Are You Kidd-ing Me?

The New Jersey Nets have played basically the same at home (9-10) and on the road (4-8). For the Nets to win the tough games, they will need consistent efforts from the tandem of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson. Especially after losing center Nenad Krstic for the season recently due to a torn ACL.

In November, the Nets only played one game against divisional opponents, which resulted in a win against Boston. One would figure that the schedule would be favorable playing lesser teams as the season wore on. But when your record indicates that you are in fact one of those lesser teams, that analogy goes out the window.

When you look at the Eastern Conference, there are a few surprises that jump off the page. First off, disappointments include the Nets and the 13-18 Miami Heat. The defending NBA champions are mired in third place in the Southeast Division. Positive surprises include the 19-14 Orlando Magic and 18-13 Washington Wizards, who are leading that same division. Other than Detroit and the Cleveland Cavaliers, there's no clear-cut favorite on the other side of the Western Conference. There is really no reason why the Nets are struggling so much when the conference is so wide open.

It is early enough in the season where a team can turn it around in time to separate themselves from the pack. Realistically, the Celtics are a mediocre team at best. The Toronto Raptors are a young and improving club that has another season or two in the lottery. The Philadelphia 76ers are bad now, and are worse now that the Allen Iverson excommunication has come to an end. And the New York Knicks? A team that is showing signs of life since the fight, but still has a long way to go.

In the 2005-06 campaign, the Nets ran off wining streaks of 14 and 10 games, which if duplicated this season, will put them comfortably ahead in the division. In head coach Lawrence Frank's tenure, the next double-digit winning streak will be his fourth. So you know that this club has the talent to run off a bunch of consecutive wins.

The Nets are a perimeter-based team that is lacking a presence in the frontcourt. Power forward Jason Collins is a good defender, but will not strike any fear into the opposition with his offense. Rookie Josh Boone, the team's second first-round draft pick out of UConn, has returned from the injured list after suffering a torn labrum which required surgery. He has played sparingly in his first five professional games, but brings enough potential to the table where hopefully can get enough minutes at the four or five to make a difference.

The inexperience on the bench may have some effect on the overall performance of the team. It is hard to maintain a lead or keep a deficit low when five of your backup players are 22-years-old or younger. But they will have to get it together before it is too late. The starters aren't getting any younger and will need the second unit to be able to step in and hold down the fort.

The Nets need to start showing some consistency, especially in their own building. The deeper they dig themselves in this hole, the harder it will be to get back to where they should be.