Yes, I know, it was only the Grizzlies. But yes, these were only the Nets. The Nets at home, no less. Plus, with Devin Harris in a vacant second row (usually there are some seats filled there) the Nets had to do without their leading scorer. So to say this win was a gimme would be false.
Last year, when the Nets dealt Jason Kidd to the Mavericks, many people thought Carter would be next. However, it was Richard Jefferson who was shipped off to sports hell (Milwaukee) instead of Carter. Then, to the surprise of fans, Carter was still on the roster in the beginning of the season.
With the team planning a rebuilding year, many people predicted that Carter would be moved. Now, at .500, not moving Carter was the right choice, as evidenced by his play against Memphis last night.
The Nets could have probably moved Carter in their attempt to rebuild in order to line up for the LeBron James sweepstakes. However, they kept their savvy veteran. A night like last night's game showed why he is still an integral part of the Nets, and one of the main reasons the team is knocking down the low expectations set for them in September.
With Harris out, the Nets knew that assists and points would have to come from somewhere.
Carter recorded 12 assists for the Nets and scored 25 points. On countless occasions he set up Jarvis Hayes and Brook Lopez, two otherwise less than popular players in the league, to make them look great. He played the role of captain by making the right passes, shots, and free throws.
If the Nets keep Carter for the rest of his contract, it would be a commitment that they still want to be competitive. While he has not escaped criticisms about selfish play, he showed in a game that the Nets needed to win to get back to .500 that he is capable of being an unselfish player while still dominating.
The Nets should keep Carter, let the most productive back court in basketball stick around, and see what it can do for the fans of Jersey.
We're going to send you the most entertaining Memphis Grizzlies articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
2 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete