Champagne Celebrates
Dervishes
According to reporter Mike Crispino, about 520 Turks from Edison, NJ were in the stands cheering on the Sacramento King's Hedo Turkoglu. The chants and noise they emitted throughout the game added to an "almost soccer-like atmosphere," as Ian Eagle put it. Joe and I have seen Hedo's fan club at previous games, just never out in such force. I approve of such Old World-style crowd participation, even if it is in an opposing team's favor, as long as it's non-violent and nobody gets trampled in a stampede. The "divorced dad at the birthday party" demographic in the Continental Arena is usually so un-into the actual game being played that I get to crave a passionate outburst from any quarter at all...and as an attendee of Cosmos NASL games in the early 1980s, it really took me back.
– Champagne

February 4, 2002 - Nets 117, Kings 83
Regicide
The King is dead. Long live the Nets. The Nets killed the Kings by breaking open a three point game in the third quarter and outscoring the Kings the rest of the way 60 - 29 behind Keith Van Horn's 13 points (of his 25 for the game). Sacramento was coming off a killer game last night against Minnesota and was further handicapped by Chris Webber's stomach virus, but this third game of Grudge Match Week, against a "Grudgee" with a league-leading record, was convincing in its thoroughness. Killer defense against the mighty Kings was their crowning achievement, holding the highest scoring team in the NBA to 83 points and handing them their worst loss of the season.

As Champagne and I were discussing after the game (gaga over another major win), every break seems to be going the Nets' way. Tonight's break was Webber's tummy trouble, just after torching the Nets for 23 points in 29 minutes as the only effective Kings player (although the Nets' defensive efforts on Webber, particularily Scalabrine's, had been pretty good: Webber shot only 9 for 22). Shots fall, rebounds come to them, loose balls seem to wind up in their hands (especially Kidd's) and most every play they try to run comes to fruition. It's been an amazing season, with this game just the latest example of how right things have gone. Is it time for the coronation of a new king?

On The Throne
Van Horn, Prince of Denmark - Our very own Hamlet, Keith Van Horn, faced with his eternal shit-or-get-off-the-pot crisis of whether to be or not to be aggressive, came out aggressive from the very first play. Tonight King Keith did not over-think or juke before throwing daggers but simply tossed away. And it worked, VH scoring his 25 points on 10 - 15 shooting in 28 minutes. His second quarter-ending three-point shot and his carry-over attack in the crucial third quarter effectively broke open what had been a knotted-up game. Was in on the game's defensive highlight too, when, while helping Kidd trap Bobby Jackson in the backcourt, he forced the ball out of Jackson's hands, took it to the rim, got fouled, and converted the foul shot for a three-point play. Time to stop thinking, Keith, and put up several games like this in a row.
Seven Knights...Seven Nights - So balanced and thorough was the Nets' scoring tonight that seven, count 'em seven, players scored in double figures. It seems so uncool in the egocentric, star-centered NBA not to have a 20 point scorer on the team, but hey, I'd rather be square and heading for the playoffs...and what else do balanced efforts do? Unite teams into a vengeful, iron fist. The Nets are now 7 - 0 against teams that have previously beat them.
Wither Goeth Williams? - Aaron Williams seems to be the odd man out with Brian Scalabrine entering the rotation - scored 0 points in only 11 minutes as Scott went with Jason Collins (15 minutes) and Scalabrine (13 minutes). It will be interesting to see if there's enough PT to go round come the end of the season.

What Joe Liked
Catapulting - The Nets breached the Kings' defenses to the tune of 48% accuracy from the field. I also approve of their much-improved 83% shooting from the line tonight. The Nets are now a respectable 14th in the league in FG % after being near the bottom since about 1983...
Deep, Wide Moat - Conversely, the best shooting team in the NBA, the Kings, were held to 35% by the solid Nets defense, forcing a ton of stupid shots and awkward long distance threes. Gotta love it.
Royal Redheaded Brian - Great defensive stance on Webber from Brian Scalabrine, when it was his turn fronting him on the blocks in the second quarter. At one point, belly down, Webber beat the boards in frustration.
Viva La Trey - How's this for yet another example that this isn't last year? The Nets shot 8 - 12 on threes, including a garbage time launching by Scalabrine. Eminent garbologist Lucious Harris (we're just kidding our ace back-up shooter) very practically padded his scoring average with two threes in the kill-the-clock fourth.

What Joe Didn't Like
Turnover Rex - Another 17 turnovers tonight, and even though it was a second-half blowout, that's still an alarming number.

Crown Prince
Keith Van Horn deserves a break, especially from Joe. Often seen as the floppy-footed jester in the Nets' kings' court of an offense this year, he finally broke free from his mental restraints and played his game, within the flow of the offense. We knew you had it in you.
– Joe

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