This is the postseason,the time of the NBA year when games become street brawls with all the aesthetic appeal of roofing tar.It ‘s the time when open-court offensive creativity takes a back seat to halfcourt plodding.It ‘s a time when protecting the ball becomes critical.
And through the first four games of the Nets-Pacers first round series, the Nets had done a far better job than their Indiana counterparts.
“It ‘s the importance of the ball,”said Jason Kidd,who sought to lead the Nets back into the forefront of the series that went into Game 5 at the Meadowlands last night in a 2-2 knot.
“It ‘s understanding [that ]at this time of the year,it ‘s not so much we want to take a high risk or make a high-risk play.It ‘s,’Make a simple play and get a shot opportunity.’ Make or miss,you want a shot opportunity.Hopefully we can continue to do that.”
The Nets were fine so far.In the first four games,New Jersey averaged just 9.8 turnovers while the Pacers ‘number ballooned to 18.0.
The Nets,who had more steals than turnovers in both Games 3 and 4, were tied with the Pistons for the playoff lead in fewest turnovers while the Pacers were dead last.And yet the series was tied.
“We ‘re not going to worry about that -we ‘re just going to go out and play good basketball and take care of the ball,”Pacer point guard Anthony Johnson said of the turnover frenzy. And true,Indiana had other worries.The Pacers were back on the road,for starters.And they were again without Peja Stojakovic,whose ailing right knee kept him out for a third game in the series.Jamaal Tinsley (Achilles tendon)remained on the shelf.So there was plenty to worry about -including turnovers.
“Obviously it ‘s going to be a tough challenge playing here -these guys play better at home,”said Pacer Jermaine O ‘Neal. “We ‘ve got to take care of the ball a little bit better because our turnovers have led to a lot of points in the series,85 points so far.It ‘s hard to win any playoff games when you turn the ball over.”
The Nets in the regular season committed 13.6 a game and turned over opponents 14.4.So they ‘ve been way ahead of the regular-season numbers.Conversely,the Pacers are way behind.They committed 15.3, forced 13.6.
“We ‘ve been fortunate,”stressed Net coach Lawrence Frank. “They ‘ve had some turnovers they don ‘t normally have.We ‘ve tried to pressure them at different spots in the game and try to do some different things to force those,but some of those we ‘ve just been fortunate and at other times our guys have been very good at being aggressive.”
Such as Vince Carter,who leads the series with 11 steals.Such as Jacque Vaughn,whose best asset off the bench has been his pressure defense.
And on the other end,the Nets simply have valued possessions,particularly in Games 3 and 4,where,despite a split,the ball moved crisply and the Nets worked for good shots. Even with a decided faster pace in Game 4,the Nets did a nice job protecting the ball.
“I think there ‘s always a fine line,” said Frank. “You want to stay in character and yet your focus,I think, determines your good judgment.”
After Game 4,Pacer coach Rick Carlisle immediately addressed one area:Yup,turnovers.Kind of hard not to notice the 23 Indiana rang up.
“Somehow in Game 1 we survived with 19,”said Carlisle. “The early fouls take some of our better players out of the game early,and part of it is they ‘re doing a very good job defensively.But this time of year you won ‘t survive with those numbers and those points off turnovers.”