<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't wan't to see VC leave, I rather have Krstic get traded for a solid post player and rebounder who can also play defense.</div>
Yeah cause teams are so willing to trade Emeka, Rasheed, Memo, or David West for Nenad. We can get PJ Brown, Francisco Elson, if that's what you like.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">In any event, New Jersey's extended stretch on the critical list still bodes ill for their long-term recovery. Let's make a close diagnosis of the patients' charts:
Vince Carter had an uneven performance — 6-15, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 23 points. The Nets didn't really start going to him until midway through the third quarter, mainly because he wasn't shooting well and was also forcing too many shots. (Eight of his shots were decidedly ill-advised, with two of them eventuating in airballs.)
When Carter wasn't scoring, he lost what little focus he had on defense. Hey, he even neglected to locate Brian Scalabrine long enough to let the red-head knock down a pair of treys.
As ever, Carter tended to massage the ball too much. Though he was able to make several sparkling assist-passes to cutting teammates, this habitual behavior also halted the Nets' vaunted ball-movement and totally disrupted their offensive flow. Still, as the game ticked away, Carter was flawless from the free-throw line (10-10).
Poll
For sure, he's a bona fide All-Star, but just as assuredly, Carter should not be deemed a franchise player for any team that has serious championship aspirations.
The motor behind the Nets' third-quarter comeback was actually Jason Kidd — 9-16, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, 19 points. The Nets were trailing by 15 and the body bag was being unzipped when J-Kidd asserted his leadership. Scoring on three hard-driving layups, hitting a 3-ball, then pilfering a pass and netting a breakaway layup. It was Kidd's never-say-die spurt that gave his teammates heart enough to come all the way back and steal the win.
In clutch-time, Kidd also took his turn guarding Boston's two top guns, Paul Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak. Indeed, Kidd is not only the Nets' best defender, he's also their best rebounder, and best post-up creator. Ever since his micro-fracture surgery, however, Kidd has lost a half-step — a loss which was particularly evident whenever the super-quick Sebastian Telfair easily raced past him. Kidd retaliated by posting Telfair and scoring on a powerhouse spin — but why, oh why, didn't Lawrence Frank call this same number again, and again, and ...?
Anyway, Kidd is a leader, a quiet yet ferocious competitor, and a winner. Richard Jefferson never got involved in the offense — 5-11, 18 points — but did bury a crucial 3-ball when the game was up for grabs. He also seemed a step slow on defense — perhaps his recently-sprained ankle was sore as the Nets played their second game in two nights. Still, if Jefferson is an overrated defender, he remains a valuable third option at the other end of the court.</div>
This part of the article I find to be dead on. If we win games, it will be because Kidd made it happen more than Vince did. I found Vince's play recently piss poor, like he doesn't give a damn as long as he appearing has a good year on the stat sheet.
