Neither team wanted to win this one, but alas there can't be any ties in basketball, so they kept playing...and kept playing until the Nets pulled away from the Bulls in double overtime to get the 127-116 win.

• T-Will picked up his first career triple double going for 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.  He actually needed that one assist from the final 3 minutes of regulation on, but he didn't get it until the final seconds of the second OT.
• Down 2 with only a couple seconds left, everyone thought the Nets were going to go for the three and the win.  However, Courtney Lee attacked the basket, forced rotation, and Brook Lopez ended up with a tip-in dunk at the buzzer.
• This little stretch of league pass games makes me oh so grateful for the announcing crew we have when we watch Nets games.  The Bulls' announcers were terrible tonight, and Stacey King (their color man) even went so far to pretend to gag as the Nets missed a few free-throws.  Really unprofessional, and in the end he ends up looking silly as the Bulls' choked multiple times late.
• Brook Lopez has the tip I mentioned before, and he finished with 26 points and 14 rebounds.
• Courtney Lee played well also.  He scored 16 points, but the biggest moment might have came where he stopped Derrick Rose on an ISO with 12 seconds left.  With no help.
• The Nets outscored Chicago by 20 in the paint, by 10 in transition, and by 5 at the foul line.  There is your game right there.

Sebastian Pruiti

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The Nets are coming off a pretty disappointing performance against the Bucks, and I expect that trend to continue tonight against the Bulls.  It's not that the Bulls are much more talented than the Nets (I mean, they had tons of trouble beating a LeBron-less Cavs team), but they are fighting for something.  That something is the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.  The Nets on the other hand, don't really have nothing to play for.  While they are playing looser (in my opinion), they aren't really playing with the same hunger as they were since they won magical #10.  Playing looser is good in close games, but unfortunately the Nets haven't been in any recently.  The Bulls are coming off a back-to-back while the Nets are coming off of a day of rest, so that may be a factor.  Onto the lineups:

Devin Harris vs. Derrick Rose

Advantage:  Devin Harris

Courtney Lee vs. Kirk Hinrich

Advantage:  Push

Jarvis Hayes vs. Luol Deng

Advantage:  Luol Deng

Yi vs. Taj Gibson

Advantage:  Taj Gibson

Brook Lopez vs. Joakim Noah

Advantage:  Brook Lopez

Sebastian Pruiti

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If you are a regular reader of the blog, you already know about the fantastic site HoopData.com (and seriously if you have never been there, you need to go...now).  In addition to all of the stats that they provide, they also have a really cool feature called Motion Charts.  These motion charts take all of the information they provide, and they display it in a way that makes it really easy to spot trends.  They display three areas of statistics using motion charts; they are player stats, four factors, and what we are looking at today, shot locations.

Brook Lopez

Brook is a fantastic player, and his improvement this year over last year is fantastic.  The main reason why is his improvement inside 10 feet:

This motion chart tells us that Brook Lopez is not only getting more attempts inside 10 feet, but he is shooting even better from this location.  Last year, Brook was shooting 40% from this spot while shooting 2 shots per game.  This year, Brook is taking 2.62 shots/game inside 10 feet while making 49% of his shots.

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Sebastian Pruiti

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Expect another delay with the NBA's approval of Mikhail Prokhorov. Formalities, we're told, as they're just waiting for the Brooklyn area to clear (aka, Daniel Goldstein to move).

Andrey Vauskin, president of CSKA in Moscow and a rumored member of the Nets FO next season is apparently unhappy with the cost-cutting of his ownership.

It'll be Yao vs. Yi in China during the preseason as the Rockets face the Nets (uniforms subject to change).

Evan Turner is ready to come to the NBA and lose: "I don't plan on losing, but if it happens I always say you have to pay your dues," Turner said. "The most important part is learning from your losses. You have to have confidence and be committed to the mission."

Mark Ginocchio

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Bucksketball | BrewHoop

Remember when the Nets had 8 guys score in double digits.  There was no question that was the main reason for the Nets big win against New Orleans.  Well, last night, the lack of depth is what really killed the Nets.  Outside of Devin Harris and Courtney Lee, nobody really did anything of note.  In fact, other than those two guys, the Nets only had 1 more player in double figures.  It was Yi, who finished with 11 points, but it was 2-8 shooting, and he really didn't have a major impact.  Jarvis Hayes had a rough game, since he wasn't knocking down his shot.  It is usually feast or famine with Jarvis, and last night was famine.  Jarvis is a fantastic shooter, but he seems to go in those slumps where he just can't knock anything down, and that was the case last night.  Brook Lopez also really struggled.  Totally wasn't expecting that since Andrew Bogut was out, but Brook just didn't get into a rhythm offensively.  As Jon noted in the comments, part of it had to do with Devin's hot start.  The other part of it just has to do with the Nets' offensive strategy.  It just never seems like getting Brook Lopez involved is a priority, and against a team that just lost their best defender in center Andrew Bogut, it's frustrating.

Trying to focus on the positive a little bit, it was good to see Devin Harris and Courtney Lee get it going.  Now that the Nets have gotten their 1oth (and 11th) win to avoid infamy, the wins don't really matter.  You want to see the guys who are going to be with the team next year finish on a good note, and seeing Courtney and Devin play well is the start of that.  Both of those guys have been through so much in terms of slumps and injuries that if they can finish the year playing well, they can have something to work off of.  Something to keep them motivated.  On the flip side, I am not really worried about Brook Lopez finishing the year off slow (or slower than the beginning of the year), just because he has played so strong all year and never really had to face any injuries or adversity.

Some more thoughts after the jump:

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Sebastian Pruiti

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Kris Humphries on his future with the team: “I haven’t thought about it much, because nobody knows what’s going to happen with this team, and the way the next Collective Bargaining Agreement will turn out,” Humphries said. “Those things will probably play a role in my decision. There’s a lot to think about.”

As Julian Garcia notes, the Nets managed to clinch something last night: Wednesday night's 108-89 loss to the Bucks put the Nets in position to at least be tied with Minnesota for the worst record in the league when the season ends on Wednesday. If the Nets finish dead last, they will have the best odds - 25% - of getting Kentucky point guard John Wall or one of the other top-notch college players who declared for the NBA draft yesterday. If they finish tied with the Timberwolves, the teams will have the same lottery chances of getting the top pick.

Al Iannazzone writes that Yi's status with the team is uncertain: Presuming the Nets don’t get LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, they should have a shot at the likes of Carlos Boozer, Amar’e Stoudemire and David Lee. Each has been an All-Star at some point, so Yi’s days as a Net seem numbered.

Al also takes a look at Mikhail Prokhorov's riches.

Devin Harris, talking with Madison.com, has some perspective about his career: “If you’re looking to put it in perspective,” added Harris, who won 67 games as a member of the Dallas Mavericks in 2006-07, “I’ve been to the highest of the highs and the lowest lows. I’ll learn from it. I’ll be better next season, I can tell you that.”

Bleacher Report looks at the Top 10 first-round playoff series, and the Nets/Pacers match-up from 2002 makes the cut. I would have ranked it much higher, personally.

Mark Ginocchio

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What started as a close game for the first half turned into a runaway victory for the home team, as the New Jersey Nets fell to the Milwaukee Bucks 108-89 in Milwaukee earlier tonight.

• The Nets were a one man show offensively for most of the game, with Devin Harris leading the way early, and finishing with 25 points and 4 assists on 9-15 shooting, including 3-4 from three.
• Courtney Lee chipped in with 19 points and 6 rebounds on 8-15 shooting, including 3-5 from three.
• The rest of the Nets were ice cold, and the team was 39 percent from the field. Terrence Williams started off April with a thud, with 6 points and 4 rebounds on 2-13 shooting. Brook Lopez was 1-5 and finished with 6 points and 5 turnovers, but on a positive note, he did collect 7 assists.
• The Bucks shot 52 percent from the field and were led by John Salmons with 22 points on 10-13 shooting. Jerry Stackhouse must have woken up in the 1990s, chipping in with 18 points off the bench.

Mark Ginocchio

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Before we look at tonight's game, I just wanted to say I am feeling for the Bucks.  I am a fan of Bogut (and of Coach Skiles), so I have been watching a lot of their games recently and they have been playing great.  I really think that they could have done some damage in the playoffs if Bogut being injured.  We would have also gotten to see a great matchup between two premier centers in Bogut and Brook.

With that being said, the Nets are coming off a bit of a disappointing result in a 10 point loss to the Wizards.  However they have had 2 days off (while the Bucks are coming off of a battle against the Bulls), and the Nets actually play pretty well coming off of multiple days rest.  The Bucks are a terrific defensive team, so the goal here is to not get down if you have some long stretches of scoreless basketball.  The Nets also need to keep this game within 3-4 baskets.  Anything more than that (even in the first quarter), and the Bucks are too good on the defensive end that they won't let the Nets back into it.  Onto the lineups...

Devin Harris vs. Brandon Jennings

Advantage:  Devin Harris

Courtney Lee vs. John Salmons

Advantage:  John Salmons

Jarvis Hayes vs. Carlos Delfino

Advantage:  Carlos Delfino

Yi vs. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

Advantage:  Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

Brook Lopez vs. Kurt Thomas

Advantage:  Brook Lopez

Sebastian Pruiti

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It’s been pretty tough being a Nets fan this season, and while I totally sympathize with why somebody wouldn’t want to watch this team play anymore, I still would like to and I can’t this week because not a single game is being televised until Saturday.

Personally speaking, I hate this.  I understand that sports are a business and there are higher “corporate” powers at all levels that are determining the television schedule, but I also think that if the Nets are legitimately serious about turning over a “new” leaf after this season in Newark and then Brooklyn, they need to stop accepting this kind of second-class citizen treatment.  It’s bad enough that the Nets have always been an afterthought on the Yankees Entertainment Sports Network (and as a Mets fan, it’s agonizing to have to hear about 27 world championships whenever I’m trying to watch a basketball game). But to be blacked out completely this week in order to make space for one of the 900 games the Yanks will play against the Red Sox this season is a slap in the face to the few Nets fans who want to see this season to completion.

So is the idea that I could just shell out $6 to watch the game on a one-day pass with NBA League Pass. I’m already dropping a ton of money each month in order to watch my favorite sports teams and to have the option to DVR those games when necessary. I should not have to shell out an additional $15-$20 at the end of the season to watch three more games.

I think what frustrates me even more is that I’m sure if the Nets were in some kind of a playoff hunt this April, some accommodations would have been made to get them on TV, somehow. I know individual games have been blacked out in the past, but I never remember a stretch of so many games consecutively since the Nets made the leap to YES. But given the team’s record this season, I’m sure the rationale was “who cares.” And I’m also assuming that somewhere along the way when this decision was made, someone with the Nets organization said, “eh, let’s not make waves.”

I know there’s something about biting the hand that feeds you, but rather than taking on fans wearing paper bags over their heads, I would have infinitely more respect for Nets CEO Brett Yormark if he publicly said something along the lines of: “you know what – I know we’re contractually bound to honor this agreement, but it stinks. It stinks that YES is bumping us like this and showing no flexibility in getting our games on the air in favor of around-the-clock coverage of the Yankees.”

Incoming owner Mikhail Prokhorov seems determined to make the Nets a winner once he takes over. In order to do that, it is imperative that he gives the green light to the front office to acquire the best players they can in free agency, to draft intelligently, and to select a head coach who will instill an organizational-wide philosophy that breeds winning.  But it’s also important that Prokhorov values the perception and branding of the Nets organization. The Knicks, in all of their losing and ineptitude, at least continue to puff their chest out, talking about the mystique of the Garden and promoting their brand with the same gusto as if they were fresh off a championship season.  The Nets need to mirror some of that pomp and circumstance, and they can go a long way in doing that, by taking a stand next season and not allowing such a lengthy blackout of games to happen again, regardless of the team’s record.

Mark Ginocchio

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Keyon Dooling is still lobbying the organization to be back next season.

In a report from Fred Kerber, Devin Harris is pushing strong for Avery Johnson as the next head coach: "He knows how to win, simple as that," Harris said. "He's a great coach, a great motivator. Now whether we had problems there or not, we won games."

Kentucky coach John Calipari denies interest in returning to the NBA.

Nets players are giddy about the prospects of Mikhail Prokhorov and his billions: "It’s definitely a huge opportunity for us," said Brook Lopez, a Nets’ cornerstone. "We’ve been trying to cut costs a bit these last few years to save money with all the stuff going on. First and foremost, it’ll help bring players in, bring in players who want to be part of a winning equation."

Mark Ginocchio

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Mark already linked to this article for Nets on the Net, but I wanted to give my opinion's on Dave D's article regarding Mikhail Prokhorov and other executive's opinions on him.  First off, I love that Prokhorov is already making noise in a good way (we have seen him make bad news in the past - remember the ladies in France).  Apparently other owners are happy as well, this coming from Mark Cuban via Dave D:

“They would love it,” the Mavericks owner replied in an e-mail. “It would show he is stupid money, and not a competitive threat.”

That gets to the point I really want to get at.  It seems to me that other executives are underestimating Prokhorov and the man rumored to be the Nets' next GM, Andrey Vatutin.  Just take a look at this quote from an anonymous executive:

“With so much rumor and speculation going on with this guy, I have problems with the legitimacy of anything before he takes control of the team,” one executive said. “First they were going after Jerry Colangelo. Then they were hiring the Toronto GM (Mauricio Gherardini). They’ve already hired and fired three coaches, from what I’ve read. I don’t think they have anything remotely close to a strategy, but I know this much: If it’s not Rod Thorn who’s formulating it, they already have problems.”

Maybe the executive wasn't aware of Prokhorov and Vatutin's success with CSKA.  In fact, it was one of the best runs in European basketball history.  Granted, European hoops isn't the same as the NBA, but these guys do understand the game of basketball and they do know what they are doing.  One executive sees the logic in offering a guy like Coach K this kind of money:

“The Nets are different,” the second executive said. “They can’t sell their history, or even loyalty, since they’re moving to Brooklyn in two years and might take 5 percent of their fans with them. So they need something to hang their hats on. I think they know they have to overspend somewhere — that’s just the way it will be — and the coach might be the place to do it.”

Totally agree with this.  If the Nets get themselves a coach like Coach K, Jeff Van Gundy, or Avery Johnson I can see most commercials featuring them instead of some of the players, at least until Brooklyn happens.  One thing is for sure though, he has already made more "positive news" than Bruce Ratner has, and he doesn't even "officially" own the team yet.

Sebastian Pruiti

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Earlier in the day, before Duke won another NCAA Championship, Coach K tells the press that he has little interest in the Nets coaching position; "I haven't been contacted," Krzyzewski said as he rode the team bus to Duke's shootaround in preparation for Monday night's NCAA championship game against Butler in Indianapolis. "I wouldn't have any interest in the job. You would be flattered if someone would offer you a job, but I would not be interested."

Dave D'Alessandro explores if Mikhail Prokhorov is ticking off the other NBA owners by floating such a ridiculous offer to Coach K.

Hoopsworld is not high on the Nets, giving them an "F" for their season performance.

Mark Ginocchio

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