There’s the good. There’s the bad. And then, there’s the ugly. After losing six straight games, the Nets are on the brink of ugly. They just suffered a huge blow against the Jazz, and given their track record out West, the next three away games against Portland, Seattle and the Lakers don’t look very promising.
It’s déjà vu all over again. The Nets started the season solidly with a 4-1 record. Just when things started looking up, Nets fans must helplessly witness yet another early-season collapse. The question is how low will they go.
At this point, I don’t know what’s worse – losing what should have been a sure-fire win against the Heat by a mere four points or suffering a demoralizing defeat by 20 plus points against the Jazz. Talk about embarrassing. So much so, that a disgusted Jason Kidd took a vow of silence for two games prior to their road trip. It’s hard to believe the Nets were only down by seven in the second quarter before Utah ran away with the game.
Some credit their collapse to an injured Vince Carter who is out with a sprained right ankle. Carter is normally the offensive spark for the Nets. With Carter sidelined, the Nets have been struggling tenfold. But, Kidd is less optimistic and doesn’t think their despondent situation is that simple. After a 102-75 loss to the Jazz, Kidd commented, “Right now there is no light at the end of the tunnel. And healthy, we’re the same team.” Even with a fully limber Carter, the Nets still lost by a whopping 37 points against Toronto earlier this season.
The Jazz may be one of the most skilled offensive teams in the NBA, but losing by 27 points is just awful. Will the Nets be able to shake off this bad run and get back on track? Weirder things have happened. After all, the Jets did pull out a miraculous win against the Steelers in OT this past Sunday.
In order to turn things around, the Nets need to start taking care of the ball and find an offensive spark. Their defense is holding them on by a thread, while their shooting percentage and turnovers are costing them sorely needed points. Right now, the Nets are the lowest-scoring team in the league and are shooting only 39.4% from the field as a team. Aside from their few close losses, the Nets are making it a habit to fall to their opponents by 20 points or more.
The usually insurmountable triple-double Kidd was even bitten by the shooting bug last night only scoring two points and going 1-for-9 from the field against the Jazz. When Kidd is down and out, then you know the situation is code red.
One thing remains certain. A team cannot fold to this extreme when one starter is out with an injury or having an off night. Kidd and Jefferson can’t carry the team alone. An off night for either player cannot be the deal breaker. Jefferson has been a consistent contributor and may have led the scorer’s with 22 points against the Jazz, but he disappeared in the second half against Miami and his missed lay up to tie the game arguably cost them the win. Kidd has been diligently putting up triple-double figures, but only scored a mere two points against the Jazz; this figure is laughable next to the 20 points that fellow point guard Deron Williams put up for Utah.
I won’t even waste my breath touching upon the Miami game and Kidd’s pass underneath to Collins. Why Coach Frank saw Collins as a fourth-quarter clutch player in a tight game against the Heat is beyond my comprehension. Just for the record, a missed lay up and missed free throws with 28.2 seconds left are inexcusable regardless of a player’s defensive assets.
The only person who has stepped up to the challenge is rookie Sean Williams. He had 22 points and 8 rebounds against the Heat. Williams has been a triple threat in the paint putting up the much needed points, rebounds and blocks. The rookie seems to have good chemistry with Kidd and provides invaluable energy and poise in the paint.
Portland and Seattle are young, so hopefully the Nets can take advantage of these next two games to boost their confidence level. Kidd needs to take the lead and capitalize on their inexperience. Carter may be returning to the game soon, but we can’t expect big minutes and numbers from him right away. It’s obvious that Kidd is growing impatient waiting for a turnaround. Could a massive shake up be in the works?
After losing two embarrassing defeats to Cleveland and Indiana, the Jazz were able to pick themselves up and wipe the slate clean. Now 4-7, will the Nets be able to do the same? Will they find a cure for their sloppiness and carelessness? With their talent, the Nets should not be losing so badly to their opponents. Portland is green and Seattle is one of the worst teams in the league, so they better find a quick fix and some inspiration pronto.
