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---main---hockey---wrestling---baseball---football---BASKETBALL May 9th Update By John Q.
Once again, the New Jersey Nets continued their perennial tradition of putting forward the only exciting basketball team in the metropolitan area. The Knickerbockers fell short of expectations yet again (not that they were that high), and New York fans were left watching Kidd and R.J. try to regain the throne as the champions of the Eastern Conference.
The 2004-2005 NBA season started with much question, however, for the New Jersey Nets. The cast changed some faces, with the biggest change occurring with the departure of staple Kenyon Martin. This _____ power forward brought a dominant inside presence to the team, one that complimented the play of both Kidd and Jefferson very well. Without a true center on the team, K-Mart was always asked to provide that spark of abig man, whether it be a big rebound or a big block. Though he wasn’t the defensive force in the paint that Detroit’s Ben Wallace or Miami ’s Shaquille O’Neal represent, Martin was enough of a presence to disrupt many a shot. A championship team needs that big body in the middle, and New Jersey would learn that the hard way.
In an attempt to gain some sort of ability at the low-post position, the organization brought in the risky acquisition Alonzo Mourning. ‘Zo was a player who was much revered around the league in the early and mid ‘90’s, but his career, but most-importantly - life, were seriously threatened when Mourning was forced to battle various kidney ailments. This unfortunate health crisis put the career of the former Georgetown Hoya on hold, and left him having no other option than to receive a kidney transplant. Mourning busted his ass, and not only survived the serious procedure, but became healthy enough to pass a physical and get back on the hardwood floor draped in a Nets jersey.
If ‘Zo was truly healthy, he could be the answer president Rod Thorne, and the organization, were looking for. Unfortunately, squabbles strengthened by greed and ego (squabbles requiring a whole other article) led to the center requesting a trade, and brought about the exchange bringing Vince Carter to East Rutherford . The trade couldn’t have occurred at a more crucial time, since at that point the Nets were riddled with injury and struggling to stay afloat in the weak Atlantic Division.
“Vin-sanity” brought excitement back to the Garden State . The trio of Kidd, Jefferson, and Carter was sure to bring a high scoring, and high flying, team. Alas, Richard Jefferson could not stay healthy, and it was up to J-Kidd and Vince to lead the team in a fight for a playoff spot. And fight they did. The Nets profited off of a Cleveland collapse, and snuck their way into the eighth, and final, playoff spot.
Though New Jersey provided only glimpses at their old champion form all season, the post-season has only one motto – Anything can happen! Thus, even with the enormous task of taking down number one seed Miami , Nets fans had something to get pumped out. Ok, so maybe not pumped, I mean…the Heat w a hell of a team. And they went on to prove it, by sweeping New Jersey four games to none in the best-of-seven series. There were some stretches of competitive basketball, but for the most part, it was complete domination by the team led by Shaquille O’Neal and second-year phenom Dwyane Wade. The demise occurred even with the return of a semi-healthy Richard Jefferson, and the cause could be found under the basket. New Jersey was forced to battle Shaq with a tandom of inconsequential Jason Collins and inexperienced Nenad Krstic. Obviously, these two were no match for “The Diesel,” and even when O’Neal was on the bench, New Jersey black sheep Alonzo Mourning came in off the bench and was able to control the paint quite handily.
Coach Lawrence Frank’s team needs a true center in order to compete in the new revamped Eastern Conference. The only championship team to triumph without a dominant center in recent history, is the Chicago Bulls with their incredible run in the 90’s– and we all know how they were able to pull that off. Since a 28 year-old Michael Jordan will not be suiting up for New Jersey anytime soon, they must actively pursue somebody this off-season to fill that crippling void. -----Feb 20. '05 Nightmare on 34th Street By Handsome Dan I’ve had it. I can’t take it anymore, it makes me want to
cry. Monday night the Knicks did it again. They loss. But not only did
they lose, they lost in a close game. According to my calculations that
the 17th time they’ve lost a game this season by less then six
points. But where did it all go wrong? This season was suppose to be
different then the last few seasons. We had the coach with the most
wins in NBA history, and a team that had seemed to gel together. We
added one of the best pure scorers the league had to offer in the free
agent market, and to top it all of the Knicks play in the worst division
the NBA has ever seen. A division in which no doubt |