Author Archive

Tornike Shengelia: Lost in Translation (SEASON GRADE)

Posted on: May 15th, 2013 by William Rausch 3 Comments

 

In honor of Brooklyn's inaugural season, we're rolling out analysis, highlights, and more on each Brooklyn Nets player, one per day. Welcome to Tornike Shengelia Day, AKA #TokoLoco.

Nets forward Tornike Shengelia played 93 minutes in 19 games this season. To put that in context,  Chicago guard Jimmy Butler played 96  minutes in Games 6 and 7 of the Nets/Bulls series. Toko didn't even dress for either of those games, or any playoff games for that matter.... MORE →

Three Years: Mikhail Prokhorov’s Hits

Posted on: May 12th, 2013 by William Rausch No Comments

 

Mikhail Prokhorov

Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, three years strong. (AP)

On May 11, 2010, the NBA approved the sale of controlling interest in the Nets franchise to Mikhail Prokhorov, a 6’8” self-made Russian billionaire oligarch playboy. The announcement came less than a month after the completion of the final New Jersey Nets season at the Izod Center, a franchise worst 12-70 campaign that saw an NBA record 0-18 start and the firing of Nets coach Lawrence Frank, the winningest coach in Nets NBA franchise history. At arguably the nadir of a fandom with many low points, Nets fans looked to Prokhorov, who Bill Simmons dubbed the “Mutant Russian Mark Cuban,” as their savior.

Prokhorov hasn’t produced the championship he promised in the first five years yet -- he’s got two more chances, and has promised to punish himself by getting married if he doesn't come through. From broken English braggadocio to the move to Brooklyn and Russian Presidential runs, we’re never bored with you, Mikhail.

We’d send him an e-card, but he doesn’t even use a computer. So on this, the day of after our leather anniversary, let’s take a look back at some of the more memorable moments of the past three years.

Start: 1 of 10

Bojan Bogdanovic Brooklyn-bound?

Posted on: May 10th, 2013 by William Rausch 1 Comment

 

Bojan Bogdanovic

Bojan Bogdanovic. (AP)

SNY's Josh Newman reports that it is very likely that Bojan Bogdanovic, the 31st pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, will be on the Nets roster next season.

According to Newman, "a source with direct knowledge of the situation told SNY.tv on Thursday afternoon that there is a ’90-95 percent chance’ that the 6-foot-8 swingman makes his NBA debut in Brooklyn in 2013-14."

The Nets acquired the 24-year-old Croatian in a draft-day trade with the Heat and Timberwolves in 2011. In order to obtain Bogdanovic, the Nets gave up this year's second round pick (52nd overall) and cash.

After playing for Eurobasket clubs Read Madrid and Cibona Zagreb from 2006-2011, Bogdanovic signed a multi-year deal with Turkish club Fenerbahce in the summer of 2011 that runs through 2014. The agile forward showed off depth to his jumper in Turkey, shooting 41.1 percent and 40.5 percent from 3-point range in the last two Euroleague seasons.

In this year's Eurobasket round of 16, Bogdanovic led all players in both scoring and index rating, the European version of PER. According to NetsDaily, Nets insiders say that Bogdanovic would be a top eight pick in this year's draft on talent alone.

Considered by many as NBA-ready, Bogndanovic could break the rotation as Gerald Wallace's backup at small forward in the 2013-14 season. According to Newman's source, Nets GM Billy King is very high on the Eurostash swingman.

Billy loves him,” the source said. “I would call it a 90-95 percent chance he is with the Nets next season. This time last year, it was probably 50-50.”

Bogdanovic still has a year left on his Turkish contract, but has an out clause  that would allow him to come to the NBA if Fenerbahce and the Nets can reach a buyout. The buyout is roughly $1 million, with NBA rules capping the Nets contribution towards the buyout at $525,000. The remainder of the buyout would be the player's responsibility, though NBA teams often pay the import enough to cover the player's liability.

Read More: Josh Newman - SNY - - Source: '90-95 Percent Chance' Bojan Bogdanovic Joins Nets Next Season

Billy King on ESPN: “I have not made any calls” and “it’s not about marquee”

Posted on: May 6th, 2013 by William Rausch No Comments

 

The Nets haven't reached out to Phil Jackson... yet. (AP)

One day after firing Brooklyn Nets interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo, General Manager Billy King went on Ryan Ruocco and Stephen A. Smith's radio show on ESPN 98.7 FM to discuss the disappointing Game 7 loss to Chicago, the Nets vacant coaching position and off-season roster moves.
... MORE →

The Official Statement from the Nets Firing PJ Carlesimo

Posted on: May 5th, 2013 by William Rausch No Comments

 

Here is the official statement about PJ Carlesimo:

"The Brooklyn Nets organization would like to thank P.J. for his efforts with the team in his roles as both head coach and assistant, and for his contributions to the team's success both on and off the court. We wish P.J. and his family only the best in the years to come."

Winner Take All: A History of Nets Elimination Games

Posted on: May 4th, 2013 by William Rausch 1 Comment

 

This won't come as a surprise, and if it does you don't even have a rudimentary understanding of the NBA, but the Nets don't have as illustrious a history as the Los Angeles Lakers. Shocker. The Lakers are an NBA team from the league's second season in 1947, while the Nets are a 1960s ABA team turned NBA expansion franchise in the late 70s. The Lakers have Wilt, West, Kareem, Magic, Kobe and Shaq. The Nets have Jason Kidd and three seasons of Dr. J in the ABA.  The Lakers have 16 NBA championships and the Nets have 2 ABA titles.

So when you learn that the Nets have only been in seven "Winner Take All" games in franchise history to the Lakers' 26, it shouldn't surprise you. By "Winner Take All," we mean the final game of a series, that the winner of the game wins the series. That's either the fifth game of a best-of-five series, which the NBA used to decide first round series from 1984-2002, or the more popular seventh game of a best-of-seven series.

Starting with game seven of the 1970 ABA first round against the Kentucky Colonels, here's a history of all seven "Winner Take All" games in Nets franchise History, in which the Nets have a 4-3 record overall.

Start Here: April 29, 1970

Rihanna’s Barclays Center concert rescheduled for Nets-Bulls Game 7, game time still unclear

Posted on: May 3rd, 2013 by William Rausch 1 Comment

 

Rihanna with actress Brooklyn Decker,
which is not really the same thing. (AP)

The fourth seed Brooklyn Nets defeated the fifth seed Chicago Bulls 95-92 Thursday night in Chicago to tie up the series 3-3, forcing a deciding Game 7 in Brooklyn on Saturday, May 5th. The game time is 8 P.M., with coverage beginning 7:30 P.M. on YES Network.

In order to play the game on Saturday, the Rihanna concert originally scheduled at the Barclays Center on Saturday has been moved to evening of Tuesday, May 7.

The game comes just a week after the Nets blew a 109-95 lead in the fourth quarter of Game 4 to lose 134-142 in triple overtime, and fall behind 3-1 in the series. After a 110-91 win in Brooklyn on Monday night in Game 5, the Nets defeated a depleted Bulls team in Chicago Thursday night to extend the series to the maximum seventh game. Bulls point guard Kirk Hinrich missed his second straight game with a bruised left calf and Chicago's starting small forward Luol Deng missed game 6 due to illness.

This will be the fourth Game 7 in franchise history for the Nets. The first two came in the 1970s ABA, when the franchise was known as the New York Nets. In their first franchise playoff appearance, the New York Nets lost to the Kentucy Colonels, 112-101, in Game 7 of the opening round of the 1970 ABA playoffs. Led by Julius Erving, the eventual 1976 ABA champion Nets defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 121-114, in game 7 of the ABA Semifinals.

This will be the second Game 7 for the Nets in the NBA. The first came in 2004 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Detroit Pistons. After defeating the Pistons, 127-120, on the road in triple overtime of Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead, the Jason Kidd led Nets lost Game 6 at home before being blown out 90-69 in Game 7 at Detroit.

Before the NBA switched to a best-of-seven format for the first round in 2003, the Nets played in two Game 5s of opening round best-of-5 series. In their first decisive NBA playoff game in 1993, the Nets lost 99-89 to the Cavs in Cleveland . The game would be the last in the career of Drazen Petrovic, as the burgeoning Nets star died in a car accident just a month later. In 2002, the Nets defeated the Indiana Pacers 120-109 in double overtime of a deciding game 5 in the first round en route to the first NBA finals appearance in franchise history.

For the Bulls, it is the tenth Game 7 in franchise history. The Bulls are a perfect 3-0 in Game 7's at home, but 0-6 when the deciding game takes place outside Chicago. The Bulls last played a Game 7 in  2009, when they lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round. Led by 2008-09 Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose, the Bulls dropped the deciding Game 7, 109-99, in Boston. Rose has not played in the current series against the Nets, nor in any games in the 2012-13 season after tearing his ACL in the first round of the 2012 playoffs.

Ex-Nets forward Chris Gatling accused of breaking into a home, listing it for rent on Craigslist

Posted on: May 1st, 2013 by William Rausch No Comments

 

Former New Jersey Nets forward (1997-99) and Elizabeth, N.J. native Chris Gatling faces several criminal charges after police said he squatted in a Paradise Valley, AZ home for over a year and then tried to list the house for rent on Craigslist.

According to the Arizona Republic:... MORE →

Gerald Wallace’s confidence is back: “We’re not ready to go home.”

Posted on: April 30th, 2013 by William Rausch No Comments

 

Nets starting small forward Gerald Wallace, in the midst of one of the worst shooting seasons of his career, told the New York Post on April 8, "My confidence is totally gone."

Not anymore.
... MORE →

“Good win, time to steal one in Chicago” #Nets Game 5 Twitter Gameflow

Posted on: April 29th, 2013 by William Rausch No Comments

 

WARM-UPS

The Game Starts Now... MORE →

A History of Nets Overtime Playoff Basketball

Posted on: April 28th, 2013 by William Rausch No Comments

 

Saturday afternoon’s 142-134 triple-overtime loss to the Bulls in Game Four set a Nets franchise playoff record for points, because the basketball Gods have a cruel sense of humor. Or, it could have something to do with it being only the second triple overtime playoff game in Nets history.

Regardless of the cause, the loss was painful. Even though the wound of Game Four remains fresh, it’s never too early to contextualize this playoff OT game. In the 46 year ABA/NBA history of the Nets franchise, the team has played in eleven playoff games with bonus basketball. From three ABA overtime victories to yesterday’s heartbreaker, the Nets have a 7-4 all-time record in playoff overtime games. Here's a brief history of all eleven, starting with a victory over the Kentucky Colonels in April of 1970, and including Saturday's (expletive deleted) loss to Chicago.

Start Here: April 19, 1970

Deron Williams as MIPIS

Posted on: April 23rd, 2013 by William Rausch No Comments

 

Deron Williams

Paul George won the NBA's MIP award. But what if there was a MIPIS Award? (AP)

The NBA Most Improved Player Award is given by a panel of national sportswriters to (duh) the most improved player in the current regular season, as compared to previous regular season outputs from said player. Today the NBA announced that Paul George of the Indiana Pacers won the 2012-13 MIP Award.

But what if there was a Most Improved Player In Season Award, or MIPIS?... MORE →