Nets Bow In Fourth

            The Nets proved they could play with an elite team for three plus quarters, even with their top two scorers only intermittently involved. Then the Jekyll and Hyde Nets offense reverted to its early December struggles – nine fourth quarter points, tying a franchise low, on 3-19 shooting – and what was a 12-point lead at one time ended as an 86-77 defeat to Boston.

            Holding Boston below 90 points is a major accomplishment, but scoring on the NBA’s top defense proved a tougher task. Despite a scorching hot 30-point opening quarter sparked by transition scoring, strong cuts to the basket, and a few open jumpers off drive and kicks, the Nets poor outside shooting caught up with them.

            In a shooting exhibition reminiscent of youth basketball, the Nets hit on only 37% from both the field and free throw line. Those numbers will not beat most NBA teams. Josh Boone’s 0-6 from the line was only the beginning. Jefferson, Carter, and Wright all added to the atrocity, continuing a worrisome trend from the line of late that must change for the Nets to continue winning.

            On offense, Carter, who admitted battling a touch of the stomach flu, was non-existent outside a burst in the third quarter. Instead of posting Carter on the wing, he found himself on the perimeter, unable to initiate the offense or consistently work for good shots, leading to 7-20 shooting and only four assists. Not establishing Carter hurts Jefferson, as well as foul trouble limiting his aggressiveness in the second half. RJ led the Nets with only 17 points.

Without any offensive flow, once Boston halted the transition game, points were scarce. Kidd tried to ignite some offense in the fourth quarter, forcing transition, trying to create by driving to the basket, but it led to turnovers and forced bad shots.

            Unlike earlier this season, the Nets continued to play hard for four quarters, not allowing the game to get out of reach until the last minute, never letting go of the proverbial rope that Jason Kidd referred shortly after an earlier Boston blowout.

The Nets stood toe to toe with Boston on defense, mixing in a zone in the fourth that confused Boston enough to halt their rally, though the Nets never capitalized. Boone owned the glass, gathering a career-high 16 boards, and played solid defense on Garnett forcing him into tough, contested shots. In fact, tough defense held Boston’s vaunted Big Three in check most of the night. James Posey and Eddie House each contributed nine points off the bench, Posey sparking the second quarter rally and House helping put the game away in the fourth.

            In the end, the Nets posted another uneven performance and lost to the league’s elite, falling to 0-5 against Boston and Detroit. Until proven otherwise, New Jersey stands among most of the Eastern Conference, in the second tier.