Embarrassing Effort

Now is no time for finger pointing with the New Jersey Nets, losers of five straight and six of seven. Blame the coach, blame the big money shooting guard, blame the hall of fame point guard, blame the ball boy – everyone in the organization should be ashamed of the performance over the past two weeks.

After a tough fought home loss to Boston, the Nets have mailed it in. Romped by Portland and Phoenix, sandwiched around a pair of losses to the league’s bottom feeders, the Clippers and Knicks, now a combined 5-0 against the Nets. Effort and defense are the root causes. Not who has a good shooting night, or the rotation Frank uses, or even a bad match-up, all comparatively easy problems. Hustle, hard work, enthusiasm – intangibles players take for granted – should have Nets management worried.

Opponents have averaged 105 points over the seven-game slump, dropping the team defense to 16^th overall on the season (98.6 ppg). Unacceptable for a team struggling without an identity on offense. Most alarming, only one opponent over that stretch sits in the Top 10 in scoring. The Nets have been slow on transition defense, immediately exposed by Phoenix with a 35-point first quarter. Outside of Josh Boone, nobody consistently rebounds or boxes out. Chris Kaman owned the inside with 12 boards and 9 blocks on Saturday, Curry and Randolph dominated for the Knicks, while the Suns held a ten rebound edge. Tipped rebounds, loose balls, plays where desire takes over, all go against the Nets.

Unlike earlier this season, when inspired comebacks followed the early double-digit deficits, NJ threw the towel in the past week. Instead of rallying around each other, the team comes unglued - miscommunication leading to throwing passes away, lazy dribbling become turnovers and an easy buckets the other way.

Boki Nochbar sums it up best, “we need to show more pride.” Talent-wise the Nets can go toe to toe with most of the Eastern Conference, but heart and desire erase close the gap quick. After a slow start, the Nets have no room for error, and the schedule will only get tougher from here. Up next a rejuvenated Kings squad with a healthy Bibby, Artest, and Martin to supplement the supporting cast that blasted New Jersey last month, followed by visits to Golden State and Denver, two Western Conference playoff teams. Shooting woes aside, if the effort does not improve immediately the Nets will quickly become the easy game on other teams scheduled – if they have not already.