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Scott Skiles on Nets’ “short list”?

Posted on: May 20th, 2013 by Max Weisberg 1 Comment

 

Buried in a story by Milwaukee Bucks beat writer Gary Woelfel on Saturday night was a tidbit about the Nets reportedly having interest in former Bucks coach Scott Skiles. From the Journal Times:

 The NBA pre-draft camp is always fraught with rumors. One that started percolating Saturday pertained to Brooklyn’s search for a new head coach.

 Some NBA officials claim the Nets are honing in on Lionel Hollins, Memphis’ coach whose contract will soon expire. The Nets’ interest in Hollins is hardly surprising, especially considering the terrific job Hollins has done this season.

 What is surprising, though, is that the Nets also have put Scott Skiles on their short list. Skiles was fired by the Bucks in January after four-plus tumultuous seasons in Milwaukee. Under Skiles, the Bucks had constant internal issues and qualified for the playoffs just once.

This should come as no surprise to anyone who has been following Brooklyn's slow-moving head coaching search though. Last week, Sam Amick of USA Today, reported that Skiles was indeed on the Nets' list. At this time, we've heard the current list of coaches consists of three names -- Skiles, Lionel Hollins, and Brian Shaw -- all of whom have been recently connected with the opening in one way or another.

As for Skiles, he's a 49-year-old, Indiana native who's compiled a 443-433 (.506%) winning percentage in his 13-year head coaching career. His last stop with Milwaukee started in 2008 and ended with a "mutual parting" this past January. Skiles didn't quite enjoy coaching the Milwaukee Bucks and did not want an extension with the club that would have kept him around past this season.

In 42 career playoff games, Skiles is just 18-24 and has never made it past the second round. He is known as a tough-minded coach who occasionally clashes with players. During the 2010-2011 season, Skiles' Bucks finished dead last in OffRtg but also finished fourth in DefRtg.

P.J. Carlesimo’s next job will be with…

Posted on: May 19th, 2013 by Max Weisberg 1 Comment

 

ESPN.

The New York Daily News reports that former Brooklyn Nets head coach P.J. Carlesimo has been hired by ESPN to work as a studio analyst for the 2013 playoffs and fill the void that was left when Flip Saunders was hired by the Minnesota Timberwolves to become their President of Basketball Operations.

Says Carlesimo:

“The conversations have been let’s do the playoffs,” Carlesimo said. “Then we’ll sit down and talk about the future.”

"I’ve got to look at both options. But the likelihood is that I’ll be broadcasting next year,” Carlesimo. “I’m looking at broadcasting as what I’m going to do moving forward."

Carlesimo's experience with broadcasting includes stints with NBC Sports, Spurs television, FOX Sports West, and ESPN Radio.

Similar to Avery Johnson after he was let go by the Mavericks in 2008, it is likely that Carlesimo hopes the ESPN gig will keep his name afloat in the event that any coaching positions become available in the future.

"I have enjoyed television and radio way more than I thought when I first started,” Carlesimo said. “But if I told you it is the same as coaching I would be lying."

Carlesimo was released by the Nets following the team's Game 7 loss to the Chicago Bulls on May 5th.

Read More: New York Daily News -- Garden wall vanishes for ESPN & Mike Woodson after Knicks victory in Game 5

Billy King: Next coach must preach toughness

Posted on: May 13th, 2013 by Max Weisberg 2 Comments

 

Ben Couch of the Brooklyn Nets spoke with Nets General Manager Billy King about the highs and lows of last season, as well as some of his expectations for the future.

In covering the process and the expectations of selecting a new head coach, King says that they will take their time. He states that they are looking for someone to "take this group collectively and get the most out of them." He believes that Carlesimo did that, but also says that they could've gone further. His main focus is creating a culture that becomes "the identity of the Brooklyn Nets." He says that "when you come to play us, you know it's going to be tough-minded and that it's going to be a dog-fight."

King draws on an offensive philosophy that he'd like to see the Nets develop: playing team basketball. He refers back to teams such as Miami, San Antonio, the Lakers (of the past), and the Jordan-Bulls. He says that in all of those situations, the team came first.

King says how the move to Brooklyn "exceeded expectations" and even though there were many exciting moments, he thought that the team itself could have went a little further. When asked what defined the Brooklyn experience, King responded by saying that "it was the fan base but also the employees of the building" that made it a true home-court advantage.

King noted that the team "started great, then we had our lull in the beginning of December and then P.J. stepped in and did a good job for us. Then I think we had some injuries down the stretch that I think affected us." He talks of how he would've liked to see the team get to 50 wins, and says the fact that it ended so quickly after they battled back to force a Game 7 was bitter.

King adds that one of his main concerns was not knowing how quickly the team would gel after putting many pieces together so quickly. One of his goals was to get home-court advantage and finish in the top four in the Eastern Conference and by doing that, he thought it would've helped the team get to the second round.

You can check out the entire interview here.

Joakim Noah follows through, buries hometown team

Posted on: May 5th, 2013 by Max Weisberg No Comments

 

Joakim Noah

Joakim Noah. (AP)

"I’m proud of this team and we’re going to go into a hostile environment in Brooklyn, and we’re going to win” - Joakim Noah following the Bulls loss in game six. Noah, who had one of the most inspiring games of his career, did just what he said the Bulls would do: win.

For tonight's recap, we're going to break it up into two parts; the first half and the second half, because that's exactly what tonight was for the Brooklyn Nets -- a two-part game.
... MORE →

Do the Nets lack passion?

Posted on: May 3rd, 2013 by Max Weisberg 5 Comments

 

Joakim Noah, Nate Robinson

Just after the Golden State Warriors finished off the Denver Nuggets last night on TNT, on came one of my favorite shows these days: Inside the NBA with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O'Neal, and the always-interesting Charles Barkley. As Ernie ran through the highlights of game 6 between the Brooklyn Nets and the Chicago Bulls, he turned it over to Barkley for some analysis. In his dissection of the game came a statement about the Nets in which he called the team "lackadaisical," adding that they "lack passion" and that they "play with talent alone."

Do the Nets lack passion? ... MORE →

ISO gone wrong

Posted on: April 29th, 2013 by Max Weisberg No Comments

 

Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson, Deron Williams

AP

Even as the Brooklyn Nets watched Chicago Bulls guard Nate Robinson enter super-saiyan mode to erase a 14-point Brooklyn lead with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Saturday's triple overtime thriller, they somehow had a chance to win the game on the final possession of regulation. With the game tied at 111, the ball was put in the hands of Deron Williams to try and tie the series at two. Here's how it unfolded:... MORE →

Pundits zero in on Evans & Wallace, while the youngsters complain about their roles

Posted on: April 26th, 2013 by Max Weisberg 2 Comments

 

by brooklyn ringo via Instagram

Let's just say today has not been the best day for the Brooklyn Nets and their fans. After watching their team shoot 34.6% from the field on Thursday night in a 79-76 loss at the hands of the defensive minded Chicago Bulls, many writers, fans, and analysts have tried to figure out what is wrong with the Nets' offense. Seems as though it's not too hard to figure out...

Some pointed to the lack of production and inability to space the floor from forwards Gerald Wallace and Reggie Evans. At SBNation, Mike Prada delves into these spacing issues with a thorough piece on how much the Bulls have been sagging off of Evans and Wallace in order to double, sometimes triple team the likes of Joe Johnson, Deron Williams and Brook Lopez. In conclusion, Prada says:

But something has to change if the Nets are to come back in this series. Carlesimo may be reluctant to give up size on the defensive end, but his offense is in such bad shape that the tradeoff is necessary. If I were Carlesimo, I wouldn't play Evans and Wallace together for another minute this series.

You get the point. Schumann also offered a stat that will assuredly leave most Nets fans shaking their heads: in the last two games, Brooklyn is a -26 in 42 minutes with both Wallace and Evans on the court together and a +15 in the other 54 minutes with them off.

So how does P.J. Carlesimo respond? He had this to say:

“Thoughts about it (changing the starting lineup)? Yeah.... But we’re not going to change the starting lineup. If we’re struggling offensively then we need to address that. If changing the lineup or changing who we put on the floor helps us to score points then we’re going to have to do that.... It’s a tough balance because some of the problems we have is not because those guys (Gerald Wallace and Reggie Evans) are not scoring. If we do some of the things that we normally do – if we make some threes, if we finish in the paint, then we’re okay and we can take advantage of other guys skill sets.

Not long after, Gerald Wallace sounded off about his role (or lack thereof) on this Nets team:

“I don’t know. I couldn’t tell you my role now,” Wallace said Friday at the team’s hotel in Chicago. “I don’t have a clue what my role is on this team.”

How did Carlesimo respond to that?

“I think we’re going through a tough time right now and that’s what playoffs are all about,” Carlesimo said. “We’re all frustrated. And we have to -– I have to -– do a better job of constantly defining roles and redefining roles so we perform the way we’re capable of performing.”

Wallace isn't alone in expressing disappointment with his role. Rookie point guard Tyshawn Taylor says he's been upset that he hasn't gotten a chance to perform this season on a consistent basis and that there's a chance he may need to go to a different team in order to play. We would tell you to check out the full interview somewhere, but unfortunately it appears as though the video has been taken down for reasons unknown. Luckily though, Netsdaily has transcribed much of the content here.

On top of all of this, Nets swingman MarShon Brooks sounded off on his role as well:

"It seems like I'm the last resort, honestly.... If things aren't going well for the team, throw MarShon out there. That's been the rhythm all year. I kind of know when my name is going to be called, in a sense."

 

MarShon Brooks: Coaching Staff Doesn’t Trust Me

Posted on: April 16th, 2013 by Max Weisberg 1 Comment

 

MarShon Brooks

MarShon Brooks (AP)

With a feature this afternoon on Brooklyn Nets second-year swingman MarShon Brooks, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York details the trying season that it's been for the 24-year old out of Providence. Brooks thinks that part of his inconsistency this season stems from a lack of trust from the Nets coaching staff:

"I don't think they [trust me] because I haven't really played against any good teams," Brooks told ESPNNewYork.com after scoring 12 points in a 106-101 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday night at Barclays Center.

After saying before the season that he wanted to be the Sixth Man of the Year, Brooks' playing time and production have been wildly up and down: under former Nets head coach Avery Johnson, Brooks was often out of the rotation for his defensive ineptitude. When the coaching change occurred after 28 games, many, including Brooks, thought things would change.

It hasn't. For the season, Brooks has averaged just 5.4 points on 12.5 minutes per game, down from the 12.6 points in 29.4 minutes per game he received last season.

Brooks isn't quite sure when his opportunities will come, but he's sure to stay ready when they do:

"I have no clue," Brooks said. "I just roll with the punches and have to be ready for whatever happens."

One thing that has plagued the slender swingman this season has been turnovers. Brooks carries a 13.4% turnover rate this season and admits that taking care of the ball is something he has to work on:

"I just need to take care of the ball. I think I've been turning the ball over a little too much," said Brooks, who has handled the precarious situation like a consummate professional. "I just have to find a rhythm instead of doing too much in such a short period of time in order to make an impression.

"I just try to go out there and play perfect basketball, and the way I play, it's kind of tough because I'm a risk-taker, and I try to make things happen. Every once in a while I make a mistake. It's just tough."

It remains unclear whether Brooks will have a significant role in the postseason. Likely, head coach P.J. Carlesimo will shorten his rotation even further, thus potentially reducing the role of the inconsistent Brooks to almost nothing. Putting aside his individual worries, Brooks does say that he thinks the Nets will have a significant opportunity to go deep into the playoffs.

Read More: ESPN New York -- Brooks trying to earn coaching staff's trust

Chemistry? Cohesion? It can’t be…can it? It is!

Posted on: April 11th, 2013 by Max Weisberg 4 Comments

 

The Brooklyn Nets showed up to TD Garden looking to take the season series from the Boston Celtics. The game was an interesting one for Brooklyn in that not only was it important for playoff seeding, but it was also an opportunity for the Nets to show that they are gaining some traction and consistency with just five games left in the regular season. In addition, it gave them an opportunity to beat an above .500 team on the road.

As of late, the Nets have struggled against playoff-bound squads: unable to piece together a complete performance against good teams. In fact, their last win vs. a playoff-bound team before tonight, came over a month ago in a 93-80 win over the Atlanta Hawks back on March 9th.

Tonight, though, was a different story. What began as a sloppy game from both teams, ended in what many would call “the Deron Williams show.” Williams, who was absolutely sensational, finished with 29 points, 12 assists while converting all 10 of his free throws. As Jerry Stackhouse noted after the game, "I think since the break, he's been as good as anybody playing. Not just point guards - anybody."

Since the All-star break, the scintillating Williams is averaging 22.5 PPG while shooting 48% from the field and 42.8% from three. Tonight, he was able to force Avery Bradley -- the player who many consider to be one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders -- to bench with foul trouble for most of the night. D-Will's bounce is back and if a player like Bradley is overmatched while trying to guard him, then likely every other player will be too.

What does this mean for the Nets? It means that the player they signed this summer to a $99 million contract is finally playing the way that they expected him to play: like the NBA’s best point guard. It also just so happens to come at the perfect time.

As was posted earlier Wednesday on The Brooklyn Game, the most likely scenario for the Nets come playoff time, is to end up playing either the Chicago Bulls or Atlanta Hawks in the first round of a 4-5 matchup with Brooklyn being the four seed and getting home court advantage. One thing is for sure though; the Nets’ “big three” of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Brook Lopez must carry them the rest of the way.

Rarely have we seen the Nets’ big three play the way they did against Boston: in unison and with chemistry and cohesion. The trio combined for a whopping 70 points on 25-47 (53%) shooting Wednesday night, hitting big shot after big shot to eventually ice the game and take the season series from the Celtics for the first time since the 05’-06’ season.

With Joe Johnson’s health fluctuating recently, it’s been difficult for he and Williams to get on the same page and have dual-efficient nights. The fact that Johnson, who has been hampered by a sore heal for the past few weeks, was not only able to take the court in the second game of a back-to-back, but was also able to pour in 20 on a super efficient shooting night, is a terrific sign for the Nets heading into the post-season. If they can get more games like Wednesday nights, where Williams, Lopez, and Johnson all have it clicking, they can certainly do some damage in the playoffs.

One rather frightening sign tonight was that of Gerald Wallace being carried to the Nets locker room by two teammates in the second quarter. Luckily though, it was reported that the injury -- a bruised left heal -- was nothing too serious and although he was forced by Deron Williams and Tim Walsh to wear a walking boot after the game, it was said that Wallace should be considered day-to-day.

As we know, the Nets like to be cautious with their injured players (especially the ones in the first year of a 4-year, $40 million contract). Perhaps for Wallace, the injury could give him a chance to rest before the playoffs and potentially gain some of that confidence back that he proclaimed was “totally gone.”

All in all, we may want to chalk this game up to “typical Nets basketball:” a.k.a. being consistently inconsistent. Maybe the Celtics aren’t a very good basketball team anymore without their point guard Rajon Rondo or maybe the Nets have finally turned the page in preparation for the post-season. Either way tonight was encouraging in the fact that it was played the way Brookyln Nets basketball should be played: let the big three carry the load while the role players fill their roles.

Brooklyn's next true test of consistency comes Friday night when they take on the Pacers of Indiana.

Nets vs. Bobcats: The BK Game Streak!

Posted on: April 6th, 2013 by Max Weisberg No Comments

 

The 43-32 Brooklyn Nets play the 18-58 Charlotte Bobcats in what will be another important game for Brooklyn in terms of playoff seeding. Therefore, you know what that means: another chance to play The BK Game Streak and win a $200 Amazon Gift Card!

The game is as simple as it sounds:

1. The contest relies on a standard betting line for each game. (Note: you must be logged into Facebook to play.) To make your prediction, select YES or NO to agree or disagree. For example: today's line is "Deron Williams & Brook Lopez will combine to score 65 or more points." If you think that Deron Williams and Brook Lopez will combine to score 65 or more points, select "YES." If you think that Deron Williams and Brook Lopez will combine to score less than 65 points, select "NO."

For the record: Deron Williams and Brook Lopez's combined points per game averages this season is 37.7 PPG. This season, Deron Williams has scored 30 or more points six times with his season high being a 42 point effort against the Washington Wizards in which he hit 11 of 16 threes. Brook Lopez has scored 30 or more points in three games this season with his season high being a 38 point effort against Dallas just a few weeks ago. In that contest against Dallas, Williams and Lopez combined to score 69 points: the only time this season they have combined for 65 or more points.

2. String together wins and try to get the longest streak of correct predictions before the end of the NBA regular season. Follow game results on the leaderboard on the right sidebar.

At the end of the season, we'll award three prizes to the players with the best three streaks: The Gold Net Trophy (longest streak) and a $200 Amazon Gift Card will be awarded to first place, the Silver Net Trophy (second-longest streak) and a $50 Amazon Gift Card to second place, and the Bronze Net Trophy (third-longest streak) $25 Amazon Gift Card and a Bronze Net Trophy to third place.

Read more rules for the contest here.

Good luck!

Newest loss highlights old Nets problems

Posted on: April 5th, 2013 by Max Weisberg 1 Comment

 

Deron Williams

A dejected Deron Williams walks off after the final buzzer. (AP)

As I sat in my room the other night, watching the Brooklyn Nets rout the Cleveland Cavaliers, I listened to the less-than-stellar (sorry, they called them the New Jersey Nets a few times) Cleveland announcers say something that I hadn’t put much thought into before. They said that the Nets were playing like a team that wanted to hold onto the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference.

At the time, I thought it was a good description of how the Nets had played: going 5-3 on an 8-game road trip, losing the three games they probably should’ve lost, and playing overall good basketball. After Thursday night’s loss to the Bulls, I realized that the Nets were not playing like a team that wanted to hold onto the 4th seed. They were playing the Cleveland Cavaliers.... MORE →

Nets To Call Up Kris Joseph from Springfield

Posted on: March 30th, 2013 by Max Weisberg 1 Comment

 

The Brooklyn Nets will called up forward Kris Joseph from their D-League affiliate, the Springfield Armor. The news, ironically enough, was broken by Joseph's fellow Armor teammate Willie Reed, whose been on his own personal campaign over the last couple of months to get the big promotion:

AP

Joseph, a 6'7" swingman who was acquired last month in a trade in exchange for forward James Mays, is Canadian born and will fill the Nets 15th roster spot that has been open ever since the departure of Damion James, who was preceded by Josh Childress. The 24-year old rookie was drafted 51st overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2012 NBA Draft but was later waived on January 6th. Joseph has only played a total of 24 NBA minutes this season and has scored a modest 7 points.

A four-year standout at Syracuse University, Joseph is a wing player who can shoot from deep. With the Armor this season, Joseph was putting up some excellent numbers; 19 PPG, 1.7 STLs, 80% FT, while shooting 43.8% from 3.

He will be the fourth rookie on the Nets this season and third international (Candian!) rookie. It is unknown exactly when Joseph will join the team.