CHICAGO – Just a few days ago, the Nets were in first place in the East, needing to close the season with five more victories to secure the prize they sought all season, the best record in the conference and with it, a No. 1 playoff seed. But something didn’t feel right.
So they lost a “gimme” game in Atlanta. So they’re back residing in desperation, needing outside help to secure their goal. Now that feels right.
“When our back is against the wall, we play our best basketball,” said Lucious Harris. “If we have margin for error, it’s like, ‘We will mess it up.’ “
The loss in Atlanta could haunt the Nets forever. It upset Byron Scott. It got Jason Kidd to admit teammates gave no effort. It left the Nets knowing Detroit must lose at least once in its final four games – while they win out – for any chance of the best record in the East. The Nets and Pistons both entered last night 48-30, but Detroit held the tie-breaker. While the Nets went up against the dangerous-at-home Bulls here, Detroit faced the Hornets in New Orleans. But the Nets must approach the final four individually, not collectively.
“We want to run the board, but there’s only one way to do that and that’s by taking one game at a time. We have to play well throughout to get ready for the playoffs. It’s about fine-tuning and making sure that you are healthy and mentally and physically sharp,” Kidd explained.
“You’ve still got to take one step at a time and I don’t want us to jump the gun. That can be our worst mistake. We’ve got to take these four games one game at a time and then we’ll start thinking about the playoffs,” Scott said. “Some of the things we talked about before the season started are still within reach. We blew one opportunity, now we’ve got to try to make up for it.”
Hence, the desperation. But not everybody feels comfortable in dire straits. Kenyon Martin concedes that the Nets might play well when pushed to the brink, but they don’t necessarily feel comfy or like it.
“I wouldn’t say when we’re desperate, but we’re better when we just go out and have nothing on our minds,” said Martin, who still is bothered by soreness in the right knee he sprained Mar. 31 against Houston, an injury that sidelined him for three games.
If there was anything positive in the Atlanta defeat, it was that the Nets got their best effort from Dikembe Mutombo since his return from wrist surgery.
“He was just a factor in the paint. All of a sudden [the Hawks] became a jump-shooting team and I attribute most of that to the fact that he was in the paint, and they didn’t want to go in there,” Scott said.
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Martin is holding hope of receiving an Olympic team invitation. Two more invites went out: to Allen Iverson and Jermaine O’Neal, bringing the number to nine.
“My name came up, so I guess there’s a chance,” Martin said.
Nets are home to Raptors tonight.
