Team shows more pep, but result is another loss

Before the Nets faced the San Antonio Spurs Saturday night, there was high anticipation for some on the Nets' coaching staff, including head coach Avery Johnson and assistant coaches P.J. Carlesimo and Mario Elie, all of whom worked with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

But Johnson, who credits a lot of his basketball knowledge to Popovich, soon realized it was not going to be a happy reunion.

"Fortunately, for us, we're not playing," Johnson said. "We're all on the sidelines, trying to give out instructions. It's a players' game. I'm sure that there are a lot of sidebar stories and a lot of interest of me facing Pop. Pop has had an outstanding career. Thank God, our careers were always linked to Tim Duncan."

With Duncan one of six Spurs players reaching double figures (13 points and 10 rebounds in just 23 minutes), the Spurs (19-9) continued to roll, winning for the seventh straight time, taking a 103-89 victory over the reeling Nets.

New Jersey (8-21) lost for the sixth straight game and continue to do the same thing over and over, falling behind early by as many as 21 points, then expending all their energy to climb back into the game (cutting the lead to six in the third period), only to watch the Spurs pull away.

"They're like a symphony right now," Johnson said. "They don't have many missteps. They know how to play. They've been together for a while. I knew we needed a great effort to beat them."

Johnson was pleased about one aspect. His team played with more fervor Saturday night, one day after a completely lackluster performance against Detroit.

"We did have good energy," Johnson said. "It was a lot better."

But the results were still the same. It's become a broken record, with the Nets falling behind early.

"We're not playing at our pace right now," said forward Shawne Williams, whose perimeter shooting woes forced him to lose his starting position Saturday night. "We have a certain pace when we play and we don't have it now."

The Nets have three days off before playing host to the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday night at the Prudential Center.

Copyright (C) 2012 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.