March 25, 2010

Nets on Verge of All-Time Season Loss Record: With 11 games left, the 8-63 New Jersey Nets have to win two more games to avoid matching the all-time worst 9-73 record of the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers. How bad has it gotten in New Jersey? "Carl Lewis was terrible," longtime season ticket holder Richie Greenberg said, "but at least Carl Lewis was over in two minutes and thirty seconds."

posted by rcade to basketball at 09:18 AM - 10 comments

As someone who lived through this motley crew of misfits -- Manny Leaks, John Q. Trapp, Mike Price -- and having head coach Roy Rubin pull a leg muscle during the club's first win after 15 losses, I don't know; for some reason, I have a special place in my heart for these underdogs that I don't want these Nets to replace.

posted by jjzucal at 12:06 PM on March 25, 2010

Ironic that this gets posted the night after win number eight went down. Looked a lot worse yesterday, but their win total increased by a good 14% overnight, who would've known. Just atrocious.

Say they lose out the rest of the season and end up 8-74, worst all time. Which is worse, that or the 0-16 Lions of two years ago?

posted by boredom_08 at 03:03 PM on March 25, 2010

Say they lose out the rest of the season and end up 8-74, worst all time. Which is worse, that or the 0-16 Lions of two years ago?

IMO, going 0-16. Even if the Nets have the worst record in NBA history, at least they won some games unlike the 0-16 Lions.

posted by BornIcon at 03:11 PM on March 25, 2010

jjzucal, I think there's a good chance you will get your wish. The Nets have home games left against Detroit and Charlotte (whom the Nets have beaten twice). Also, road games against a few other teams with nothing to play for - Washington, Milwaukee & Indiana. They've been equally awful on the road and at home (4-31 Home, 4-32 Road), so 2 wins is possible. I've just had this feeling that the Nets don't deserve to be the worst team ever, that they would get to 10 wins, lose the stupid NBA draft lottery and end up with the 4th pick in the draft. That just the Nets luck. Win 2 more games and fade into oblivion. There's nothing about this group that's memorable - no stories that make you smile about this team - unlike the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers or the '62 Mets. NBA analyst Fred Carter, the "best player on the worst team ever", is rooting for the Nets to get 2 more wins.

Then again, they could just go 0-11 to close out the season. They've had losing streaks of 18 (to start the season), 11, 10, 9 and 8 games, so 11 more would be no biggie. Kiki Vandeweghe's coaching and the Nets' shooting have been the worst I've ever seen on the professional level.

Sigh, I just wish they don't go into the record books as the New Jersey Nets, worst team ever. Couldn't you have waited to go to Brooklyn and be the worst team ever?

posted by MrNix67 at 04:19 PM on March 25, 2010

Also, road games against a few other teams with nothing to play for - Washington, Milwaukee & Indiana.

The Bucks showed last night that they can lose to anybody but they've been amongst the hottest teams in the league since the break and they certainly have something to play for.

posted by tron7 at 05:55 PM on March 25, 2010

tron7, I stand corrected. I meant Miami, not Milwaukee, since the last game of the season could be meaningless.

posted by MrNix67 at 06:42 PM on March 25, 2010

I remember back in 2004, when the Tigers were challenging the Mets' record for losses, and the Lions going 0-16. I feel the same for the Nets this season...if you're going to suck, be the best at it. Don't half-ass it and be just another crappy team...

posted by MeatSaber at 06:51 PM on March 25, 2010

I tried to make an argument that the Nets season is worse but there is something iconic about going 0 for a season. Tampa Bay and Detroit are in a class of their own.

Plus, there isn't going to be a NFL Film about their futility like there was about Tampa Bay (it's a classic if you haven't seen it).

posted by jc at 01:10 PM on March 26, 2010

Sigh, I just wish they don't go into the record books as the New Jersey Nets, worst team ever. Couldn't you have waited to go to Brooklyn and be the worst team ever?

This was a great conversation a while back about how the Nets took the New Jersey off their uniforms. I still think they could have been called the Toll Booth Every 3 Miles Nets

posted by Demophon at 04:44 PM on March 26, 2010

After the Nets beat the Spurs last night, I guess they don't have to worry about that anymore. Being from Jersey, I'm embarrassed by the way they've played this year even though the majority of the blame is to injuries but am glad to see that the NJ Nets aren't going in the record book for having the worst record.

posted by BornIcon at 01:37 PM on March 30, 2010

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