The New Jersey Nets have played second banana to the New York Knicks for some time now. Even in seasons such as this one when the Knickerbockers are wallowing in the bottom of the Atlantic Division and the Nets are on top.
The metropolitan area media has always been in love with the tenants of Madison Square Garden. Losing and controversy at 33rd and 7th have received more attention than consistent winning in the Garden State. But that hasn't seemed to bother the Nets, who quietly go about their business under the radar.
Four Atlantic Division titles in five years and heading towards another, the Nets are looking ahead to possible obstacles in the Eastern Conference on the road to the NBA finals. Currently, they are the third seed in the East with the Detroit Pistons and the Miami Heat leading the pack first and second, respectively.
Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson are the Nets' "big three." But opponents should not disregard Nenad Krstic. He has found a groove and in addition to his inside game with his size, the PF/C has been effective from the outside, as well. F/C Clifford Robinson is an experienced warrior that will be valuable in the postseason. He is in his 17th NBA season and you just can't put a price on that.
If the regular season ended today, the Nets would face the sixth-seed Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. They should be able to get through that series fairly easily. Then the road to the Eastern Conference semifinals would go through Miami or Detroit. For the Nets to make a trip back to the NBA finals, they would have to beat both top seeds without home-court advantage.
Of course, this is assuming that there are no upsets along the way. In the topsy-turvy world of basketball, an eighth-seed has defeated a one-seed more than once. In 1994, the Denver Nuggets shocked the Seattle Supersonics in five games after being down two games to none. And in 1999, the New York Knicks bested the Miami Heat in Game 5 when Allan Houston hit a last-second shot. In 2003, the first round was lengthened from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven.
One thing is for certain come playoff time — the New Jersey Nets have the talent and the experience to get far. They will have to be on top of their game to win in the Motor City and/or sunny Florida.
Just another day at the office for the incognito team on the Jersey side of the river.
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