Post game recap…in bullet form!
- Nets need to be called out this game for their defense, it was quite…non-existent? The 123 points the Rockets scored is tied for the most points the Nets have given up this season. The other time the Nets gave up 123 points? December 1 in a 123-120 loss to the OKC Thunder. The only difference then was that game went to three overtimes!
- Lots of things went wrong. Breakdowns on the perimeter led to guys like Chase Budinger and Kevin Martin having wide open lanes to the hoop, and finish with some thunderous dunks. Not a whole lot of rim protection to say the least.
- Speaking of Mr. Budinger – 8 of 11 from the field, three-of-four from behind the arc and he got to the line nine times. He effectively killed the Nets on the offensive end and we had no answer for him.
- Deron Williams recorded his season high in assists with 17, but shot just three-of-12. After the game there was some talk of his wrist injury possibly affected his play, which I could see being the case.
- We also got a glimpse a little bit into the gift and the curse with Williams. He’s constantly pushing the ball in transition, and sometimes it works great and he’s able to get himself all the way to the rim, or find shooters spotted up. But, there were times when he over penetrated and tried turning nothing into something. He gets caught off his feet and it could lead to some bad turnovers. Just something to keep an eye on.
- Deron’s decision making is something I would have to imagine would get better the more he gets familiar with his new teammates and vice-versa. You saw it a few times in the Spurs game and again yesterday, where Deron was running a pick and roll, and guys were popping out to the three point line, and I believe Deron thought they would be rolling, and those miscommunications led to turnovers. It happened yesterday on a pick and roll with Travis Outlaw (something that may appear in video form on NAS later this week). Again, nothing to be concerned with yet, plays like these will get ironed out the more they play together.
- New Houston Rocket – Hasheem Thabeet made his debut and in two minutes he fouled twice. Still a long way to go for big Thabeet.
- In the Nets quest to find some competency to play when Brook Lopez and Kris Humphries are not in the game – Johan Petro and newly acquired Dan Gadzuric combined for 16 minutes, went 0-of-8 from the field, seven rebounds, blocked a shot and fouled three times. Not exactly what’d you call quality production and you get the sense Avery doesn’t feel too confident with either of those guys out there. I suspect on nights we can get something for Travis Outlaw, that’d he’d get more minutes playing the 4 in a pseudo small ball lineup.
- Some of the injuries that occurred last night as reported by Al Iannazzone – Farmar: sprained left ankle, in a walking boot and “doesn’t look good”. Iannazzone doubts Farmar can go tomorrow. Morrow: left knee tendinitis, expects to play Monday.
- After two games with Deron Williams we know this – he was plugged into a brand new lineup and immediately ripped off 29 assists in two games. Granted they were both losses, but, you have to be encouraged with where he is at so far in a Nets uniform. These three games in four nights is a tough situation for a new player to come into, but after the PHX game on Monday, the Nets don’t play until Friday, so they’ll have some time to iron things out.
