NJ Nets: So Much for That Defensive Identity

Matthew McQueeny By Matthew McQueeny
on December 11, 2008 at 10:16 AM, updated December 11, 2008 at 10:37 AM

After holding consecutive teams to 84 points - teams with no real three-point threats or long-range ability - the Nets ran into an offense and a team chock-full of halo-makers. After jumping out on energy early in the game, playing at a break neck speed, their bugaboo came back to bite them. They are not in a position where they can guard the deep ball, and were exposed badly by the tough matchup created by power-forward Al Harrington, who plays like a guard.

The Knicks were only 9 of 27 overall from deep, but it was Tim Thomas' 5 of 8 from the arc and Wilson Chandler's one trey - which turned into an integral four-point play - that made the three party feel a lot worse than the percentages. Overall, the Knicks shot 51 percent from the field, an unacceptable development for a team playing a back-to-back and coming from Chicago. Harrington scored 39 and pulled down 13 boards. He was 11 of 21 from the field and 15 of 16 from the line. For the Nets youngderdeveloped 3s and 4s, he was a nightmare. Might have been a night that left you clamoring for Eduardo Najera, whose veteran defensive know-how may have kept Harrington off at many a pass.

Devin Harris (32 points, seven assists) was good overall, great early, but had key foul trouble in the third which sort of helped the unraveling. Vince Carter (18 points, seven boards, six assists) was okay but not great enough. Bottom line: the Knicks played a seven-man rotation on the second end of a back-to-back, the Nets jumped far ahead early, and they still could not close the deal at home, on three days rest no less. This could be a problem in the end - if you cannot or do not guard a team with deep threats and dynamic players, there will be no laughers. The opponent is always within a scoring barrage of being back in it, and taking all of the momentum.