Nets: Midseason report card
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The first year in Brooklyn has been interesting for the Nets.
The calendar year started with Avery Johnson winning Eastern Conference Coach of the Year after an 11-4 start and ended with him being fired when the team was at .500 on Dec. 27.
Since P.J. Carlesimo took over on an interim basis, the Nets have won 17 of 25 games, the team’s second-best record after a midseason coaching change. Carlesimo noted before the Nets headed into the break with a win last Wednesday that he would like to see more consistency.
Metro grades the team’s first half:
P.J. Carlesimo head coach: The Nets have responded well to the former Seton Hall head man. They have averaged 96 points and shot 44.5 percent while making 36.2 percent of their 3-pointers in the last 25 games. In the first 28 games, those numbers were 94.5, 43.8 and 34.4 respectively. The only flaw is some of the blowout losses, but those have been countered by strong responses in subsequent games. Grade: A-
Deron Williams, guard: Williams averaged 21 points in his first full season with the Nets last year,but that number has dipped to 16.7 points this season, his lowest since 2006-07. He is also shooting just 41.3 percent. Ankle issues may be the cause, but the Nets are hoping eight days in between games will help their $100 million man. Grade: C
Joe Johnson, guard: Durable and steady would be the best way to describe Johnson’s first 53 games as a Net. Despite shooting 42.4 percent, Johnson has been in double figures in 50 games and is responsible for two game-winning shots on Dec. 14 vs. Detroit and Jan. 21 at New York. Grade: B
Reggie Evans, forward: Evans’s sole purpose is to get rebounds and his average of 9.2 per game (10.5 as a starter) is suitable enough to compensate for his limited offense. Grade B
Gerald Wallace, forward: Wallace is averaging under double digits in points per game (8.9) for the first time since 2003-04 and has missed 10 games with injuries. Even with reduced numbers and minutes, his vocal presence in the locker room and on the court is a significant asset. Grade B-
Brook Lopez, center: Lopez has gone from being dangled in the Dwight Howard trade talks to taking the next step teams look for from lottery picks. He leads NBA centers in scoring and improved his defense by being sixth in blocks His best season has resulted in a much-deserved All-Star selection. His impact was felt when the team lost five of seven games with him injured in December. Grade: A+
Andray Blatche, forward: Blatche was signed to a low-risk contract, which was due to his past history in Washington. For someone on that type of deal, production of 10 points per game and 48.6 percent shooting is more than acceptable. Grade: A
Kris Humphries, forward: Career highs of 13.8 points and 11 rebounds per game last season prompted the Nets to re-sign Humphries to a two-year, $24 million contract. So far, Humphries has been a disappointment. He lost his starting job in December and has yet to distinguish himself enough to earn it back. Grade: C-
Keith Bogans, guard: He averages just 4.2 points per game, but is consistent enough that he is trustworthy, especially from the perimeter late in games. Grade: B
Marshon Brooks, guard: Brooks has had his moments (13 points vs. Chicago, 15 vs. Sacramento and 17 vs. Phoenix) but seems to be on the fringe of the rotation as he has played at least 20 minutes just five times. Grade: C-
C.J. Watson, guard: Like Brooks, Watson has had his moments (25 points Wednesday vs. Denver) but has not quite been as consistent as the Nets would like. Grade: C
Jerry Stackhouse, forward: The former 29.8 points per game scorer played well when given minutes early on. Stackhouse has not played in the last eight games and his contributions will likely be limited the rest of the way. Grade: C
Mirza Teltovic, forward: The fact that the Nets have several veteran big men ahead of him has kept him glued to the bench more often but he has shown potential in small doses. Grade: C
Tyshawn Taylor, guard: The rookie from Hoboken, N.J. has had limited chances to play so the jury is out. The good was a 12-point, 35-minute showing in last week’s overtime win at Indiana. But like many first-year players, especially second-round picks, he remains a work in progress. Grade: Incomplete
Tornike Shengelia, guard: It’s hard to judge someone who has not received more than 12 minutes in any game this season. He had a few big games in the D-League, but like Taylor he remains a work in progress. Grade: Incomplete
Follow Nets beat writer Larry Fleisher on Twitter @LarryFleisher.
