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Nets Lose To The Pistons 76-67 In Jason Kidd's Debut

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Updated: July 7, 2013

Today was the first day of a new era in Nets basketball as Jason Kidd took the reigns of the Nets organization again like he did back in 2001.  This time it was as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets and not point guard of the floundering New Jersey Nets.

Kidd made his coaching debut in the Orlando Summer League when his team took on the Detroit Pistons in the last game of the day at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL  The Nets lost the game 76-66 in a hard fought, up and down, sloppy game.

Kidd was flanked by his assistants Lawrence Frank, Roy Rogers as well as ex-Nuggets assistant John Welch to help him in his first summer school lesson on coaching.  Assistant Eric Hughes was not seen in Orlando with the rest of the coaches.

The game started well with the Nets forcing three straight turnovers but they couldn’t capitalize on all of them right away.  Tyshawn Taylor and Tornike Shengelia came out with energy and missed a few easy shots and it wasn’t until rookie out of Duke, Mason Plumlee, spun to the center of the paint and put down a poster dunk on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with authority that the Nets looked awake.

The rookie was so excited he yelled out, “Come get some” to the Pistons on the court.

 

Plumlee was one of the better players on the floor for Brooklyn as he battled a much bigger player in Andre Drummond, 12 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks, for much of the second half while making his presence felt with 10 points, 14 rebounds and a block in his pro debut.

He showed some quickness and athleticism that has rarely been seen by a Nets big man in a few years.  He could be a very important piece off the Nets bench this coming season with his pure hustle.

Taylor did not have the kind of day he had hoped for as he drove to the basket too many times with limited success.  He seemed to force the action a bit too much and turned it over six times to go with his 17 points on 6-of-18 shooting.

The game became very ragged in the fourth quarter and as it got more physical down the stretch many fouls were not called and one in particular didn’t sit well with the Nets new coach.

With 2:23 remaining in the fourth quarter, Kidd did not like an apparent no-call and was given his first technical for leaving the coach’s box.

Kidd later said of the tech, “It’s a lesson learned that I know I can’t go past half court.”

All in all it was good to see Kidd on the sideline with his assistants getting their feet wet.  The season will have some up and downs but this summer league experience for Kidd will be immeasurable.

Andre Drummond had a BIG game scoring 12 points grabbing 16 rebounds and 6 blocks in the 76-67 win for the Pistons.  Check out the recap.

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