The Nets are starting the new calendar year with the worst possible scenario for them: against a good, seemingly playoff-bound team. Even worse, the game is at home.
The Nets say they are out of answers, theories and suggestions to explain their positively baffling 5-12 record at home -- compared to a 10-5 record on the road. The problems in New Jersey include four straight defeats and seven in their last eight attempts. But one of their five home wins came against the Hawks, 115-108, on Nov. 14 -- with the Nets completing a sweep of the home-and-away set the following night in Atlanta by a 119-107 score. The Hawks, though, were without Josh Smith (14.0 points) in both of those games.
The Hawks (21-10 -- and two of the losses came to the Nets 24 hours apart) have been on a tear. They've won six in a row and nine of 10.
The Nets won the first meeting as Devin Harris returned from a three-game absence from an ankle injury and scored 30 points while rookie center Brook Lopez made his first start and responded with 25 points and nine rebounds. Vince Carter added 26 points. Joe Johnson led the Hawks with 32 points.
Johnson came back the next night and scored 31 in Atlanta, but again, it was not enough as Harris cracked 30 points for a third straight game (33). But Carter, scoring 29 points, stole the show in the third quarter when he shot 5-of-5 on 3-pointers.
PISTONS 83, NETS 75: Vince Carter was ejected on two technicals at 6:48 of the second quarter and the Nets, minus their captain and second-leading scorer, fell behind by 16 points. But they defended and rallied to within 75-72 before Detroit's Allen Iverson hit consecutive jumpers to propel the Pistons to victory. Rookie center Brook Lopez led the Nets with 23 points and 12 rebounds while Devin Harris scored 19 points in the defeat that dropped the Nets to 10-5 on the road.
