Nets fall to 0-13 after loss to Knicks
November 21, 2009
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP)—Al Harrington(notes) and Danilo Gallinari(notes) each scored 17points, and the New York Knicks kept the New Jersey Nets winless with a 98-91victory Saturday.
David Lee(notes) added 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Wilson Chandler(notes) and LarryHughes(notes) each finished with 13 points. The Knicks won their second straight andproved that worse basketball is played a mere 10 miles away.
The Nets fell to 0-13, inching closer to the NBA record of 17 straightlosses to start a season, held by Miami and matched by the Los Angeles Clippers.They’ll try to avoid it during a difficult four-game trip out West that startswith back-to-back games at Denver and Portland, capped by a visit to the Lakers.
New Jersey Nets' Brook Lop… AP – Nov 21, 2:36 pm EST New Jersey Nets' Brook Lop… AP – Nov 21, 2:36 pm EST
New Jersey Nets' Devin Har… AP – Nov 21, 2:30 pm EST
New Jersey Nets' Brook Lop… AP – Nov 21, 2:29 pm EST YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index = 3; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_lazy_images = [http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091121/capt.1b16828fb22f4885a8c0aec73076eb5c.knicks_nets_basketball_era103.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=313&hc=348&q=70&sig=MttAm3RiXN1jXqmyoJOdow--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091121/capt.826f6914e74643d9ba348239a931a79f.knicks_nets_basketball_era102.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=1&yc=1&wc=304&hc=338&q=70&sig=TnTBq_sS.9pBcqEjVM1Ypw--,http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091121/capt.d873f0df038847ac9c4d18190ee4552d.knicks_nets_basketball_era101.jpg?x=180&y=200&xc=37&yc=1&wc=337&hc=374&q=70&sig=AcBHthvLGCxacmifIp7hXA--]; YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(window,load,YAHOO.Sports.articleLazyLoadCarousel.init); 1 of 4 NY-NJ Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init();
Chris Douglas-Roberts(notes) scored 24 points and Brook Lopez(notes) had 18 points and 12rebounds for the Nets, who shot only 4 of 18 from 3-point range and barely broke90 points against one of the NBA’s worst defensive teams.
Devin Harris(notes) was back for the Nets after missing 10 games with a strainedright groin. He made a quick impact upon entering in the first quarter, drivingfor a layup and then throwing a lob on the break to Lopez for a basket. Hefinished with 12 points, while Terrence Williams(notes) had 17.
The loss could put more pressure on Nets coach Lawrence Frank, who won hisfirst 13 games after he was promoted in January 2004 and now has a losing streakthat matches it.
Things aren’t much better for the Knicks (3-9), but they’re better than theNets. New York won all three preseason games between the local rivals.
According to STATS LLC, there hadn’t been an NBA game matching teams who hadeach played at least 11 games and combined to win so few of them since Dec. 3,1994, when Minnesota was 2-13 as it hosted the 0-14 Clippers.
In the end, the Knicks held on after building a 14-point lead midway throughthe third quarter. The Nets cut it to one on a couple of occasions in the fourthand were only down two after Douglas-Roberts’ jumper with 1:57 to go, but Leemade a layup before Harrington’s 3-pointer put it away with a minute left.
There were sloppy passes and errant shots, but at least it was fun for thekids, who got to see Dora the Explorer come on the court a few times and ahalf-deflated Elmo balloon hover over it during much of the second quarter.
And there were plenty of items tossed into the stands during giveaways—notcounting Chandler’s pass that landed in the fourth row.
Sure it was messy, but these teams expected a tough go of it this seasonwhile building for the future.
During a second-quarter timeout, YES Network showed next summer’sprojections for available salary cap space, where the Nets are expected toslightly edge the Knicks with around $24 million.
But the plan to save money to be aggressive in free agency leaves neitherteam with much hope of being competitive now. The worst start in franchisehistory had the Knicks considering Allen Iverson(notes) before ruling it out Friday.
Despite some ugly shooting that included two airballs by Gallinari and ashot by Eddy Curry(notes) that nearly went over the backboard, the Knicks led 29-24after one quarter. The period ended with a livid Mike D’Antoni yelling at NateRobinson(notes), after the Knicks guard shot at the wrong basket after taking aninbounds pass with 0.5 seconds left, instead of just letting the clock run out.The shot went in just after the buzzer, nearly giving the Nets three points.
New York extended the advantage into double digits late in the secondquarter and led 52-43 at halftime.
NOTES: Saturday was the one-year anniversary of the Knicks’ trades of JamalCrawford(notes) and Zach Randolph(notes), deals that opened up salary cap space for nextsummer. … The Knicks will honor Yankees manager Joe Girardi with the November“City Spirit” Award, given to someone who’s made a “significant difference inthe lives of others” during Sunday’s game against Boston. Driving home thenight of the World Series clincher, he stopped to aid a motorist who had beeninjured in an accident.
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