After bowing out in five games to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals iast season, the Nets didn't feel the need to retool their starting lineup. Who wouldn't be happy with Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Nenad Krstic on the floor for the tipoff? Instead, they knew their reserves could be better, and that's the weakness they concentrated on in the offseason. Head coach Lawrence Frank should have a better team sitting next to him this season. more ›

Find out what it means to Tha D. more ›

Last night, the Nets lost the 7th and deciding game to the Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Why did we all know this would happen? Maybe because the Nets were blown out in their first two games and had to return to the scene of the crime? Or was it the fact that Jason Kidd was held scoreless in the playoffs for the first time in his career because of his back and knee ailments? Or was it just that the Pistons were the better team? Whatever it was, the Nets lost the game 90-69 (box score) and will not return to the NBA Finals this year. Chauncey Billups scored a game-high 22 points, with his teammates Richard Hamilton and Ben Wallace adding 21 and 18 points respectively. The Pistons now move on to play the Indiana Pacers to see who goes to the NBA Finals. more ›

The Gothamist-Whatevs Smackdown bet.
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With the New Jersey Nets and Detroit Pistons face-off in second round the NBA playoffs being one of the most exciting match-ups (well, before game 1, at least), Gothamist and Whatevs have decided to have a friendly wager. If the Nets win, Whatevs will send over some Vernors Ginger Beer, some music from Detroit (Motown, MC5; no ICP, please), and a t-shirt. If the 'Stons win, Gothamist will send over from salt water taffy from Atlantic City, music from one of the Garden State's great musicians (the Boss, Frank Sinatra, Jon Bon Jovi), and a Gothamist t-shirt. May the best team win, obvs. more ›

With improvements on both the Nets and Pistons, both teams know that this series will be different than last year. The Pistons acquired Rasheed Wallace at the trade deadline this season and went 20-6 after he joined the team. In their one game since the Wallace trade, the Pistons beat the Nets, 89-71. That game ended the Pistons' record-setting streak of holding opponents under 70 points at 5 games, which the Pistons were not happy about. The Nets were fouling in the final moments of the game to get the ball back and scored a basket with 1.1 seconds left to give them 71 for the game. more ›