ducks
03-23-2005, 05:12 PM
Kidd's joy in Jersey
has nearly run out
Jason Kidd has always seen the whole court, not just one narrow lane to the basket. And so a semi-serious playoff run by the Nets, who won their fifth straight last night, isn't blinding Kidd to the broader picture.
The Nets are 32-36, one game behind the No. 8 spot, two games behind the No. 7 spot, 3-1/2 games behind the No.6 spot. You want Kidd to jump up and down, promise you this team will do damage deep into the playoffs? It's not going to happen. Not the promise, and probably not the damage.
From Day 1 this season, Kidd has made a deal with himself and with the franchise: He will play his heart out, but the love is gone. The Nets beat Reggie Miller and the Pacers last night, 98-91, yet you knew this was no longer Game 5 in April, 2002.
"There's a lot of ifs," Kidd was saying yesterday, about the Nets' chances. "Too many ifs. That's one thing going into the playoffs, we never had that before. Maybe we had one if. Maybe we weren't playing as well late in the season or something. But you didn't have this situation."
It's a fascinating dance that Kidd is waltzing with the Nets, on and off the court. He continues to steer this team with great finesse, instinctively adjusting to the stylistic changes demanded by the departures of Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles, by the arrival of Vince Carter. At the same time, Kidd has subtly made it clear he is not happy about being here.
Every time San Antonio or Minnesota comes to the Meadowlands, you can almost hear the sighs emanating from Kidd's locker. Something has to give, sooner than later.
Maybe Kidd will start to make the kind of noise that Alonzo Mourning made in Jersey, or that Carter made in Toronto. Maybe Rod Thorn will pull another rabbit out of his hat during the early offseason and convince Kidd this is really a championship-caliber team again.
The Nets have chips, resources, promise. They have four solid starters, when healthy. They have two first-round picks, their own and what figures to be an extremely valuable, unprotected 2006 pick from the Clippers. How long will that sustain Kidd? He won't say, exactly. He isn't in the mood for 2006-07 at the moment. He is only aiming to make the playoffs.
"It would be huge, especially after where we started," he said. Kidd isn't all wide-eyed about this, though. He figures the Nets as constituted are not going to beat Miami or Detroit, let alone a Western Conference finalist.
He isn't counting on Richard Jefferson, either.
"You've got to go with what you have," Kidd said. "I've been through that before with Penny Hardaway (in Phoenix). That's a lot to ask for from one person. I don't foresee RJ coming back."
For the first time yesterday, it started to sound as if Jefferson wasn't quite as certain about coming back, himself. The eternal idealist was becoming a realist. Rehab will spoil the dreams of any man.
"I stay optimistic, but there's a chance it will not work out," Jefferson said. "Every day you get a little more movement. That's what I'm pushing my body to do. I can run, lift weights with my legs all I want. It's about mobility."
So that was the situation again last night, Kidd guiding the Nets and Carter scoring 33 points and Jefferson on the sideline in street clothes, still recuperating from surgery on his left wrist. That combination has been good enough recently for some decent basketball, and the other teams just ahead aren't exactly on a roll.
Indiana hasn't been the same since Ron Artest's ugly incident, and now Jermaine O'Neal is out with a sprained right shoulder. O'Neal is nearly as questionable as Jefferson for the playoffs. The Pacers are a mess, headed for a bad ending in the first round, if they make it that far.
Last night, the Nets came from 10 back in the first half, from behind practically the whole game. The 48 minutes were a lot like their season, always scratching back, trying to get even. Kidd buried a three-pointer, then Carter hit a baby hook from the baseline for a seven-point lead at 4:21, and then the Nets hung on in the last four minutes for the victory.
They climbed the mountain for a night. Even from here, Kidd will tell you the horizon is limited. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/story/292723p-250595c.html
has nearly run out
Jason Kidd has always seen the whole court, not just one narrow lane to the basket. And so a semi-serious playoff run by the Nets, who won their fifth straight last night, isn't blinding Kidd to the broader picture.
The Nets are 32-36, one game behind the No. 8 spot, two games behind the No. 7 spot, 3-1/2 games behind the No.6 spot. You want Kidd to jump up and down, promise you this team will do damage deep into the playoffs? It's not going to happen. Not the promise, and probably not the damage.
From Day 1 this season, Kidd has made a deal with himself and with the franchise: He will play his heart out, but the love is gone. The Nets beat Reggie Miller and the Pacers last night, 98-91, yet you knew this was no longer Game 5 in April, 2002.
"There's a lot of ifs," Kidd was saying yesterday, about the Nets' chances. "Too many ifs. That's one thing going into the playoffs, we never had that before. Maybe we had one if. Maybe we weren't playing as well late in the season or something. But you didn't have this situation."
It's a fascinating dance that Kidd is waltzing with the Nets, on and off the court. He continues to steer this team with great finesse, instinctively adjusting to the stylistic changes demanded by the departures of Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles, by the arrival of Vince Carter. At the same time, Kidd has subtly made it clear he is not happy about being here.
Every time San Antonio or Minnesota comes to the Meadowlands, you can almost hear the sighs emanating from Kidd's locker. Something has to give, sooner than later.
Maybe Kidd will start to make the kind of noise that Alonzo Mourning made in Jersey, or that Carter made in Toronto. Maybe Rod Thorn will pull another rabbit out of his hat during the early offseason and convince Kidd this is really a championship-caliber team again.
The Nets have chips, resources, promise. They have four solid starters, when healthy. They have two first-round picks, their own and what figures to be an extremely valuable, unprotected 2006 pick from the Clippers. How long will that sustain Kidd? He won't say, exactly. He isn't in the mood for 2006-07 at the moment. He is only aiming to make the playoffs.
"It would be huge, especially after where we started," he said. Kidd isn't all wide-eyed about this, though. He figures the Nets as constituted are not going to beat Miami or Detroit, let alone a Western Conference finalist.
He isn't counting on Richard Jefferson, either.
"You've got to go with what you have," Kidd said. "I've been through that before with Penny Hardaway (in Phoenix). That's a lot to ask for from one person. I don't foresee RJ coming back."
For the first time yesterday, it started to sound as if Jefferson wasn't quite as certain about coming back, himself. The eternal idealist was becoming a realist. Rehab will spoil the dreams of any man.
"I stay optimistic, but there's a chance it will not work out," Jefferson said. "Every day you get a little more movement. That's what I'm pushing my body to do. I can run, lift weights with my legs all I want. It's about mobility."
So that was the situation again last night, Kidd guiding the Nets and Carter scoring 33 points and Jefferson on the sideline in street clothes, still recuperating from surgery on his left wrist. That combination has been good enough recently for some decent basketball, and the other teams just ahead aren't exactly on a roll.
Indiana hasn't been the same since Ron Artest's ugly incident, and now Jermaine O'Neal is out with a sprained right shoulder. O'Neal is nearly as questionable as Jefferson for the playoffs. The Pacers are a mess, headed for a bad ending in the first round, if they make it that far.
Last night, the Nets came from 10 back in the first half, from behind practically the whole game. The 48 minutes were a lot like their season, always scratching back, trying to get even. Kidd buried a three-pointer, then Carter hit a baby hook from the baseline for a seven-point lead at 4:21, and then the Nets hung on in the last four minutes for the victory.
They climbed the mountain for a night. Even from here, Kidd will tell you the horizon is limited. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/story/292723p-250595c.html