Write On Sports LLC - "The Nets of Old" by Jake Lloyd

The Nets of Old

2007-04-30 11:36:42 | By: Jake Lloyd

Jason Kidd has been in the NBA for 13 years now.

Vince Carter's been around for nine years.

In other words, these guys are old blood (unless they're being compared to the Kevin Willises of the world). They've been around the block a few times.

And the last couple of years they often played like they were old, not exhibiting that youthful exuberance that they both displayed during their adolescent days.

But right now the New Jersey Nets' duo is playing the kind of basketball that they were known for five years ago when Carter routinely threw down thunderous dunks in Toronto and Kidd led an unheralded New Jersey team to two straight NBA Finals.

On Sunday night, Kidd and Carter led New Jersey's beat-down, demolition, thrashing (you throw in a superlative) of Toronto. The final score was 102-81, but the game wasn't that close. The Nets led by as many as 31 points in the second half. And now they're up three games to one in the best-of-seven series.

Carter and Kidd scored 27 and 17 points, respectively, with Kidd adding 13 assists (which is nothing... if you're comparing him to Steve Nash). And while Toronto is supposed to be the young, spry team in this series, it sure didn't play its role on Sunday.

The older Nets appeared the team with nothing to lose, with next year to look forward to, with so much good ahead of them. They were the team not afraid to shoot, whether they were 5 feet or 30 feet away from the basket. This was best exemplified by Kidd, the proverbial streak shooter, who hit a 3-pointer in the second quarter in New Jersey's half-court offense, then grabbed a rebound on the other end, dribbled the length of the court, and launched another triple smack in the face of a Toronto defender.

Swish. New Jersey's lead was 17. The Raptors called timeout. They should have loaded up the bus right then.

Carter, meanwhile, showed that when it comes to making long, ridiculously difficult jumpers, he -- along with Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady -- is the best in the NBA. Early in the third quarter, with the shot clock nearing 0, Carter, stationed in the left corner of the court, with a defender in his jersey, turned, elevated, and swished a bomb, only adding insult to the severe injury the hapless Raptors had already sustained.

It only was one night. One game. One victory closer to the second round of the playoffs.

But it told so much. Who cares if Vinsanity only is playing hard because it's a contract year? These guys -- and don't forget the rejuvenated Richard Jefferson, who scored 23 points on Sunday, many of them on the fastbreak -- are playing like bunch of 12-year-olds, who were promised a free pizza for each win.

After the game, Kidd told TNT's sideline reporter, "We're hungry."

Which is not good news for Detroit, Chicago and probably Cleveland (which can close out its series against Washington tonight, setting up a matchup with the suddenly full-of-life Nets).

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