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Wednesday, December 13, 2000
Nets: Injuries destroy early season progress
ESPN.com
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For every NBA team that is on a roll, there is a team that isn't. That's why we need the doctor -- Dr. Jack Ramsay. Each week in Dr. Jack's Prescription, the Hall of Fame coach will analyze a team in distress, and offer a cure to what ails them.
This week: New Jersey Nets
|  | | Byron Scott and his assistants haven't enjoyed this nine-game losing streak. |
The Symptoms
The Nets started the season on a positive note, posting a 6-4 record after
beating the Clippers in the first of a four-game western swing, but then came
up empty against tougher competition at Phoenix, Utah and Portland. They
couldn't stop the bleeding when they returned home, and a week later, a
defeat at Indiana and at home to Milwaukee pushed the losing streak to nine straight and a record of
6-13. Only Washington, Atlanta and Chicago had worse records in the Eastern
Conference.
Like the Miami Heat, the Nets have been decimated by injuries. Keith Van
Horn, Kerry Kittles and Jamie Feick -- skilled, veteran players whom new
coach Byron Scott hoped to have available for full-time duty, haven't played
a minute this season. Then Stephon Marbury, who spearheads the Nets attack
(26 ppg, 6.5 apg), joined the disabled with an ankle sprain before the Pacers
game. Marbury has led the team in scoring in 14 of the 17 games in which he's
played. The combination of injuries and inept play forced Scott to start a
three-guard unit -- Sherman Douglas, Kendall Gill and Lucious Harris -- with
forwards Aaron Williams and rookie Kenyon Martin against the Pacers. If the
team were at full strength, it's possible that none of those players is in
the starting lineup.
League statistics indicate that the Nets allow more points than they score
(89-92), are outshot from the field (.421-.455) and are outrebounded by an
average of 40-44.5. They rank 25th in points scored; 26th in opponents
rebounds; and 27th in field goal percentage. Four players getting
significant minutes -- Gill, Martin, Johnny Newman and Evan Eschmeyer -- shoot
under 40 percent from the field.
The Diagnosis
Like any NBA team would be, the Nets are hamstrung without their full
complement of players. Reserve players do their best work coming off the
bench. A team may be able to assimilate a single back-up player into the
starting lineup without a serious drop off in performance; but a team's in
big trouble when all five of its starters are better suited to a substitute's
role.
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| Kittles |
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| Van Horn |
Relying heavily on rookies is another damaging factor, and Scott has started
two of them (Kenyon Martin and Stephen Jackson) in most games, and played
them for extended minutes. I like both players -- they will be quality NBA
players in time. But the gap is huge between the college game -- or the CBA --
and the NBA. Rarely does a player step in and play effectively without a
period of adjustment. Martin and Jackson really need to be brought along more
slowly, but because of injuries Scott has no choice but to play them.
Eschmeyer is another young player who needs time to develop. He's made nice
progress in this, his second NBA season, but is overwhelmed by opposing
experienced, talented big men.
The need to score more points and shoot a better percentage from the field is
obvious. The veteran players cited above for shooting under 40 percent are at career
low numbers. That means either that the quality of shots is not good enough
or that these players are pressuring themselves into low percentage accuracy. Both options may be applicable here.
The Cure
Getting healthy is a panacea, and some help may be on the way. Marbury
should recover from his sprain within a week; and although Van Horn has
started light running, his return is perhaps a month away. Feick may be back
by the All-Star break; but Kittles is apparently out for the season.
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| A.Williams |
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| Marbury |
The Nets must have Marbury in the lineup. He's an explosive playmaker who
can create his own shot and get open looks for his teammates. Stephon's also
an aggressive defender who can generate turnovers that are converted into
fastbreak scores. Gill has that skill as well. Nothing improves field goal
percentages -- both team and individual -- like open court baskets. The Nets
rank fourth in the league in forced opponent turnovers. They need to exploit
that tactic, but they must have a full complement of players to do it well.
Getting Van Horn back will give the team a huge lift. Keith is a versatile
big man (6-10, 255) who can score inside and out, drive to the hoop, and
rebound. He owns career marks of 20 ppg and 8 rpg, and with Marbury, gives the
Nets a dynamite one-two punch. Aaron Williams has also proven his worth as a
strong rebounder -- especially at the offensive glass. When Feick is ready to
return, Scott might play him in a three-forward lineup with Van Horn and
Williams, with the rookies Martin and Jackson backing up, that could be very
effective in the East -- which is without a dominant center. That also would
allow Scott to ease Eschmeyer and Jim McIlvaine into the lineup as situations
demand.
This is a difficult time for the Nets. It demands that they stay together as
a team and keep their focus on playing each game to its fullest. Better days
are coming -- the Nets just have to gut it out until they get here.
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ALSO SEE
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Heat
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Sonics
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Bucks
Dr. Jack's Prescription: Raptors
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