Category: Brooklyn Nets Blog

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Getting to Nets games from NYC now harder

InsideHoops.com editor here, typing on my pocket pc phone. I was on my way to the Celtics at Nets preseason game and discovered that there is no longer a bus to the Meadowlands from the Port Authority.

It is now even harder to get to Nets games from Manhattan.

Now you must go to Penn Station and take the NJ transit train to Sekaukus. (I still don’t know how to spell it.) It is the first stop on the train. The good news is, the train leaves constantly, at least during rush hour.

Once you get to Sekaukus you go outside to the bus stop area where an unlabelled bus was waiting to take people to the Meadowlands. A group of fans were waiting and had no idea the bus 50 feet away was the Nets bus. I went over, asked, then yelled over to everyone.

On the bus now. Should be at the game soon.

Also, in the port authority I met two fans from Spain (a guy and his girl) who were trying to get to the game. So I brought them with me to make sure they got to the game. They are from Madrid and have now tod me six times that they’d have gotten lost without the help. Yay me.

And then, getting off the bus I asked the driver what the gate is, to know where to exit after the game. She had no idea, and seemed confused by my even asking the question. Obviously after walking for a minute I saw for myself what the gate area was but I bet most fans who came from NYC, a huge number of which are tourists who speak very limited English, may have to wander a while after the game.

Anyway, forward this blog entry to any NYC Nets fans you know.

–Jeff

Brooklyn Nets arena delayed again

The AP reports: Bruce Ratner’s US$4-billion dream for a new Brooklyn will have to wait, at least until next year. The New Jersey Nets owner and developer has been plagued by a string of problems that have delayed his plans for a new NBA arena, office towers and thousands of apartments in Brooklyn. Ratner said a recent court ruling would delay the project by up to six months, meaning the Nets won’t move in until least 2011. Groundbreaking has been pushed back until at least next year for the arena, which will cost more than three times what Ratner paid for the entire franchise. And the financial crisis has made it tougher to raise money, potentially jeopardizing a lucrative naming rights deal with Barclays Capital.

Oct 12: Nets 94, Heat 92

The AP reports: Vince Carter made three free throws in the final 10 seconds to help the New Jersey Nets hold on for a 94-92 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday in a preseason game played in front of a boisterous London crowd… Carter finished with 19 points and Yi Jianlian added another 17 in his debut for the Nets (2-0) in a game that treated the British fans to a number of high-flying dunks but even more sloppy turnovers. Marcus Banks had 19 points, and Dwyane Wade added 18 for the Heat (0-3), who fought back from a 19-point first-quarter deficit to push the game to the final seconds. Miami has not won a preseason game since 2006, after going 0-7 in exhibition contests last year before posting the league’s worst record (15-67).

Oct 9: Nets 109, Heat 105

The AP reports: Devin Harris scored 21 points to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 100-98 overtime victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday night in an exhibition game. Michael Beasley, the second overall draft pick in June, had 21 points for the Heat, but missed a chance to force a second overtime when the second of his two free throws rattled out in the closing seconds… Dwyane Wade also scored 21 points for Miami and was largely rested in the third and fourth quarters, while Vince Carter was limited to only eight points for the Nets before limping off after tweaking his left hamstring.

Nets move to Brooklyn delayed again

The New York Daily News (Frank Lombardi) reports: A legal setback could add six months to delays bedeviling the $4 billion Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, its developer acknowledged Monday. But developer Bruce Ratner insisted the project – which is to include a new arena for the New Jersey Nets basketball franchise – “will go forward.” … The new delay is the result of a procedural ruling by the state Appellate Division in Brooklyn denying a motion to toss a lawsuit challenging the project’s use of state eminent domain to acquire private land.

InsideHoops.com editor says: At this rate, the first rookie to play for the Brooklyn Nets by the time they make their move will be C.J. Kidd (eventual grandson of T.J. Kidd, beloved son of former Net Jason Kidd).

LeBron and Jay-Z chillin out

The New York Daily News (Frank Isola) reports: Did you happen to see the photo of Jay-Z and LeBron James in last Friday’s Daily News? The Nets minority owner and the NBA’s second best player were together attending a fundraiser in Manhattan (and no, it wasn’t to help finance the Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn.) These two guys are spotted together so often that Beyonce is starting to ask questions. At what point will the Cleveland Cavaliers start accusing the Nets of tampering?

InsideHoops.com editor says: Next thing you know, LeBron will start trying to wear his New York Yankees cap during NBA games, tape a picture of Brooklyn over his jersey’s team logo, and give shout-outs to Brooklyn during post-game interviews.

Jason Kidd in pivotal year

The Dallas Morning News (David Moore) reports: Jason Kidd is in the final year of a contract that pays him $21.3 million. The end of last season does not allow his agent, Jeff Schwartz, to negotiate from a position of strength. The Mavericks’ front office believes former coach Avery Johnson was wrong about Kidd, hence the title former coach. They think Kidd has something left to give. But is owner Mark Cuban confident enough in that assessment to sign the future Hall of Fame guard to an extension? No. The first 3 ½ months of this season are crucial. If Kidd plays well and the team clicks under new coach Rick Carlisle, fears about moving into the future with an AARP point guard will subside.

Nets name director of player personnel

The New Jersey Nets have named Gregg Polinsky the team’s director of player personnel, Nets President Rod Thorn announced today. Polinsky had been the team’s director of scouting for the past three seasons.

Polinsky joined the Nets as a scout in 1999 following an extensive collegiate coaching career. A native of St. Louis, Mo., Polinsky played college ball at New Mexico and earned his degree in physical education from Northern Arizona. He began his coaching sojourn in 1981 as an assistant at Howard College (1981-83), and served in a similar capacity at the University of Texas (1983-86) and the University of Alabama (1986-95) before assuming the head coaching post at Georgia Southern, a position he held from 1995-99.

Nets have no need for Julius Hodge

Julius Hodge is a versatile player, but he’s primarily a shooting guard who can’t shoot. This presents a problem and is why he fell out of the league so quickly. His best days were probably his college days.

But, he’s in Nets training camp, and the only real opening the roster has is possibly at the third-string point guard spot, behind Devin Harris and Keyon Dooling. Though, since both of those guys are good players, unless someone gets hurt I can’t imagine the third stringer gets more than a few minutes per game at the most.

So, to try to make the Nets, Hodge may have to pretend to be a point guard. But while he has the ability to pretend to be one, he isn’t one, and isn’t really going to create from that position. And while he can slash, he probably isn’t going to penetrate past other point guards. Plus, he can be left open from outside.

He’s not a fit for the Nets and should find a team that can use a multi-talented shooting guard off the bench. Or, he should just try to star in Europe.