Nixing the Nets

Boxscore

Highlights

Destruction, twice over.

This time, the Spurs simply put it to the Nets. It wasn’t pretty, for either side actually, but, then again, that’s Spurs basketball.

The Nets got off to a pretty good start, with 25 points in the first 15 minutes. For the next 33, the Spurs held the Nets in a chokehold, smothering them to a paltry 55 points the rest of the way while only shooting 37% for the game.

Nothing against the Nets is too serious, this team is hard to watch, hard to take serious. Here’s a team in the eighth spot in the East, at what is now eight games under .500. Consider that at five games under, the Sacramento Kings are all the way in the 11th spot in the West.

Notes:

• The more I see Kurt Thomas, the more I like of him. The guy does just what they need: rebound. Case in point, first minutes of the game, only a few possessions in, Thomas had already grabbed two offensive rebounds. He only played 18 minutes, but almost certainly should be seeing several more as time continues, as Popovich is already trusting him with the starting role, only five games into his Spurs career.
• On the other hand, the more I see of Damon Stoudamire, the more I look at my calendar and hope its time Brent Barry can re-sign. Stoudamire just doesn’t do it for me. First of all, he doesn’t look like he gets the system, which initially led to a lack of aggressiveness, passing up shots, not moving on offense. Now, he seems content to just shoot, bombs away (1-8 FG against the Nets, 4-20 FG over his last 5 games). Beyond that, he lacks quickness, and that’s not a real knock on Mighty Mouse, he’s several injuries (and prolific years) past his prime. Defensively and offensively, the rust shows, and maybe the Nets and extreme quickness of guards like Devin Harris, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson aren’t great baromators, but, I go on what I see. And I’m not in love with what I see.
• If only for a short while, Vince Carter looked vinsane, almost as if we were back in the Air Canada Centre and VC was late getting back from a UNC graduation ceremony. Maybe that’s just how I saw it, but Carter looked spry again, young again. Carter’s weakness over the years has been his reluctance to drive to the whole since the injury bug hit the lower half of his body. If only for one night, VC flew again. He took the ball to the whole all the time, driving relentlessly on Duncan and anyone else that got in his way.
• Devin Harris will get his chance to show people if he’s a franchise point guard in NJ. It’s pretty clear that this is his ship to captain. Already he’s claimed the starting spot from Marcus Williams (who has received heat from teammate Richard Jefferson for not always giving 100%), and in-game, the offense is his when he wants it.