Big Shot Rob
02-13-2007, 09:28 AM
This is from New York News Newspaper:
Kidd's back is hurting
Might sit vs. Spurs
BY MITCH LAWRENCE
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Back may keep Jason Kidd from taking on Tony Parker.
Here's how Jason Kidd prepared for his showdown tonight at the Meadowlands against fellow All-Star Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs: He had his injured back worked on by a chiropractor.
As if the Nets don't already have enough problems with long-term injuries to Nenad Krstic and Richard Jefferson, they are looking at undoubtedly their worst-case scenario when Tim Duncan makes his lone appearance of the season in New Jersey. For the first time this season, the Nets could have to play without Kidd.
How bad is it? Kidd wasn't available yesterday to answer that question, so no one knows if this means he'll be out both tonight and tomorrow night against the Raptors in a critical Atlantic Division showdown in Toronto. "It's been hurting him the last couple of games," Lawrence Frank said after practice. "Then it was really hurting him against Orlando (Saturday night)."
Kidd, who had a minor back problem earlier this season, made no mention of the injury Saturday night after the Nets' third straight victory. That was the second game of a back-to-back set, with travel.
Although he is listed as "questionable," the injury appears significant because Kidd had to have treatment for several hours Sunday, followed up by yesterday's session. Frank said the team has not run any other tests and chose not to specify the nature of the injury.
"We'll wait and see how he feels" regarding tonight's game, Frank said.
Without Krstic and Jefferson, the Nets have been a shell of themselves in posting a 25-27 record. Currently, they sit 2-1/2 games behind surprising Toronto in the Atlantic and trail eighth-place Miami by a half-game in the Eastern Conference playoff race. And if they don't have their leader tonight, the struggle becomes even tougher.
"That's what this season has been - survival," said Kidd's fellow All-Star, Vince Carter. "You just keep playing through good and bad times and don't worry about what other people have to say. Just remain consistent and keep playing hard. And we just need each guy to step up and give us a little more, if they can."
If Kidd is out, rookie Marcus Williams will have to make his first pro start - against the fleet Parker, no less. Williams has been superb as a backup, including having his best game as a pro against the Magic, when he scored 12 points in the second half and led an early fourth-quarter run. But with Kidd, who turns 34 next month, logging 37 minutes a game, the UConn product has been averaging only 17 minutes.
"Marcus has done well and continues to learn," Frank said. "But you don't want to anoint someone. There's no doubt about his talent level and his work ethic has improved."
But Williams has made his mark at the offensive end only. Shaky as a defender, he figures to be severely tested by Parker, averaging 19 points per game on 53% shooting, even though the Spurs themselves have been struggling in recent games.
"He's going to have to continue to really put maximum effort forth to play on the other end," Frank said of Williams. "Because that's what makes someone like Jason Kidd special. They do it on both ends."
Kidd's back is hurting
Might sit vs. Spurs
BY MITCH LAWRENCE
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Back may keep Jason Kidd from taking on Tony Parker.
Here's how Jason Kidd prepared for his showdown tonight at the Meadowlands against fellow All-Star Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs: He had his injured back worked on by a chiropractor.
As if the Nets don't already have enough problems with long-term injuries to Nenad Krstic and Richard Jefferson, they are looking at undoubtedly their worst-case scenario when Tim Duncan makes his lone appearance of the season in New Jersey. For the first time this season, the Nets could have to play without Kidd.
How bad is it? Kidd wasn't available yesterday to answer that question, so no one knows if this means he'll be out both tonight and tomorrow night against the Raptors in a critical Atlantic Division showdown in Toronto. "It's been hurting him the last couple of games," Lawrence Frank said after practice. "Then it was really hurting him against Orlando (Saturday night)."
Kidd, who had a minor back problem earlier this season, made no mention of the injury Saturday night after the Nets' third straight victory. That was the second game of a back-to-back set, with travel.
Although he is listed as "questionable," the injury appears significant because Kidd had to have treatment for several hours Sunday, followed up by yesterday's session. Frank said the team has not run any other tests and chose not to specify the nature of the injury.
"We'll wait and see how he feels" regarding tonight's game, Frank said.
Without Krstic and Jefferson, the Nets have been a shell of themselves in posting a 25-27 record. Currently, they sit 2-1/2 games behind surprising Toronto in the Atlantic and trail eighth-place Miami by a half-game in the Eastern Conference playoff race. And if they don't have their leader tonight, the struggle becomes even tougher.
"That's what this season has been - survival," said Kidd's fellow All-Star, Vince Carter. "You just keep playing through good and bad times and don't worry about what other people have to say. Just remain consistent and keep playing hard. And we just need each guy to step up and give us a little more, if they can."
If Kidd is out, rookie Marcus Williams will have to make his first pro start - against the fleet Parker, no less. Williams has been superb as a backup, including having his best game as a pro against the Magic, when he scored 12 points in the second half and led an early fourth-quarter run. But with Kidd, who turns 34 next month, logging 37 minutes a game, the UConn product has been averaging only 17 minutes.
"Marcus has done well and continues to learn," Frank said. "But you don't want to anoint someone. There's no doubt about his talent level and his work ethic has improved."
But Williams has made his mark at the offensive end only. Shaky as a defender, he figures to be severely tested by Parker, averaging 19 points per game on 53% shooting, even though the Spurs themselves have been struggling in recent games.
"He's going to have to continue to really put maximum effort forth to play on the other end," Frank said of Williams. "Because that's what makes someone like Jason Kidd special. They do it on both ends."