Is it too early in the season to call the Nets’ Friday night home opener against the Heat a statement game that could reverberate for the rest of the season?
Center Brook Lopez didn’t flinch.
“I think it will definitely be a statement game,” he said. “It’s going to be a great benchmark for us. We absolutely think we’re capable of competing with them. It’s something we’re going to be wanting to do down the line in the playoffs, so we’re definitely anticipating a high-energy, important game.”
A few minutes later, coach Jason Kidd would pour water on any notion the Nets debut at Barclays Center could be a statement game.
“It’s Game 2,” he said. “If you’re saying Game 2 is a statement game, you’re missing the process. This is a marathon, a journey and we have a long ways to go. It just happens we’re playing the Heat.”
That would be the two-time world champion Heat; a team trying to get a three-peat; a team that has won every game against the Nets since LeBron James took his talents to South Beach. With all due respect to Kidd and his “process,” Friday night’s matchup is the perfect chance for the Nets to make an early statement for a number of reasons.
First, it’s the home-opener in a season that carries the first real championship aspirations since Kidd was wearing a Nets uniform. It’s the first chance for the home crowd to see all the new acquisitions — Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Andrei Kirilenko and Jason Terry — in a real game. It’s the first chance for the new team to bond with a fan base hungry to be recognized as one of the elite franchises in the NBA. It’s a chance to make a statement that all the hype surrounding the team is warranted, and there’s no reason to believe this can’t be a magical year.
“We have a lot new guys,” Lopez said, “a new state of mind and everything that goes with it. It’s just important for this team, specifically, to go out and put on a good show.”
Good for Brook.
A 98-94 loss at Cleveland on Wednesday night can be shrugged off as a “learning experience” as long as the Nets bounce back quickly. Losing to the Cavaliers then losing a home-opener to the Heat is not the best foundation to start a season.
Owner Mikhail Prokhorov, whose massive wallet is paying for the collection of veteran talent, will be in the building along with a growing list of celebrities trying to find a seat on the Brooklyn bandwagon. The statement to be made Friday night is the party is just getting started.
“I’m excited to play in front of our home crowd,” Lopez said. “I think they’re going to bring a lot of energy and be a huge support for us.”
It’s also important to make a statement because of the opponent. The Sixers can beat the Heat — 114-111 Wednesday night — and it’s considered a fluke. The Nets need to beat the Heat to prove Miami’s dominance in New Jersey and Brooklyn has ended. The Heat own a 13-game winning streak over the Nets, who last beat Miami in March 2009. The Heat won all three games last year by an average of 21 points. They’re like the bully who must be conquered if respect is to be earned. That’s what the Nets need to do Friday night.
“Anytime you have a home-opener, there are a lot of incentives,” guard Deron Williams said.
Kidd, who will miss the contest serving the second of his two-game suspension, can talk about the process and it being a marathon and all that. But there are special nights along the way when statements about a team’s resolve can be made. Friday night’s home opener at Barclays Center against the Heat is one of those nights.