PHILADELPHIA — So what’s it like being the spoilers? Check out the Nets.
Only seven games remain in a season torn apart by injuries. Two guys who would start on most teams, forward Gerald Wallace and center Brook Lopez, remain among the infirmary group that also contains Damion James and Jordan Farmar. James and Lopez are definitely done for the rest of the season, Farmar is listed as such although he holds the slightest hope of a return and Wallace probably won’t play again — he has a strained hamstring, a notoriously slow-healing injury — although he is listed as day-to-day.
If you can find the motivation needle in the frustration haystack, go right ahead.
“We’re not really playing for the playoffs, so we’re just going to try to get as many wins as possible and try to spoil the other teams playoff hopes,” explained Deron Williams.
At 21-38 and officially eliminated from the post-season, there’s not much else logically remaining. Coach Avery Johnson and his staff continue to use the games and any practices to advance the young players, Gerald Green and rookies Jordan Williams and MarShon who figure to enhance the roster in Brooklyn. That’s assuming the rookies don’t move in trades or that Green, who has repeatedly expressed his desire to stay put, doesn’t get a can’t refuse free agency offer elsewhere.
“We talked about it a lot, they’re definitely getting better, playing with a lot more confidence,” Williams said of the rookies, noting Jordan Williams has blossomed late while Brooks has been pretty good all season.
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The Nets were the tonic to help get the Sixers off a 4-game losing streak Tuesday. The Sixers shook up their lineup, placed Spencer Hawes on the bench along with noted Net killers Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young and Philly enjoyed a rousing 62-41 edge in bench points.
“Their bench destroyed us. Whenever a bench gets 62 points, that’s not good,” Johnson assessed. “Between Hawes and Williams and Thaddeus Young — we got to do a better job on those guys – but partly it was our ineffective offense or turning over the ball or not getting back in transition.
“When we get stops defensively, we can’t give them second shots. We can’t give them offensive rebounds. We had some pretty good defensive possessions, but they got the ball back,” Johnson lamented about the Sixers’ 16 offensive rebounds.
“The time we beat them here earlier in the year, we held them to like five points in transition. And last game, they had 25. And second chance points as well. So we really have to limit second chance points. If they get them with transition baskets, they’re very difficult to beat. They’ve shown that throughout the year so we have to keep them out of their comfort zone offensively,” Kris Humphries assessed.
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Even with Wallace out, Johnson wants to employ Gerald Green off the bench. He simply likes the young forward in that role where he can be a nightmare to opposing second units. He admits, though, the starters have to produce more so maybe MarShon Brooks’ number gets called earlier and more often.
“Love him off the bench. We like him just where he is and he’s been really consistent for us coming off the bench. But we’ve got to figure out a way to get more production out of our starters, maybe getting MarShon some more shots, getting him some more touches early in the game,” Johnson .
“(Green) provides a lot of matchup problems for other bench players. He and Anthony (Morrow) are really a terrific combination together coming off the bench. We feel we win that matchup most nights. When he comes off the bench, teams have to adjust,” Johnson said.
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Of the Nets’ final seven games, six have playoff implications. Not for the Nets of course. The Nets face the Sixers, who are trying to hold off the Knicks for the seventh seed in the East, tonight and in the final New Jersey game ever on Monday, Apr. 23. The Nets play the Celtics Saturday, Miami Monday and the Knicks Wednesday, all in Newark. Then there is a trip to Milwaukee – the Bucks are trying to overtake the Knicks – a week from tomorrow. The season ends in Toronto on Thursday, Apr. 26. Nets-Raptors. Doubt the networks are going to re-juggle the schedule for that one.