NBA's Tragic Division: the Atlantic - 布魯克林籃網 Brooklyn Nets

NBA's Tragic Division: the Atlantic

By Roscoe Nance
2/6/2007 11:16 PM ET


文章重點：
Nets, Drowning in the Atlantic, Want to Keep Carter
在大西洋中溺水的籃網隊希望能夠留住 Carter。


The numbers don't lie. The Atlantic, home to original NBA franchises
Boston, Philadelphia and New York, is the weakest of the league's
six divisions.

數字不會說謊，目前擁有塞爾提克、七六人、尼克隊等 NBA傳統強隊的大
西洋組現在竟然是六個分組裡最糟糕的一個。


Of the five teams, only the Toronto Raptors have a winning record
(25-23). The Boston Celtics' five-game winning streak from Dec. 9-16
is the division's best this season.

大西洋組的五支隊伍裡面，目前只有多倫多暴龍隊目前有超過五成的勝率
(25-23) ，而本組最長的連勝紀錄則是塞爾提克在 12 月 9~16 日所打出
的五連勝戰績。


"You don't have to be great to win that division," TNT analyst
Steve Kerr says. "Mediocre is going to get it done."

「其實不需要太出色的表現就可以統治這個分區，」 Steve Kerr 這麼說
著：「中規中矩的表現就可以了。」


That's why every team in the division — including the Celtics,
despite their franchise-record 15-game losing streak and 12.5-game
deficit behind the Raptors — considers itself a contender.

這就是為什麼這個分區裡的每支隊伍都認為自己還有登頂的希望，包括目
前十五連敗、和暴龍隊有著 12.5 場勝差的波士頓塞爾提克隊。


"We have staying power," Boston coach Doc Rivers says, describing
the teams in the division. "We don't go anyplace. We just stay
right next to each other."

塞爾提克的教練 Doc Rivers 說道：「我們當然有機會，我們（分組內的
五支隊伍）之間的差距都不大，觸手可及。」
(話說老兄你們好像剛好是離比較遠的那支耶...)


Collectively, though, the teams have become the butt of jokes and
have been referred to as the Titanic Division, Tragic Division and
Sub-Atlantic Division.

儘管如此，這個分組還是被大家笑話，人們戲稱大西洋分組為「鐵達尼分
組」、「悲慘分組」、「沈船的大西洋分組」。
(美國人的創意總是花在莫名其妙的地方...)


"What wounds your pride is your play, regardless of what people
say," New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank says. "Regardless of
what the jokes are, they're justified. You have to be disappointed."

紐澤西籃網隊總教練 Lawrence Frank 說道：「不管人們怎麼說，是我們
自己的比賽讓我們的名譽受損，不管那些笑話怎麼說，那都是情有可原的
。這的確很令人失望。」


In spite of the jokes and bad records, one of the five teams will
win the division and make the playoffs. "We're looking at it as
an opportunity," Toronto swingman Morris Peterson says. "If we put
some wins together, we can separate ourselves."

儘管圍繞著那些笑話及糟糕的記錄，這五支隊伍中總有一支會取得龍頭的
地位並殺入季後賽。暴龍隊搖擺人 Morris Peterson 說 ：「如果我們能
夠持續地贏球，就可以從（笑話、糟糕的記錄、其他糟糕的隊伍..等等）
中把我們自己給分出來。」


The same can be said for the other teams. Here's a look at the
Atlantic Division teams, their assets and liabilities, prospects
for this season and long-term outlook:

接下來在分析大西洋組各隊的陣容，就只取籃網隊出來看吧。


New Jersey Nets (22-27, second place)

How they got here: The Nets have been the dominant team this decade
with two Finals appearances and four division titles. They traded
Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles and allowed Lucious Harris to leave
via free agency following 2003-04 season after winning three division
titles in a row and posting a 148-98 record. They are 113-100 the
past 2.5 seasons.

球隊歷程：
在 2000 年後，紐澤西籃網隊一直都是這個分組的統治者，他們兩次打進
總冠軍戰，四次取得分組冠軍的戰績。然而，在他們打出 148 勝 98敗的
戰績並取得三次分組冠軍後，接下來的 2003-04球季他們交易掉了Kenyon
Martin 和 Kerry Kittles ，並放著 Lucious Harris 不管讓他成為自由
球員，接下來的兩個半球季籃網隊的戰績是 113 勝 100 敗。


Assets: The Nets have a veteran core — guard Vince Carter, point
guard Jason Kidd and forward Richard Jefferson— to match any trio
for offensive explosiveness.

球隊資產：
籃網隊以三個經驗老到的好手為核心：後衛Vince Carter、Jason Kidd、
前峰 Richard Jefferson，在聯盟中無論遇到任何的後場組合都可以 ─
打爆他們。


Liabilities: Carter, their leading scorer, can be a free agent
after the season. Team leader Kidd turns 34 next month. Jefferson
has been hurt two of the last three seasons. They have no young
players for trades, are about $14 million over the cap and won't
be under it until 2009-10 depending on Carter's status. "You have
to wonder how long Kidd can keep doing it, and Carter is no
youngster," ESPN radio analyst and Hall Fame coach Jack Ramsay says.

球隊負債（隱憂）：
得分主力 Carter 在本季結束後將有機會成為自由球員，隊長 Kidd 下個
月就要滿 34歲了，而 Jefferson 最近三個球季中有兩個球季都被傷痛困
擾著。然而，這支球隊並沒有年輕小將可以進行交易，球隊資薪總額超越
上限一千四百萬美元之多，而且在 2009-10球季之前都不可能低於上限，
當然這也要看 Carter 的狀況。名人堂教練 Jack Ramsay 說 ：「籃網隊
必須考慮一下 Kidd 還能這樣打幾年？而且別忘了 Carter 也不年輕了。」


This season: The Nets haven't recovered from a 5-9 start. Losing
center Nenad Krstic (knee surgery) for the season and Jefferson
(ankle surgery) indefinitely has not helped. When Jefferson
returns, even if he isn't 100%, the Nets will have a decided edge
in experience in the division and should finish first.

本季狀況：
五勝九敗的開局戰績後，籃網隊至今一直沒有恢復應有的水準，少了整季
報銷的中鋒 Nenad Krstic（膝蓋手術）和不知何時歸隊的 Jefferson
(腳踝手術）更是雪上加霜。等 Jefferson 歸隊後，就算他無法立即恢復
百分之百的水準，還是提供了籃網隊爭奪分組冠軍決定性的優勢。


Long-term outlook: It will be difficult for the Nets to stay on
top, given their dependence on veterans and not knowing how
youngsters Antoine Wright, Marcus Williams and Hassan Adams will
turn out. Club president Rod Thorn has done wonders with trades
over the years, acquiring Kidd, Carter and Jefferson. More will
be expected to keep the Nets in contention. Carter is the key.

長期展望：
在過度依賴老將，以及 Antoine Wright、Marcus Williams、Hassan
Adams 這些年輕球員尚未證明自己價值的情況之下，籃網隊要登頂肯定困
難重重。經過數年的交易，籃網隊現在擁有 Kidd、Carter、Jefferson這
些球星，但這支球隊的近況讓總管 Rod Thorn已經開始擔憂了，或許需要
更多的交易來維持籃網的競爭力，在這之中 Carter 絕對是個關鍵。


What they're saying: "If you lose a player like Vince and don't
get anything for him," Thorn says, "that would be a tough loss.
… We'd like to sign him if it's possible because he's still one
of the best players."

想說的話：
Thorn 說道 ：「如果失去了一個像 Vince 這樣的球員，卻又一無所獲的
話，那就真的是損失慘重了。(你不必太擔心這個...因為真的發生的話你
可能會先被殺掉..) 可能的話我們非常希望能和他續約，他仍然是聯盟中
最優秀的球員之一。」


原文：http://0rz.tw/312op


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