Another Big Hurt

Let's start with the injuries since they're always so uplifting.

Yi Jianlian strained his neck during practice and left to get x-rays. We didn't see the play or Yi. We should know more tomorrow, but here's how Lawrence Frank described it: "He kind of jolted back. I must have been some sort of hit, and his head [went back]. It wasn’t anything glaring."

Who starts Friday in Toronto if Yi can't play? Great question that I wish I could answer.

"I don’t say anything like that in the paper," Frank said. " haven’t said anything to the team. Once I tell the team I’ll share it with you guys."

Maybe Yi will be OK and this becomes moot, but the Raptors are a tough team to defend.

The last game they started Chris Bosh, Jermaine O'Neal and Andrea Bargnani up front. Will Frank start two rookies and put Ryan Anderson out there or will he play Eduardo Najera, who returned to practice today?

I may consider giving Sean Williams a shot, but with O'Neal and Bosh foul trouble could be an issue for  Lopez and Williams in this game. This is me, but I would give Williams a look and bring Anderson and Najera off the bench.

Anyway, Jarvis Hayes didn't practice because of back spasm. Josh Boone did some pool work and the elliptical machine for the first time since hurting his left ankle.

Don't know if he returns to practice today or what his status is for this weekend. He's hoping to play, but said definitely on next week's West Coast trip. Does he return as a starter or sub? Another question we have to wait for? I know what my guess is.

"I’m not gonna talk about it in the newspaper," Frank said.

***

There were a few lessons to take out of last night’s deplorable second-half performance against the Cavaliers:

A) The Nets still don’t get the importance of playing hard and being aggressive for an entire game.
B) The Hawks are not the Cavaliers
C) Joe Johnson is not LeBron James

B and C are pretty obvious, but A is a problem. And we know you all are going to blame the coach.

No one was blaming Frank when the Nets were battling the Hawks, overcoming runs and playing with the needed effort and urgency. But this probably will be a Frank-bashing day.

Of course he has to take some of the blame. It’s his job to make sure the players are motivated. But I don’t know how you can be motivated to play the Hawks and not James, especially much of Monday’s practice and Tuesday’s shootaround was dedicated to how do you stop LeBron.

The Nets were in it for a half, but then we saw the old Nets after that. They couldn’t shoot and they let Cleveland’s runs deflate them. That can’t happen. It didn’t happen against the Hawks and it shouldn’t have happened in this game.

Frank defended Lopez, who took too much of the blame after the game. Frank said it wasn't Lopez. It was everyone and they talked about it today.

"To a man, when you talk to them, they said it before I prompted it," Frank said. "And you know what, to say energy, it’s more energy as a response [to what Cleveland did]. How do you withstand it? Can you move on to the next plan? It’s more they d eflated us with their play, in terms of their shot making and ball movement. And we go down and compound it. It’s not like our guys came out of the locker room flat, it’s what they did to us, we didn't withstand and they deflected.

"We’re going to be a team where it’s going to be (about) persistence," Frank continued. "We're gonnaa find our share of wins, but it’s going to be an everyday commitment to work, and then things …usually things will work your way. Cleveland played at a far higher level right now. The key for us is to get better at the end of the year."

***

Duke was practicing here today after the Nets were done. Heard a lot of screaming coming from in there.

***
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Comments

[Mr. Dollar Bills]

Al,

Was VC sick last night? I didn't see him even show up to the game.

[wolfsheim]

Why would anyone blame Frank, Al? His team is not as talented as Cavs. And they don't have any kind of killer instinct. If Yi is not hitting shots, he is a liability as his defense is clueless. And VC left his man open time and again. It was the old VC. And if the team follows VC, well, this is who they are, inconsistent.

[johnny]

I just don't get how regardless of what players we have on the floor this team is just terribly inconsistent. Last night it was 2 entirely different halves. It does go from the top on down, like all organizations, and despite Nets writers giving Frank the perpetual pass, he must be replaced.