They were just two games on the NBA calendar, two Net home games against non-division opponents. But last night’s match against the Bucks at the snowed-in Meadowlands and tonight’s affair with Phoenix may hold Byron Scott’s future as the Net coach in the balance.
Scott, of course, has been working this season without his expected contract extension. And following a summer of stories that stated problems with the team – including Jason Kidd wanting him out as a condition to re-signing – Scott’s footing hasn’t been the firmest.
Now add to that a four-game losing streak in which the team has looked lifeless as times and, despite management contentions that Scott is not in jeopardy, the two games virtually started a Scott death watch.
One team source insisted that Scott is on much firmer footing than is generally perceived, but acknowledged that losses in the two weekend games – equaling a six-game skid – could be lethal, even if there are no clear-cut choices to succeed him.
But Scott, who has led the Nets to two straight Finals, declined to focus on himself. Rather, he put all his attention on the team and how to snap out of the recent funk.
So he saw the two-game set as important not for his own fate but for the mental health of his team.
“It’s pretty critical for our mindset,” Scott said. “I don’t know if we’ve hit rock bottom, but we’ve already played 18 games. If you keep saying we’re going to get it together and all of a sudden it’s 60 games, you find yourself on the outside fighting to get in.”
As for himself, Scott smiled. “I’m feeling good about myself,” he said. “I’m a happy guy, a lucky guy.”
A couple of wins could turn everything around and strengthen Scott’s position in a franchise that is bleeding financially while the team remains on the market for a new owner.
It would seem that any move – whether pro or con regarding Scott – would be put off until the ownership issue is settled. Unless it got real ugly. Like maybe a six-game losing streak.
“You go on a winning streak, that cures a lot of things – winning cures everything,” said Kenyon Martin. “So we go out and put a good thing together and we are playing well and winning ballgames, I think it will help us out.”
That, of course, is easier said than done. These Nets simply have not been the Nets of the past two seasons. Entering last night, they had already lost six home games – that after losing only eight in each of the previous two seasons.
“The one thing I see that’s different is when we walked on the court last year, especially at home, we knew we were going to win,” Scott said.
“Now we’re wondering; there’s a question. You have a question mark in your head. You’re wondering if we’re going to win, and that’s the biggest difference that I see.”
In the past, when the situation became rough and rocky, Kidd always stepped forward and spoke his mind to the team. Yesterday, Kidd said it simply isn’t time for that – yet.
“This is a time to learn for the young guys who haven’t been in this situation,” Kidd said. “Again, this team has never been below .500, so it’s going to be interesting to see how guys respond. We’re 18 games into the season. We’ll see who’s going to jump ship and who’s going to buckle down and keep rowing harder.
“I think we’ve got all kind of guys who are going to keep rowing harder to get better. There are good times and bad times. You always enjoy good times. We’ll see who’s front-runners and who’s not.”
Headaches for Byron
How struggling Nets rank league-wide
(per-game averages entering last night):
Negatives
Points – 87.8 (26th)
Rebounds – 38.1 (29th & last)
Blocks – 4.3 (24th)
Field-goal % – .425 (18th)
Positives
Assists – 23.5 (3rd)
Turnovers – 14 (3rd fewest)
Points Allowed – 87.1 (6th)
Steals – 8.9 (7th)
