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Gerald Wallace, SF 39 MIN | 5-15 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 4 AST | 11 PTS | -7
I’d be surprised to see him play on Thursday. His shot wasn’t falling, he wasn’t running the floor like he normally does, and I think the only reason the Nets left him in the fourth quarter was to try and get the win for the last game. I’ve been very glad to have Wallace this year, and I really hope we keep him. But please, there is no reason to have this guy finish out the year. I’m grading him lightly because it was obvious to me that his injury had as a lot to do with this performance. |
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Jordan Williams, F 24 MIN | 2-4 FG | 4-4 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 8 PTS | -10
I really like Jordan Williams and I like that he is a one-trick pony in the paint, a catch and shoot and rebound, rough-n-tough kind of dude. But that is exactly why he shouldn’t be a starter. Unfortunately, it’s all they have and the Nets just had to make do. He needs much more variety on offense if he wants to take the next step. |
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Kris Humphries, PF 31 MIN | 3-7 FG | 10-12 FT | 12 REB | 1 AST | 16 PTS | -11
Most of his points came off of free throws, which I am totally fine with, especially given that Hump hasn’t had a ten-plus free-throw attempt game since March 12. In fact, Hump isn’t a guy who gets to the line much at all, so to see him be aggressive in the post and force his way to some buckets was definitely a plus. He had a nice little match up with Elton Brand, who brought some heat early, but then fizzled out. |
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Sundiata Gaines, G 12 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 2 PTS | -12
Should have been the back-up point guard, even tonight. See: Green, Gerald. |
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MarShon Brooks, G 34 MIN | 6-14 FG | 5-5 FT | 2 REB | 4 AST | 18 PTS | -8
Solid game for him. Had a few moments of athletic brilliance, such as hitting a ridiculous long three in the second quarter. Jodie Meeks pretty much destroyed Brooks in one-on-one situations and his defense was a strong reason for why he missed eight shots. He was the go-to guy for the third and fourth quarter attempted comebacks. |
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Gerald Green, SG 28 MIN | 3-6 FG | 0-0 FT | 5 REB | 1 AST | 8 PTS | -10
Okay, I have a point on Gerald Green and I’m going to throw it out there and see what you guys think (even though at this point, it doesn’t make any difference). Why hasn’t Gerald Green started a point guard once since D-Will went down? Seriously. In the first quarter, he hit Anthony Morrow for a three in a crazy look across the arc and it hit me: he’s quick, good with the ball, athletic, not a turnover machine — what was stopping Avery from plugging him in at point more often? Besides being a natural scorer (a skill set he could still use manning the point), it makes more sense to me than playing Sudianta Gaines in that role. Tell me why I’m wrong. |
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Johan Petro, C 20 MIN | 5-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 10 PTS | -9
Cemented himself a trivia question answer for eternity by bricking a twenty-foot shot as the final attempted field goal for a New Jersey Net in the Prudential Center. Well done. |
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Armon Johnson, G 23 MIN | 5-10 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 10 PTS | -9
Ran the point while Gaines was on the bench. Johnson has a nice little fifteen footer that was in full display tonight. Provided some nice energy off the bench defensively tonight, and for a D-League call up in the post-Jordan Farmar era, I’ll take it. |
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Five Things We Saw
- Fare thee well, New Jersey. The Nets finish off their Newark tenure in the most metaphorical way possible: an early lead, a 13-0 run by the Sixers, a close — within one point — comeback, a pull ahead by the Sixers, a less-impressive second comeback, and a grand Petro airball finale. Jersey Strong.
- It was awesome to see a strong showing by Nets fans tonight. Whether they were there for one last glimpse of the team, or for the timeout/halftime videos, it was great to see the fans actually chant and cheer for the team on the court. But this has to be said: if these fans were always out there, where were they all season? Seriously. Why only show up at the last game ever?
- Avery was running some interesting point guard sets tonight: a mix of Sudianta Gaines, Armon Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Gerald Green and MarShon Brooks. I’d rank them as follows: Green, Johnson, Wallace, Gaines, Brooks. I know I mentioned this in Gerald Greens blurb, but why not give him so more minutes at the one against Toronto? It might be useful to know if he is a guy who can come off the bench and fill anywhere between a PG to SF.
- One of my fraternity brothers is a huge Sixers fan, and he’s told me all year that Doug Collins has ruined this team. I don’t watch enough of Philly to agree with him, but after tonight (and the last three Net-Sixer games) I see what he means. He absolutely over-coaches them, and gives their three centers way too many minutes, especially when you can work Brand/Young into that role, and let Spencer Hawes be the primary guy. I could be completely off, because I do not watch them enough to know what their rotations are like, but those are my thoughts and I’m sticking with them.
- It was great to see the Nets actually get to the line more than their opponent for a change. The game was much closer than the score indicates and much of that was due to the 91% FT shooting. I think the team as a whole just came out fired up and ready to play tough, but unfortunately, Philly had more to play for.
