from the floor, and suffered through 3/16 from beyond the arch.

They ultimately fell 107-99, and failed to score 100-points for only the 2nd time this season (until....)
All 5 Warriors starters scored in double digits.

For this game, Deron Williams' standard of measure came against Steph Curry.

Making a Point:

• Stephen Curry - 17 points and 5 assists in 32 minutes.
• Deron Williams - 18 points and 5 assists in 33 minutes.
• Jarrett Jack scored a team high 23 points off the Nets bench.

The city of Portland provided yet another let down.  Poor shooting that began in Phoenix, and worsened in Oakland , bottomed out against the Blazers.

The Nets only scored 15 first quarter points, and shot an abysmal 39.3% for the game.  And if you can imagine it, the Nets 3/16 three-point experience against Golden State worsened, as the Nets connected on just one of 19 attempts from beyond the arch in Portland.

They were also out-rebounded, and handed out less team assists yet again.  Adding insult to injury, Portland played minus two main cogs; LaMarcus Aldridge and Nicolas Batum.

Making a Point:

Damien Lillard - 28 points and 10 assists in 38 minutes.

Deron Williams - 19 points and 6 assists in 37 minutes.

That doesn't even begin to tell the story.  When Deron Williams wasn't getting defensively switched off Lillard, the Portland point guard was lighting up Williams like a roman candle.  More, Steve Blake stepped in with another 7 assists off the bench.

You would have thought the next best place for the Nets should have been home.

But in their first home game back at Barclays Center on Monday, they encountered a quiet, apathetic crowd.  The Nets responded in kind with a lethargic effort against the LeBron-less, Wade'less, and generally undermanned Miami Heat.

On this night, all Flatbush could manage was 83 points.  Their best effort came in the 2nd quarter when they scraped together 22 points, but were held to just 19 points in the final quarter en route to a 95-83 defeat to the Heat.

How's this for a downward trend:

• 104 points versus Phoenix
• 99 points versus Golden State
• 87 points versus Portland
• 83 points versus Miami

And how's this for Making a Point:

• Mario Chalmers - 22 points and 5 assists in 34 minutes.
• Deron Williams - 14 points and 7 assists in 35 minutes.

Throughout this time, the relationship between Coach Hollins and Brook Lopez continued to deteriorate even further.

....All since Joe Johnson tried administering the team a swift kick in the ass, remember?

Next:

On Wednesday evening, Jason Kidd and his Milwaukee Bucks come to Flatbush.  This will be the first meeting between clubs since Jason Kidd was jettisoned out of Barclays for attempting a coup d'etat.

This will also be the first time these clubs meet since Mikhail Prokhorov and Kidd served and volleyed through the media.

I don't know that a Brooklyn crowd will let bygones be bygones, and give Jason Kidd a well deserved ovation for being the best Nets player of all-time.  Obviously, New Jersey isn't across the continent, but it wasn't Brooklyn Jason Kidd led to back-to-back Finals appearances.  There's the rub.  How much of Kidd's playing history gets lost on Wednesday night's crowd remains to be seen.

In Empire State fashion, however, he just might get the Benedict Arnold treatment one might argue he deserves.

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: Deron Williams Holds Court During Opening Home Stand

From the desk of:  THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH

Opening Home Stand: 3-1

Atlantic Division

Toronto Raptors    5-1

Brooklyn Nets      4-2

Boston Celtics       3-3

N.Y. Knicks          2-5

Philadelphia 76rs  0-6

BROOKLYN NETS: Flatbush got their 1st look at the new and improved Deron Williams.  He averaged 21 points and 7 assists during the four game home stand, highlighted by 29 points against Knicks.

Brook Lopez Earns Coach Hollins' Attention

The Nets improved to 4-2 with Sunday afternoon's 104-96 victory over the Orlando Magic.

It marked the 5th time in 6 games the Nets scored above 100 points, and 5th time in 6 games they've held their opponent below 100 points.  They are averaging 104.6 ppg, and allowing 98.1 ppg.

The Nets were led by Bojan Bogdanovic's 22 points in Sunday's victory over the Magic.  Mason Plumlee turned in a double/double off the bench with 12 points and 10 rebounds in 16 minutes.

Deron Williams scored 18 points in a game high 41 minutes.  He and Kevin Garnett tied with a game high 7 assists.

Brooklyn out-rebounded Orlando 45-31, outscored them in the paint, and cleared a path to the free throw line.

In Friday's East River showdown against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center, Deron Williams held court, scoring a game high 29 points and dishing out a likewise game high 6 assists in Brooklyn's 110-99 victory.  Deron was an efficient 10/15 from the field and 2/3 from beyond the arch.

Brook Lopez tied (with Knicks Quincy Acy) for game high with 9 rebounds and scored 20 points.   Joe Johnson also contributed 18 points towards the cause.

Overall, the Knicks outscored the Nets in the paint, out-rebounded them, and had more assists, but Brooklyn shot 51.4% from the field, while the Knicks lagged at 41.1%.  The Nets were particularly effective from 3-point range, shooting 14/24, for 58.3%.

It was the Knicks 3rd straight loss.  No player struggled more than Carmelo Anthony.  He was limited to 19 points, on 5/20 from the field in a game high 36 minutes.

Brook Lopez Getting Schooled On The Euro:

Brook Lopez caught Coach Hollins' attention last Wednesday when he was outplayed by Minnesota's Nikola Pekovic (16 points, 11 rebounds), particularly late during the Nets 98-91 meltdown.  It was only Brook's second game of the season.

Lopez then bounced back with a physical performance against Jason Smith and the Knicks, and posted a near double/double.  However, Sunday's battle of centers went to Orlando's Nikola Vucevic, who dropped a game high 27 points and grabbed a game high 12 boards.  Brook Lopez was limited to 12 points and just 5 rebounds.

How Do You Like Me Now?

After surgery to both ankles, here are the early returns: In 6 games, Deron Williams is averaging 19.8 points and 7 assists per game, and is shooting 47.3% from the floor.

Over his career, he has averaged 17.5 ppg and 8.7 assist, with a 45.3% FG average.

He was a 47% shooter with Utah, but has only averaged 43% with the Nets.  After posting just a 41% average in 2011-12 (New Jersey's final season), he improved to 44% in 2012-13, and to 45% last season.  His career best came in 2007-08 at age 23 with Utah, when he posted a 51% FG average.

Deron Williams will turn 31-years old in June 2015.  He is beginning his 4th full season with the Nets and his 3rd in Brooklyn.

In New Jersey's last season, Deron averaged 21 points and 8.7 assists in 55 games.  First one, then two ankle injuries clearly took their toll.  He averaged 18.9 points and 7.7 assists in 2012-13, then fell to 14.3 points and 6.1 assists last season.

In 4 games during the now concluded home stand, Deron averaged 21 points and 7 assists per game.



Mike