By FRED KERBER
Richard Jefferson bolted on Milwaukee writers yesterday and the Bucks cancelled their workout this morning so the only pre-game contact with the former Net came from Devin Harris, who spoke with RJ yesterday.
“He said to say hi to you all. And he told me to take the garbage can,” Harris deadpanned about the former podium/trash can that Jefferson claimed for years, a place where Harris now frequently conducts his interviews.
Jeez, like RJ never left.
And actually, for tonight’s game it might seem that way in a weird sense because the two guys the Nets received for Jefferson, Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons both are out. Yi, though, was prominently displayed working with GM Kiki Vandeweghe this morning.
The 7-0 forward was shooting for the first time as his broken right pinkie was freed from a cast but supported by an elastic wrap. Yi had been working with Vandeweghe, trying to develop his left hand. Apparently, there was some progress in that area. Had to be. Seems Yi’s left hand was about as developed as a lump of concrete’s foot speed.
Simmons is out with a lower abdominal strain, the same affliction that has Eduardo Najera in the infirmary. Now we’ve heard the injuries are similar but Najera’s ailment could be worse. He is scheduled for another exam and could be out until out after the All-Star Game. Simmons is officially day-to-day but he could be lost for a spell, too. That pretty much wipes out the forward depth as designed before the season.
“We’ve got the two abdominal strains and Yi is making normal progression,” said Lawrence Frank, noting those three are “out” but optimistically stressing Vince Carter with his re-sprained ankle is “in.”
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So Jefferson makes his first appearance in New Jersey as a Buck. His first game, from an individual standpoint, against his old team was hardly boffo: 3-of-15 shooting, 13 points, a blown defensive assignment that allowed Simmons to hit a game-tying 3-pointer with :09.0 left. But the Bucks won.
Jefferson should – and likely will – get a warm ovation from the crowd (the dozens or even scores of fans who brave the weather). But don’t expect a bearhug from his old coach. Their relationship at the end of Jefferson’s time was about 10 steps beyond strained.
Frank said any player facing his former team will have “a little extra” which is only natural.
“At the end of the day, the fans will show him some appreciation for all the great things he did in jersey. But like anything else, it comes down to Nets versus the Bucks,” said Frank who admitted he doesn’t really keep in touch with Jefferson. “Got a great respect for what he did – for the team, for the organization, for me. I’ll see him tonight.”
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There was lots of conversation centering around the center, Brook Lopez, especially after his monster 24-point, 17-rebound game against the Sixers Saturday. That came one night after refs treated him like a rookie in Atlanta with a couple questionable calls. Some night he plays like and is treated like a rookie, other nights it’s the direct opposite. Players, coaches, Lopez concurred.
But Harris said it’s still easy to realize Lopez is a rookie.
“C’mon, he’s young, really doesn’t know too much about what’s going on, reads comic books and plays video games,” Harris offered.
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Tonight and tomorrow in Washington are virtual must wins for the Nets in light of what lies ahead. They finish the pre-All-Star schedule with a brutal 3-game set: a back to back with Denver and then at Orlando before coming home for the Spurs. That’s three teams with a combined 100-41 (.709) record. Then it’s a 2-game Texas back-to-back trip after the break to Houston and Dallas, virtual cupcakes compared to the others at 57-38 (.600).
The Nets start tonight tied for 10th in the East where nine games separate No. 4 Atlanta (27-20) and No. 14 Toronto (19-30); where the difference between 14th and eighth (Milwaukee, 24-27) in just four games.
“If you look at it, it’s a unique race – you’re so close to being eighth and so close to being 14th,” Frank said. “It’s just such a fine line. You have to focus on the daily things you need to do.”
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Harris has entered the NBA’s skills competition at All-Star weekend. Harris hopes to duplicate the success of a one-time Net point guard. The first ever skills competition was won by then-Net Jason Kidd.
“I did know that,” Harris said. “I’m still working on that bounce pass that everybody struggles with.”
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The latest Nets commercial break: Feb. 7 against the Nuggets will be Latin Night with appropriate T-shirts for the first 5,000 fans, food throughout the game, music. Plus the Nets will honor two Goya Foods employees who helped raise over $32,000 for breast cancer research.
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The D-League All-Star Game will be held over All-Star Weekend in Phoenix. Darn, Sean Williams didn’t make it. But one guy who did was Will Conroy, the guard who had a strong showing with the Nets in summer league.
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Useless fact of the day: There are no English language words that rhyme with purple, orange or silver.