Once again we visit the “what have you done for me lately” NBA. This time a team with no talent called appropriately the New Jersey Empty Nets have been called upon to fire a once upon a time young coaching prodigy. His name is Lawrence Frank and he is now referred to as the Ex-Coach of the New Jersey Empty Nets.

You have to understand that in the NBA, if you have no talent or your talent screws up and you lose a bunch of games, the first person to have their head removed is the coach. Is it Lawrence Frank’s fault?

Does a front court of Brook Lopez, Terrence Williams, and Courtney Lee scare you? Only if you happen to be their coach. Does a back court of Rafer Alston, Devin Harris, Chris Douglass-Roberts, and Trenton Hassell rotating in and out to squeeze a few extra ounces out of your guard play even make sense? Not if you happen to be the Empty Nets coach.

Will Lawrence Frank end up on Dancing with the Stars?

So did anyone expect the Empty Nets to produce anything beyond empty stands of no fans once Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, and Jason Kidd were dealt away? How good were those players? Hmm, Orlando took in Vince and will go for the Conference finals in the East. Richard Jefferson went to San Antonio and they will challenge the Lakers for the West. Jason Kidd led the Olympic team and now makes Dirk Nowitzki one of the most feared forwards in the league.

Yes, Rod Thorn is doing an excellent job of systematically destroying the Empty Nets.

So who are the prime candidates to replace Frank?

GM Kiki Vandeweghe prominently has been mentioned as a replacement, but one team source strongly denied the possibility. John Loyer, in his first season as Nets assistant but 10th overall in the NBA – he did nine years with the Sixers and Blazers – is a possibility along with other assistants Doug Overton, Roy Rogers and Barrise.

But Thorn said he will be meeting with candidates from outside the organization. A source from an opposing team said that former Rockets, Bucks and Lakers head coach Del Harris is one option.
source

By the way, one time Kiki Vandeweghe was playing for Denver, your intrepid author NBAObsessed thinks, and he was on a fast break to the basket and had this uncanny knack of finishing in what seemed like slo-motion. So while other defenders flew by him trying to block his shot he slowly made his moves to the basket and laid it in. He was really a true joy to watch. That has nothing to do with any of the above, but thought you might enjoy that story.
Image: Zuma Press

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Post from: NBA Obsessed

Who was that masked man?

Boston continues to roll, just stocking up on victories left and right. The Celtics are also getting all the pub that goes with it.

Geez, Garnett is even leading LeBron James in the All Star voting! There are not any Pistons even close in the voting.

And then there is the Big Three thing with Garnett, Allen, and Pierce, as they hope to imitate some of the success of the real Big Three of Bird, McHale, and Parish.

All of this kind of leaves the Pistons lurking in the shadows.

If you happened to catch the Pistons playing the Celtics in Beantown the other week, you witnessed a playoff style game with the Pistons pulling it out in the end. In other words both teams were really trying the whole game.

Now the Pistons are putting on an impressive streak of games and the NBA better look up and take notice, because the Pistons are taking no prisoners.

The Pistons continued their roll, crushing the Nets, 101-83, on Wednesday night. It was their sixth straight win, their 13th out of the last 15 and their sixth straight over New Jersey. source

Without any of those first team all stars, the Pistons rely on different players on different nights always looking for the mismatch and always staying in the team concept.

“We got cooking,” Billups said. “We were getting the shots we wanted. Our defense picked up in the third quarter and our shots were going in — that’s a deadly combination.”

Hamilton, who averaged 23 points against the Nets (12-16) in the Pistons’ previous five wins, hit all five of his shots in the third. The Pistons’ 31 points in the quarter came from Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, McDyess and Billups.

“I was going good, and the guys were finding me,” Hamilton said. “They were getting me shots in rhythm. It’s always fun to play against New Jersey. I consider them one of my hometown teams, coming from Philly.”

Even Lawrence Frank, coach of the Nets is impressed.

“Detroit is one of the better teams in the league,” New Jersey coach Lawrence Frank said. “It solidifies that we have to keep on working to get better. Look at their record against us; they are playing better than us. But it’s a long season and we are going to keep on grinding.”

So secretly the Pistons are looking great as usual and staying under the radar.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Have you noticed the Pistons?

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Post from: NBA Obsessed