Game 4 turning point for Nets

NEW JERSEY  — They’re not at the end of the rope. Not yet. And the New Jersey Nets will avoid falling into a deep hole if they beat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals at the Continental Airlines Arena here this morning (Manila time).

The odds aren’t encouraging for the Nets. Of the 30 NBA Finals that were split 1-1, the Game 3 winner went on to capture the title in 26 series, including the last eight. Since the NBA introduced the Finals 2-3-2 format in 1985, the team with the homecourt advantage clinched the crown in six of eight series from a 1-1 tie.

After San Antonio drew first blood, the Nets scored an upset in Game 2 on the road. But the Spurs regained the homecourt edge, beating the Nets at the Meadowlands in Game 3 last Sunday.

Game 4 is the turning point. If the Spurs win, they’ll open up a 3-1 series lead and no team has ever come back from that deficit to grab the title. San Antonio will then try to finish off the Nets in Game 5 here Friday night (Saturday morning, Manila). If the Nets win, they’ll knot the count at two wins apiece and Game 6 is guaranteed in San Antonio, no matter what happens in Game 5.

It’s a virtual do or die situation for the Nets who are expected to play with a sense of urgency in Game 4.

The Nets can’t be blamed for not trying. Their problem is coach Byron Scott hasn’t found a way to solve the puzzle that is the Spurs’ 3-2 zone defense.

"You have to give Pop (Gregg Popovich) some credit," said Scott. "They did a good job as far as going to the zone and that really messed up our flow and we were on our heels. We were not attacking like we had been doing. It’s nothing that we haven’t seen before. I think it just caught us by surprise a little bit."

Scott’s inability to adjust to the zone was the key to the Nets’ loss. The zone took away New Jersey’s strength which is quickness in the perimeter and left Jason Kidd groping for form. Kidd finished with only 12 points in Game 3 after erupting for 30 to power the Nets’ victory in Game 2.

The zone has also negated Nets small forward Richard Jefferson’s offense. In Game 3, he was limited to six points and never went to the line.

"The Spurs have played a lot more zone defense than expected," wrote Roscoe Nance in USA Today. "That has taken the Nets out of their running game where Jefferson is most effective and made him a perimeter shooter."

San Antonio’s zone has reduced the Nets into a jumpshooting team and ground their offense to a crawl. That’s why the Nets were held to only 79 points, shot 37 percent from the field, and committed 20 turnovers in Game 3.

Tony Parker and Tim Duncan combined for 47 points but team defense, not their offense, did the trick. Only two cagers scored in double digits for the Spurs–an indication that in Popovich’s system, you earn your minutes playing defense. Guard Bruce Bowen, for instance, was scoreless but logged 32 minutes. Popovich likes to use a three-guard formation with Parker, Bowen, and Manu Ginobili anchoring the 3-2 zone.

With the talk of zone filling the air, Popovich tried to downplay his secret weapon. "Why we’re using the zone is (because) I got that guy with me that used to be in college that he’s making me do it," said Popovich, referring to assistant coach P. J. Carlesimo. "He knows Jim Boeheim (of Syracuse) too well or something. I hate it (the zone). I think it’s awful."

But if the zone is working for the Spurs, you doubt if Popovich will tinker with his formula of success. His comments were probably meant to throw off Scott who was clueless on how to attack the Spurs’ zone which was used extensively in the second and fourth periods of Game 3.

"When Game 4 comes, everybody will start from scratch again and each team will try to execute and see if they can score a point here or there," said Popovich who has a military intelligence background. "You have these two defensive clubs going after each other. It’s going to make the offense look a little ugly so I don’t think there are going to be a lot of guys consistently knocking it down and having 29-point games. I want my team to feel like they have got a lot that they need to improve on to win more games in this series."

Kidd said for the Nets to win Game 4, there must be a conscious effort to run and prevent Parker from going "north to south." He hinted the Nets will be more physical in defending Parker who is averaging 21 points in the Finals and if he maintains the clip, will join Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Penny Hardaway, and Dennis Johnson as the only point guards since 1980 to achieve the feat.

Scott is also expected to rotate Jason Collins, Dikembe Mutombo, and Aaron Williams on Duncan with double team help from Jefferson. That will allow Kenyon Martin to concentrate on offense.

Kidd said for the Nets to win Game 4, there must be a conscious effort to run and prevent Parker from going "north to south." He hinted the Nets will be more physical in defending Parker who is averaging 21 points in the Finals and if he maintains the clip, will join Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Penny Hardaway, and Dennis Johnson as the only point guards since 1980 to achieve the feat.

Scott is also expected to rotate Jason Collins, Dikembe Mutombo, and Aaron Williams on Duncan with double team help from Jefferson. That will allow Kenyon Martin to concentrate on offense.