BASKETBALL HAPPENINGS

Last night in Brooklyn, the New York Knicks took game 2 in the Battle of the Boroughs.

The Nets have been having trouble in the last six games. The loss of Brook Lopez has been a tough loss. Lopez is day to day with a bad foot. With Lopez in the line-up the Nets are a real good team but without him, the Nets are just about average. I don't know why but I keep getting this feeling that Lopez is going to have a Bill Walton like career. He is going to battle with this foot injury for his entire career just like Walton. When Lopez is in there, he shows signs of being like Walton, but the injuries are going to take it's toll. Lopez will probably be moved a number of times, like Walton, until he ends up on the Celtics bench at the end of his career. Everyone is going to say, "if Lopez could of only stayed healthy, he would of been great." Since Lopez has went down with his injury, the Nets have not looked like the same team.

The other trouble that the Nets are having is the performance they are getting from Deron Williams. He is not draining the important shots at the important times. Without Lopez in the line-up, this becomes glaring.

The Nets are getting good production out of Andray Blatche and Reggie Evans. Blatche scored a team high 23 points and Evans pulling down 18 rebounds.

Across the country, the Lakers are having problems. I don't want to say I told you so but I told you so. D'Antoni was not the answer. D'Antoni was not the answer with the Knicks nor is he the answer for the Lakers. D'Antoni is a track coach not a basketball coach. The Lakers are an older ballclub and D'Antoni's system is just not working. If the Lakers are smart and before their entire season goes down the drain, they have to fire D'Antoni. I kept saying the same thing with the Knicks and they finally did and now look at them.

With the rate things are going in Los Angeles, the Nets might just get Dwight Howard next season in free agency.