Nets Breakdown: Time for the TNT in New Jersey

Kidd’s shooting was miserable. He went 3-13 from the floor and 2-5 from the line. Most of the misses were wide open jumpers that went nowhere close to the rim.

On back-to-back possessions in the first quarter, Sean Williams airballed a short look in the lane before Kidd airballed a jumper.

Vince Carter (2-9 FG, 1-3 3FG, 4 AST, 2 TO, 5 REB, 10 PTS) was awful, refusing to take the ball into contact, making terrible passes, getting toasted while playing straight-up defense, and frequently arriving late on his rotations.

Carter played with a lack of enthusiasm for the majority of the night, and by the time he livened up, Portland had a stranglehold on the game. Carter is all sizzle and no steak.

Darrell Armstrong and Malik Allen not withstanding, New Jersey played with an appalling lack of energy for a home squad matched against one of the league’s rising teams. Instead of meeting the challenge, the Nets looked more concerned with meeting their pillows and blankets.

New Jersey’s offense was stale and unimaginative. Against the Blazers zone, the Nets would resort to passing the ball along the perimeter until a player decided to hoist up a three.

The Nets decided that closing out on Portland’s three-point shooters was optional rather than mandatory—one of the explanations for Portland's shooting 9-15 from downtown.

Late in the fourth quarter, Kidd threw a simple crosscourt pass from the right wing to the left. The problem was that he didn’t see Jefferson already making a cut to the basket...so his pass ended up in the front row.

That play sums up the New Jersey offense.

The Nets often play without any spark—but the spark they need most is the one that blows up the roster.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?