GT#30: Brooklyn @ San Antonio - 12/31 - 7:00pm on YES

[Paradise]

Rod Boone ‏@rodboone
Asked Deron at practice if he feels like an elite PG: “I don’t think I’m playing like one. I can be. I’ve just got to figure this thing out”

This whole trade him stuff is nonsense. Does he deserve alot of blame? Yes but we are at 30 games and only at 16-15...It could be much worse. I'll continue to use last year's Knicks as the example: Carmelo took all of the blame and criticism with career lows dating to his rookie year, Amare put up Joe Johnson like stats (this year) and the Knicks were under .500 around this time a year ago before Linsanity.

We should be thankful to be just 16-15 right now with a stretch where we face the Wizards, Kings, Suns. This team simply has no backbone and there is nobody within the coaching staff that has the voice to get them out of it.

You can't ask Deron to do it because he's the main guy who's sucking, you can't ask Wallace to do it because he's injured, you can't ask Joe to do it because he's not playing well against good teams, Brook is probably gonna cry and yell like a 12 year old on the Nanny....When someone in the locker room has the balls to start yelling and going off then we will see results.

At some point, Deron has to explode and have a good game and once it happens, it should wake him up and the team. The problem is, he will play well then miss a shot badly and it's back to him mentally scared to shoot or penetrate.

We simply can compensate for this by playing DEFENSE and this team has awful defensive principles and a trade to get someone who can read a defense and rotate is a must at this point. That's what should be addressed, not offense. Deron's defense gets overshadowed but he's been very good at it for the most part and the pick and roll defense has become a joke.

[vincecarter4pres]

Well that's where a guy like Nene and Wes Matthews makes so much sense if possible.

Even Kmart on a more realistic pickup and then a different wing through trade who's more available then Wes Matthews specifically.

[Paradise]

At this point, beating SA is simple: KEEP THEM OFF THE 3 POINT LINE AT ALL COSTS

*stares at CJ Watson and Jerry Stackhouse*

not so simple...

No, It was very simple. That's how sad it was to watch.

For the most part, they ran the Spurs off the 3 point line but then you started to see laziness. The Parker wide open three resulted in Stackhouse not guarding Manu, so Deron picked up Manu instead of Parker and then nobody rotates to him.

Can't wait to see this team leave Kevin Martin and Durant wide open time and time again.

[MrDollarBills]

The love and support that this franchise received initially from BK will evaporate quickly after this.

The front office made two critical errors this offseason: trading for Joe Johnson, and allowing Avery Johnson to coach this team.

The Teletovic signing has been an absolute joke.

We would have been better off pursuing OJ Mayo, and calling Deron's bluff. This fat, stinking piece of dog **** would not have left that money on the table.

Now, when the dust clears, we may be stuck with two of the league's worst contracts for the next few years. Phil Jackson isn't going to get up off of his ass to come coach this mess.

Billy King will be the next person to fall upon their sword, mark my words. I don't blame him 100% because the franchise couldn't take small steps, but this is devolving into one huge, sick joke.

Seriously just pick another team that's winning right now and follow them. The current state of the Nets doesn't seem to be doing any good for your psyche.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

I've been a Nets fan since 1991. You pick another team. I have every right to express my dissatisfaction with the poor effort that we've seen over the last month.

[MrDollarBills]

I think Deron was closer to going to Dallas...he has stated publicly how he was on the fence and possibly leaning toward going to play at home...you didn't believe it, thats fine....

What did get his attention was the Johnson trade...I don't remember nor am I interested in checking where you were on Deron before he signed...

You really wanted the front office to let him walk, call his bluff? OJ Mayo are you serious, why cause of what he is doing in Dallas now...what do they say about hindsight?

You know they needed to bring in talent and we needed to do everything to sign Deron while entering a new city...if they let Deron walk, what would you of said then?

I always said this team looks great on paper, but there is a lot of work to be done...My goal, develop a team, make the playoffs and continue to develop a team capably of winning 50 games give or take...

But let me explain something to you, this can take year or two to develop and mold...it may take the rest of the season for us to truly figure out who we are as team and how we fit together...you don't just acquire a bunch of players, snap your fingers and say we're a good basketball team...

31 games into the season and you're looking to bail,

The one thing I thought Avery was always right about was the amount of work, concentration and focus this teams needs to put in for us to resemble anything close to a good team...

Maybe you were fooled by November where we obviously over achieved on talent that was actually playing confident basketball...

Now with the fragile mental state of this team playing with no confidence against quality opponents, you call out the front office when they took care of the biggest issue we all felt was holding back this team...

We just played the Spurs, you understand how long that team has been together, coach Pop his system and the championships...you do realize they are the exact opposite of what we are...and it was only going to take one quick run to put us away...

I'm sick of reading fans who only talk about pointing fingers and cannot sit back endure a team struggle...if you didn't think the Nets would struggle, you were all fooled...

I do believe there are a couple moves we might have to consider making to help us along the way...but some of you really need to give into the fact that there is going to be a huge learning curve which will take time and can affect a team's confidence and attitude...hopefully these type losses hurt enough to wake this team up and make them realize how bad they are playing...if not you'll see in a week how fast the Nets can hit rock bottom and how much more difficult of hole they are in...

OKC makes it a huge challenge, but there is a big difference between an embarrassing loss and a loss...no loss is acceptable, but we need to play with some self respect hang our hats on the defensive end and if a elite team like the Thunder make difficult shot after difficult shot at least we can walk away knowing we lost giving 110% effort...

It starts with effort...

And the effort has been absolute garbage. I'm not buying this sugar coat **** stuff jac, the Nets have put their fanbase through the ringer for far too long. No one said anything about things being perfect, but when you see the nonsense that transpired last night, there is no way to spin that or explain it away. This team is in a state of complete and utter disarray.

You explain to me how what you typed above even remotely translates as to reasons why a professional basketball team with a 300+ payroll can only score 5 pts in a qtr. You can accept that crap if you want, I refuse.

I'm sick of reading fans who only talk about pointing fingers and cannot sit back endure a team struggle...if you didn't think the Nets would struggle, you were all fooled...

I've been a fan of this team for two decades. You go ahead, sit here and tell me how I can't endure a team struggle....that's an utterly nonsensical thing to say to any Net fan, nevermind me

This is not "struggle". This is a complete lack of effort, and a total lack of leadership on several levels.

And I'm not sure where calling his bluff is being confused with letting him leave. The Nets had a max contract offer on the table. Did Dallas? The way that fat ass is playing, he's lucky to even have received that much.

And...blind faith doesn't make someone a better fan than one who is being bluntly critical.

[deepblueday]

preach brotha

[jerseyjac]

I think Deron was closer to going to Dallas...he has stated publicly how he was on the fence and possibly leaning toward going to play at home...you didn't believe it, thats fine....

What did get his attention was the Johnson trade...I don't remember nor am I interested in checking where you were on Deron before he signed...

You really wanted the front office to let him walk, call his bluff? OJ Mayo are you serious, why cause of what he is doing in Dallas now...what do they say about hindsight?

You know they needed to bring in talent and we needed to do everything to sign Deron while entering a new city...if they let Deron walk, what would you of said then?

I always said this team looks great on paper, but there is a lot of work to be done...My goal, develop a team, make the playoffs and continue to develop a team capably of winning 50 games give or take...

But let me explain something to you, this can take year or two to develop and mold...it may take the rest of the season for us to truly figure out who we are as team and how we fit together...you don't just acquire a bunch of players, snap your fingers and say we're a good basketball team...

31 games into the season and you're looking to bail,

The one thing I thought Avery was always right about was the amount of work, concentration and focus this teams needs to put in for us to resemble anything close to a good team...

Maybe you were fooled by November where we obviously over achieved on talent that was actually playing confident basketball...

Now with the fragile mental state of this team playing with no confidence against quality opponents, you call out the front office when they took care of the biggest issue we all felt was holding back this team...

We just played the Spurs, you understand how long that team has been together, coach Pop his system and the championships...you do realize they are the exact opposite of what we are...and it was only going to take one quick run to put us away...

I'm sick of reading fans who only talk about pointing fingers and cannot sit back endure a team struggle...if you didn't think the Nets would struggle, you were all fooled...

I do believe there are a couple moves we might have to consider making to help us along the way...but some of you really need to give into the fact that there is going to be a huge learning curve which will take time and can affect a team's confidence and attitude...hopefully these type losses hurt enough to wake this team up and make them realize how bad they are playing...if not you'll see in a week how fast the Nets can hit rock bottom and how much more difficult of hole they are in...

OKC makes it a huge challenge, but there is a big difference between an embarrassing loss and a loss...no loss is acceptable, but we need to play with some self respect hang our hats on the defensive end and if a elite team like the Thunder make difficult shot after difficult shot at least we can walk away knowing we lost giving 110% effort...

It starts with effort...

And the effort has been absolute garbage. I'm not buying this sugar coat **** stuff jac, the Nets have put their fanbase through the ringer for far too long. No one said anything about things being perfect, but when you see the nonsense that transpired last night, there is no way to spin that or explain it away. This team is in a state of complete and utter disarray.

You explain to me how what you typed above even remotely translates as to reasons why a professional basketball team with a 300+ payroll can only score 5 pts in a qtr. You can accept that crap if you want, I refuse.

I'm sick of reading fans who only talk about pointing fingers and cannot sit back endure a team struggle...if you didn't think the Nets would struggle, you were all fooled...

I've been a fan of this team for two decades. You go ahead, sit here and tell me how I can't endure a team struggle....that's an utterly nonsensical thing to say to any Net fan, nevermind me

This is not "struggle". This is a complete lack of effort, and a total lack of leadership on several levels.

And I'm not sure where calling his bluff is being confused with letting him leave. The Nets had a max contract offer on the table. Did Dallas? The way that fat ass is playing, he's lucky to even have received that much.

And...blind faith doesn't make someone a better fan than one who is being bluntly critical.

That's more like it, at least I know you're a fan now with that sort of passion and emotion ...This has nothing to do with blind faith, for the most part all I ever read is bitching, F-this F-that one (and more than handful others who rarely add much to the pot, so no hard feelings)...

For one, I had suspected you were a fan and knew I would most likely strike a cord eventually (as others have alluded to from a history on another forum...) But lets be a little more informative with your true feelings, beyond your blood is boiling...

You know, I had this same conversation with someone similar to yourself on these very forums more than 10 years ago...

I cannot lie, these are the suffering posts I like to hear about, sounds all too familiar...However, if you have been a fan this long, you should be used to this...

And as I said to VC, who had shown some surprising optimism despite his displeasure, lets not go off the deep end...

Maybe you expected too much before the season (which I doubt), or maybe the night and day months the Nets have had recently has thrown you off your rocker... again we're just into the second 1/3 of the season...

Maybe you were hoping that Deron would be the second coming of Kidd and this team we built would bring us to the promise land more sooner than later...

Or maybe you were like me and knew this Nets team would hit rock bottom before they saw the light...I'm just as pissed off as you are...I just choose to keep the "off with their heads" posts to a minimum and bring as much critical information to the table as possible...

I am not here to tell you that I believe the Nets are going to ride into the sunset after they have been playing with their heads up their assess for the last month...I have no confidence whats so ever in this, but this is just the beginning...

If you come here to only vent, bitch, curse out players and point fingers while failing to make critical points along the way, there are a million forums which would suit you...you are probably still posting on other forums, how many times have you read "trade Deron", its probably everywhere...you're obviously here because even though we will vent, we continue to make critical points while keeping that sort of jargon to a minimum...

Come on now, lets come back to reality, dissect this team's issues and bring the knowledge a passionate Nets fan like your self should have with 20+years of rooting...

And if you jumped ahead to reply to me, read my posts to VC above...I'm there, I just choose to look at this thing through a different window...but I take personal pride in keeping the sanity around here...so step back off that ledge, and stay with us, we all know you're are not done with this team...

[Paradise]

I don't think this is stressed enough. Regardless if Deron is in the game or out the game, the team plays the same way. Less hustle and spirit than they did to start the year.

Everyone assumed, what would be the result once the moving to Brooklyn novelty hype wore off...well, guess what? The team in the month of December is selling out while the Nets are declining. I guess the real question should be the team's focus once the Brooklyn hype wore off.

Right now, the team simply is lacking leadership and accountability. That's the main thing. There is clearly nobody staying on their ass in practice to work on things that screw us in games, It's all about "Well, let's have a good practice"...No, how about let's go and practice free throws, 3 point shots, pick and roll defense for 3 hours instead of running up and down playing 5 on 5 in practice.

There is no reason why Joe Johnson played his ass off for Atlanta under Woodson and Drew and suddenly, he's disappearing in every other game with less effort than every one. There is no reason why the only harder worker is Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez (even when he sucks, he tries).

You have guys like CJ Watson and Bogans coming from the Bulls where this month of December would be so unacceptable, they would probably get benched for the year...Come to the Nets, don't even play the same defense and try to play with the same defense Thibs installed in their brain.

At some point, people need to stop pointing fingers and players individually and understand there is a SERIOUS and I mean SERIOUS culture problem with this team. Every single player who has come here from a playoff team and supposed to impact the game right now has regressed in their own game. Deron, Joe, Wallace offensively while CJ, Bogans and the rest of the so called defenders with a Bulls mindset has officially gone back to old habits.

Anyone who signs Stackhouse for leadership has done something wrong. Seriously wrong. Also, there is flaws beyond the coaches and players that Deron and Joe simply cannot help fix and that is lack of shooting to spread the floor.

People are ready to talk about Deron's play compared to Paul, Lillard or who ever but the fact of the matter is, we have a starting five of guys who are not great 3 point shooters and we have a bench of guys who are not great 3 point shooters.

Teletovic was the dumbest signing in years. There is no floor spacing and everything becomes a challenge in the halfcourt or transition once teams get back and the wings are open, It was the biggest eye sore against the Spurs. They can push the ball and either find 3 point shooters on the wing or attack the rim on fastbreaks.

We do not have that, so either you are passing to guys who will brick shots or you re-set and try a halfcourt set and that again usually results into sloppy offense.

Aside from the fact, Deron and Joe are struggling or disappointments. Which ever you want to call it, the fact is...Billy King screwed up with the role players.His best signing to compliment the Core 4 was Reggie Evans and it simply went downhill there.

This team simply was too focused on adding Euros for Brooklyn than adding quality shooters and real defenders that were on the market.

[jerseyjac]

I've yet to really express what my gut tells me and has been telling me since the start of free agency prior to this season...but there is a lot of time for that...you have just started to skim the surface, but it is pretty simple and it ain't no secret...

I'll just comment briefly...

I don't think this is stressed enough. Regardless if Deron is in the game or out the game, the team plays the same way. Less hustle and spirit than they did to start the year.

Everyone assumed, what would be the result once the moving to Brooklyn novelty hype wore off...well, guess what? The team in the month of December is selling out while the Nets are declining. I guess the real question should be the team's focus once the Brooklyn hype wore off.

Right now, the team simply is lacking leadership and accountability. That's the main thing. There is clearly nobody staying on their ass in practice to work on things that screw us in games, It's all about "Well, let's have a good practice"...No, how about let's go and practice free throws, 3 point shots, pick and roll defense for 3 hours instead of running up and down playing 5 on 5 in practice.

There is no reason why Joe Johnson played his ass off for Atlanta under Woodson and Drew and suddenly, he's disappearing in every other game with less effort than every one. There is no reason why the only harder worker is Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez (even when he sucks, he tries).

You have guys like CJ Watson and Bogans coming from the Bulls where this month of December would be so unacceptable, they would probably get benched for the year...Come to the Nets, don't even play the same defense and try to play with the same defense Thibs installed in their brain.

At some point, people need to stop pointing fingers and players individually and understand there is a SERIOUS and I mean SERIOUS culture problem with this team. Every single player who has come here from a playoff team and supposed to impact the game right now has regressed in their own game. Deron, Joe, Wallace offensively while CJ, Bogans and the rest of the so called defenders with a Bulls mindset has officially gone back to old habits.

Anyone who signs Stackhouse for leadership has done something wrong. Seriously wrong. Also, there is flaws beyond the coaches and players that Deron and Joe simply cannot help fix and that is lack of shooting to spread the floor.

People are ready to talk about Deron's play compared to Paul, Lillard or who ever but the fact of the matter is, we have a starting five of guys who are not great 3 point shooters and we have a bench of guys who are not great 3 point shooters.

Teletovic was the dumbest signing in years. There is no floor spacing and everything becomes a challenge in the halfcourt or transition once teams get back and the wings are open, It was the biggest eye sore against the Spurs. They can push the ball and either find 3 point shooters on the wing or attack the rim on fastbreaks.

We do not have that, so either you are passing to guys who will brick shots or you re-set and try a halfcourt set and that again usually results into sloppy offense.

Aside from the fact, Deron and Joe are struggling or disappointments. Which ever you want to call it, the fact is...Billy King screwed up with the role players.His best signing to compliment the Core 4 was Reggie Evans and it simply went downhill there.

This team simply was too focused on adding Euros for Brooklyn than adding quality shooters and real defenders that were on the market.

Our Euro signings at this point are definitely a bust...maybe it was for some Euro fan flavor in Brooklyn which I had thought it was, I definitely had hoped the front office knew more than we did...with that said, I truly feel there are those above Billy who pulled the strings on some FAs...

It's no secret we over paid for most of our roster and that we most likely missed out on other FAs we would of all considered...

But I agree, guys like CJ and Bogans seem like they are just going through the motions and this could be a reflection of the system and front office which oversees them...

I've yet to really hold anyone else accountable besides the players themselves ...IMO, players are most likely going through the process of getting over the Avery firing...it is also no secret that most were friendly with him and that some may feel this is an unfair situation...some might even be blind to how Avery's system was doing more good than bad and probably helping them in the rotation/minutes...

In the end the players are the ones who feel responsible for a coach getting fired and the obvious poor results...and now they are the only ones responsible for the losses, so they need to get over it...

I'm very pleased the front office took Avery out of this equation and we truly can hold each and every one player accountable...

This team is what it is...if we can make some moves before the trade deadline that can push us in the right direction you get them done (can our hands be tied due to the dollar amount of some contracts, of course)...right now, there is no reason to cry over spilled milk...high hopes and fluff potential talk is preseason talk...this Nets organization needs to produce with what they have, period...

[MrDollarBills]

Jac,

It's just frustrating to get your hopes up about the Nets....only for the Nets to still be the Nets...a joke.

I'm not really trying to point fingers at players, even though Deron's play during his tenure as a Net has been abysmal imo, but I think Paradise summed up where I was coming from:

At some point, people need to stop pointing fingers and players individually and understand there is a SERIOUS and I mean SERIOUS culture problem with this team.

THIS.

This is what infuriates me. It seems like no matter what money spent, what changes are made, the same CULTURE that plagued this team for years still exists

It's like we can't wash the stink off.

I was quite happy with their start because at least they were playing tough nosed defense. I thought that was the start of establishing an identity....nope. We're back to square one: No identity, a soft team mentally, and the two highest paid players are either wilting or just flat out give up. I should refrain from cussing off, but at this current juncture, the Nets aren't really putting forth an effort that warrants an intelligent, well thought out response....so I suppose that's why a simple **** you seems more fitting. But I read your message, and I didn't take it any way at all because you have a good point.

[NyCeEvO]

i dont see us staying competitive tonite. there is plenty of film on us now defensively, and the spurs execute better then anyone in the league offensively. there are going to be a ton of uncontested layups and wide open 3's

i see a 20 point loss unless they brick all their threes and jj or dwill has an elite performance. even so we likely lose

[NyCeEvO]

JJ,

Not everyone responds to the game in the same way.

Yes, we could all be very Stoic and detached from that single game, but when you're watching the game and you see the foolishness that goes on in front of your eyes, most people will either laugh in disbelief or get super-pissed.

The reason why I don't mind MDB's 'hellfire and brimstone' posts is because they're solely directed at the team. He's not challenging other people or blasting everyone who argues that we should be patient.

MDB says what we're all thinking at the moment we're watching the game.

Most of us are like...


Some of us are like...


But at the end of the day, we still come back and talk about how this team can improve and what we'd do if we were GM, etc. As long as we're not destroying each other, I think it's ok to go off cuz we know that whoever does is coming back lol.

[jerseyjac]

That is all I want...

Thanks for the video clips they really helped...