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Gerald Wallace, SF 32 MIN | 3-12 FG | 2-2 FT | 9 REB | 3 AST | 8 PTS | -38
What is it with Nets players and returning to their former team on the road? After a stellar performance in Los Angeles last night, Crash Wallace put up a stinker in Portland. He had his usual energy and hustle, and strong rebounding numbers, but it came with blocked shots galore (the bad kind), missed layups and 3-12 shooting. And he wore green sneakers. |
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Kris Humphries, PF 39 MIN | 7-13 FG | 7-7 FT | 11 REB | 1 AST | 21 PTS | -11
The double-double performance we’ve come to love from this guy. Had his fair share of two-handed Hump dunks and made some nice shots fifteen feet out. Despite both guys putting up great numbers, I thought the Humphries-Aldridge match-up could have been way better. Hump won the battle on the glass, but Aldridge is so dominant, and he didn’t stand much of a chance. But, I was still impressed. |
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Sundiata Gaines, G 19 MIN | 0-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 0 PTS | -24
Cemented his position as the team’s fourth best point guard behind Deron Williams (with or without a stomach flu), Jordan Farmar and Gerald Wallace. |
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MarShon Brooks, G 30 MIN | 1-7 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 6 AST | 2 PTS | +6
Your standard “What the hell has happened to MarShon Brooks?” game. You can just tell by watching his hesitation before taking shots, his lack of an offensive game all together, and his difficultly finishing plays that he is losing confidence. I think this kid just needs the season to wrap up. Silver lining: He finished with six assists, so at least he didn’t hog the ball and shoot poorly. |
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Anthony Morrow, SG 34 MIN | 7-18 FG | 3-3 FT | 2 REB | 3 AST | 20 PTS | +5
I think Avery is making a mistake not starting him the rest of the season. The team is simply better with him on the floor, and while it may hinder MarShon’s development the rest of the season, I think that ship has sailed. He wasn’t on all night, but give me one reason Brooks (1-7 shooting, 2 points) is in the top-five over Morrow. |
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Gerald Green, SG 31 MIN | 9-18 FG | 1-1 FT | 7 REB | 2 AST | 20 PTS | +13
So many shades of Greensanity tonight. Ran all over the floor, shooting jumpers, smashing smashes, grabbing boards, playing capable defense. We even got to see an alley-oop. He probably took two too many three-pointers, but I will live with that. |
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Five Things We Saw
- A pretty up-and-down game for the Nets, who were down, came back, fell behind, came back, fell behind, came back and fell behind. They could never really get their rhythm going or hold a lead. Part of this is probably due to the lack of leadership at the point guard position, part of it is the absence of Shelden Williams to help with Aldridge and Hickson, and part of it is that the Nets finally have a decent wing rotation, but a rookie who shoots 1-7 gets the start.
- Kris Humphries did a fine job in the paint, but he can’t do it alone, nor is he a guy who is expected to do it alone. At this point, I think it’s silly for the Nets to bring back Brook, and maybe even Shelden Williams. I’d actually be annoyed if they did. But it is quite interesting the way the Nets season has gone where I am actually starting to miss Shelden Williams — the fill in for the guy we are supposed to be missing.
- Have I completely missed the “J.J. Hickson is a complete beast era”? He and Aldridge were a force tonight, Hickson went all Unibrow on us blocking shots and making the Nets shots look totally foolish. I’m going to be honest, if you asked me anything about J.J. Hickson’s game three hours ago, I would have come up blank. What a stud.
- In all honesty, I would have been more angry if the Nets had won this game simply because they played so terribly that it would have been a waste of a win. I don’t want the Nets to tank, but if they are going to get some wins and creep further away from the Unibrow-MKG-Rob sweepstakes, I’d rather it be in enthusiastic, energy-building moments like last night had the potential to be, not uninspired and boring like it would have been tonight. That may have made no sense, whatever.
- On a completely unrelated note, Kanye West dissed Kris Humphries in this song. (lyrics NSFW)
