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Monday, May 13 Updated: May 13, 11:18 AM ET Nets, Hornets both breaking new ground By Jason Jackson Special to ESPN.com What a crazy day Sunday turned out to be. On Mother's Day 2002, I turned 30 years old. I don't feel any different, but I am playing in a 30-and-over baseball league this year so something tells me I will feel it sooner than later. So after Saturday's surprise party hosted by my wife, Sunday was a time based day. 8:30 a.m. ET -- Wake up; guest on ESPN the Magazine with Dan Le Batard on ESPN Radio. 8:40 a.m. -- Watch the rest of NBA Matchup. 9 a.m. -- Watch SportsCenter, Sports Reporters, Outside the Lines and SportsCenter again. All the while taking birthday and Mother's Day calls. Noon -- Watch NBC pregame show right into Nets-Hornets Game 4. 2:15 p.m. -- Out the door with wife, son, mother, brother and brother's fiancée for Mother's Day Brunch (thank God for the television in the 19th Hole). 4 p.m. -- Back home to watch rest of Pistons-Celtics Game 4 with an occasional peek at the final round of the Byron Nelson Classic right into Lakers-Spurs Game 4. There's more, but it all centers around the rain, a bottle of the finest white wine known to man, and the latest episode of HBO's Six Feet Under. I don't want to get too far off the path.
JaxTake In what should be the last game in Charlotte, the Hornets now need to know how a one-eyed Kidd beat them. Just as the NBA's 14 years in Charlotte come to a close, Jason Kidd and the Nets are set to break new ground for their franchise. If they win Game 5 Wednesday, the Nets would advance to the conference finals for the first time in team history. It is very easy to focus on the all-star point guards in this series, so let's do just that. Jason Kidd won the scoring battle in Game 4 over Baron Davis. The proof is at the line. Kidd had three less trips to the free throw line (14) than Davis (17), but made two more shots (11) than Davis (nine). Good thing for Kidd, too, because he had a terrible day from the floor. The wonderful plus for the Nets is Kidd's ability to look for other ways to contribute. I imagine his team-high-tying 11 boards, and his game-high eight assists were helpful.
So how do you want your whipping? How about Antoine Walker for 22 of his 30 in the first half, and then Paul Pierce will pop you in the mouth for 23 of his 25 after halftime. Speaking of the third quarter, where was that great Pistons defense I am always talking about as the Celtics scored 12 consecutive points to start the second half.? Now when I say the Pistons can't score, I'm not saying it to be mean or to take a shot at the only city in America of which I have childhood horrors. Four total points from three different starters (Ben Wallace, Michael Curry, and Chucky Atkins) on Sunday was pathetic. Later, I will tell you why it will be impossible for the Pistons to turn this series around.
Even when the Lakers were down 10 points with just less than seven minutes to play, I knew they would win. Why? It wasn't Shaq, who was playing with Kryptonite around his neck for most of the fourth quarter. It wasn't Derek Fisher or Brian Shaw, who combined for a wonderful day of 0-for-5 from 3-point land. It was Kobe Bryant, who is one of the Lakers' poorest 3-point shooters who banged down two of the three he made late in order to keep the Lakers alive. As for the Spurs, I don't know what to say. After doing all the right things for 3½ quarters, they fell apart again. I am almost getting used to a standard San Antonio collapse at the hands of the Lakers.
Gamer and Goat
Bobby Jones Award
In Case You Missed It
Next! The Mavs want to keep the Kings from becoming the NBA's first conference finalist of 2002, but that chance might still be sitting in a heap of disappointment back in Dallas. After making us think they could outrun the Kings, the Mavericks fell on their face ... twice ... at home. Fortunately, they won Game 2 in Arco. Hopefully that will aid in some confidence and defense building. The Kings have scored at least 100 points in each game of this series, with a conference semifinal average of 112.5 points a game.
Jason Jackson is the host of ESPN's "NBA Matchup," ESPN2's "NBA 2Night" and ESPN Radio's "GameDay with Jason Jackson." You can e-mail him at Jason.Jackson@espn.com. Please type JaxLine into the subject line of your e-mail. |
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