Good News, Bad News

When an NBA team plays two games on consecutive nights, it's more likely to lose the second one if its opponent isn't playing a back to back. The Nets, playing on the second straight night, dropped a 104-102 overtime game at Atlanta Tuesday. Nets fans may be upset their team lost to one of the worst clubs in the Eastern Conference, but Gothamist would be happy that Vince Carter appears to be healthy. He missed a three-pointer at a critical point in overtime, but he scored 20 points in the loss.

After Carter left Sunday's game with a hamstring injury, Gothamist warned about rushing him back. He seemed fine tonight and Gothamist hopes, as Carter did after the game Sunday, it was only a cramp. The play of the Nets usually correlates to Carter's, and for them to advance deep into the playoffs, they need him healthy. In the long run, the Nets will care much more that Carter came back healthy in Atlanta than that they lost to a greatly inferior team.