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[NY Daily News] Richard Jefferson: Kidd Held Us Back

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by Rockets34Legend, Mar 28, 2008.

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  1. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Member

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    http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b...hard_jefferson_kidd_held_us_back.html?ref=rss

    The Nets are still a half-game behind the Hawks in the race for the final playoff spot in the East. But they've won five of their last eight games and are starting to resemble the kind of team everyone thought they'd be this season, even if it may be too late.

    So how over the first 3-1/2 months of the season did the Nets end up in a hole they may not be able to dig themselves out of?

    As far as Richard Jefferson is concerned, the team was distracted by the situation surrounding a certain former teammate.

    "I'm not going to lie," Jefferson said Thursday, "we were dead men walking with the Jason Kidd situation."

    Jefferson was referring to Kidd's desire to be traded from the team, which the future Hall of Fame point guard made public in late January, the day after the Nets had lost a ninth straight game.

    However, Jefferson confirmed yesterday what many had already known, that Kidd's unhappiness with the team was a not-so-well-kept secret inside the locker room. Jefferson said that made it difficult for the Nets to concentrate on priority No.1 - advancing to the playoffs for the seventh straight year.

    Now the team's postseason streak is in jeopardy, as they have just 10 games left to leap over Atlanta, starting with tonight's game in Indianapolis. Considering the margin between the Nets and Hawks, that may not seem like such a tough task, but Atlanta has a more favorable schedule than the Nets, who play the Suns at home on Saturday and still have five road games left after tonight.

    "Everybody knew it was time and that he needed a change and that he wanted a change," Jefferson said of Kidd, who was granted his wish when he was traded to the Mavericks on Feb. 19. "People made it seem like it was only like that when he went public. No, that situation had been going on all season, but it was behind closed doors."

    The Nets have gone 8-11 since the Kidd trade, which also sent Antoine Wright and Malik Allen to New Jersey in exchange for Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager and Keith Van Horn (who is inactive after coming out of semi-retirement to make the deal work financially). But after a six-game losing streak that threatened to sink the Nets, they've gone 5-3 to stay in the thick of the race.

    With Harris playing point guard, they've scored more than 100 points six times in the last eight games - including 117 against Utah, 125 against Cleveland and 124 on Wednesday against Indiana, all home victories. Jefferson's only regret is that he, Harris and Vince Carter couldn't have been hooked up sooner so that the transition period didn't conflict so much with the final playoff push.

    Jefferson explained that the early-season struggles also had to do with the fact that the Nets just weren't "clicking" like the team that had made it to a pair of NBA Finals and was consistently in contention for a division title.

    "That didn't happen this year just because we didn't have that resolve," Jefferson said. "And now that we're starting to get it I just hope that we have enough time."
     
    #1 Rockets34Legend, Mar 28, 2008
  2. thacabbage

    thacabbage Contributing Member

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    Probably right, but Jason Kidd is the only reason Richard Jefferson has a max contract, is an All-Star and member of the U.S. Olympic team.
     
    #2 thacabbage, Mar 28, 2008
  3. Mr. Slim Citrus

    Mr. Slim Citrus Member

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    Indeed. Jefferson, like Mikki Moore, should send 25% of every paycheck to Jason Kidd; he's the only reason either of them is getting paid.
     
    #3 Mr. Slim Citrus, Mar 28, 2008
  4. SamFisher

    SamFisher Member

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    This could not be further from the truth.

    Whenever Kidd has been injured over the last few years, which has been quite often. Jefferson has played as well or better and it shows in his numbers. Look at his splits from this month as compared to last month -- do you see any drop off there?
    http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3523


    They're basically identical save for the fact that he's shooting a higher percentage. (over 50% in fact).

    The perception of Jefferson as a one-dimensional hanger on who is usesless without Kidd is simply wrong, it's dogged him for awhile among people who haven't botherd to do the research, but it's been wrong for awhile. .
     
    #4 SamFisher, Mar 28, 2008
  5. TheFreak

    TheFreak Member

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    Mikki Moore is having perhaps his best season as a pro; if not definitely his 2nd best.
     
    #5 TheFreak, Mar 28, 2008
  6. McGradySNKT

    McGradySNKT Member

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    Kidd should've went to San Antonio when he had a chance. It's his fault he's on non contending teams.
     
    #6 McGradySNKT, Mar 28, 2008
  7. Apollo Creed

    Apollo Creed Contributing Member

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    I don't really like the title of this article, as it's not a direct quote and more or less putting words in that sissy sounding mouth of his. Everything he did actually say was true though.

    Trade talk like that killed their team chemistry, and they didn't really have much to begin with.
     
    #7 Apollo Creed, Mar 28, 2008
  8. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    A team with Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson should be a middle of the pack playoff team in the East. The fact that they are on the outside looking in shows how bad the chemistry was.
     
    #8 Easy, Mar 28, 2008
  9. SamFisher

    SamFisher Member

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    don't forget nachbar!
     
    #9 SamFisher, Mar 28, 2008
  10. spysta

    spysta Member

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    Richard Jefferson is a complete and utter joke, and for that matter half man half a season is also,

    I feel bad for J kidd one of the greatest point guards of all time if not the greatest, he is in a lose lose situation because dallas wont make the playoffs.

    Cuban sucks he is gonna ruin that team, they arent gonna make the playoffs so he is gonna fire avery johnson, and that team will never recover

    Jefferson should be happy he ever got a chance to share a court with JASON KIDD
     
    #10 spysta, Mar 28, 2008
  11. TheFreak

    TheFreak Member

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    If Kidd was still any good, NJ would've been a whole lot better than they were this year. I wouldn't feel sorry for Kidd, I'd feel sorry for Dallas for thinking he would make them better.

    Lots of exaggerations here; losing a coach is not something hard to recover from, although a coach is rarely the reason a team is underachieving.

    I do agree Vince Carter is a joke however.
     
    #11 TheFreak, Mar 28, 2008
  12. Shroopy2

    Shroopy2 Member

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    Plenty times when the Nets need scoring in the closing minutes Jefferson is the go-to man. Which means he's creating shots, something he supposedly "needed" Kidd to do for him.
    Kenyon Martin benefited from Kidd more than Jefferson did.
     
    #12 Shroopy2, Mar 28, 2008
  13. baller4life315

    baller4life315 Member

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    "Kidd held us back"

    Oh I forgot, the Nets have been so much better off since the Kidd trade went down, right? :rolleyes:

    Somebody needs to give Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter a "spine check" to see if those two softies have any guts whatsoever.
     
    #13 baller4life315, Mar 29, 2008
  14. bbinchina

    bbinchina Member

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    maybe he's right, they do need some fresh air now. If they continue the same, they would left behind. p.s I'm not saying Jason is not good, just he may be not suitable for the team now.
     
    #14 bbinchina, Mar 29, 2008
  15. RocksMillenium

    RocksMillenium Member

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    Your crazy if you think that Jefferson would have been as marketable as he has been and would have the contract that he has if Kidd wasn't passing him the ball. We'll find out quick how good he really is.
     
    #15 RocksMillenium, Mar 29, 2008
  16. RocksMillenium

    RocksMillenium Member

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    He said Richard Jefferson was a joke, not Vince Carter.
     
    #16 RocksMillenium, Mar 29, 2008
  17. shipwreck

    shipwreck Member

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    Well, it is definitely not the right title that is up there. Very misleading.

    RJ said the stigma of his trade ultimatum hung around his club during the 'Jason Kidd situation'. RJ is absolutely right. What team wouldn't take a confidence deduction while painfully and publicly lying in wait for a star player like Kidd? He did NOT suggest that Kidd prevented them from doing anything. Anybody who knows anything about basketball knows that Kidd's passing has contributed to RJ's numbers and much as his own. Personally, I love RJ and think he will succeed as the leader of that squad (if they get some post help).

    'Dead men walking' was the perfect phrase.

    SIDE NOTE: While reading this to myself, It seemed to be narrated by RJ's schoolboy choir voice. Does anybody else notice how strange his voice seems coming out of his body, whenever he is on interviews or whatnot? High pitched and squirrelly, and he looks like he has a deep, bellowing black man voice.
     
    #17 shipwreck, Mar 29, 2008
  18. dookiester

    dookiester Member

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    jason kidd is more overrated than richard jefferson is

    jason kidd has had a far greater career than richard jefferson has or will ever have

    id rather have richard jefferson on this team right now than jason kidd
     
    #18 dookiester, Mar 29, 2008
  19. TheFreak

    TheFreak Member

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    Richard Jefferson is a complete and utter joke, and for that matter half man half a season is also,
     
    #19 TheFreak, Mar 29, 2008
  20. A_3PO

    A_3PO Member

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    You should hear Andre Miller's voice. Sounds like a woman.
     
    #20 A_3PO, Mar 29, 2008
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