Good thing Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov didn’t wait until now to try to buy the Nets.
Imagine what the price tag would be. The cost skyrockets when you’re hot. Consecutive-wins hot like the Nets, who not only made it two in a row for the first time this season but also won their ninth game overall last night to insure they will not be the sole owners of the NBA’s worst-ever record.
So there are few worlds left to conquer for the Nets, soon to be under the ownership Prokhorov. The season just started 70 games and 150 days too soon for the Nets, who downed the Pistons, 118-110, at the Meadowlands with their high point output and best shooting (.571) of the season, fashioned with a pair of career-high performances: 37 points from Brook Lopez and 31 from Yi Jianlian.
The duo combined to shoot 26-of-33, giving the Nets their first pair of 30-point scorers since Dec. 19, 2008, when Vince Carter and Devin Harris did so.
Make it three straight tonight at Chicago, where the Nets won Dec. 8, and current owner Bruce Ratner may demand re-negotiation with Prokhorov. A 10th win would vault them over that dreadful 9-73, worst-ever record of the 1972-73 Sixers. They have 10 games to get it.
“The way we’re playing, it’s great that we play in Chicago [tonight]. Maybe we can get another one,” said Lopez (10 rebounds for his fourth career 30-10 game). “Three in a row. Who woulda thunk it?”
“We’re smiling,” said Devin Harris (12 assists).
Watch it, Minnesota (14-59). The Nets (9-63) are only 4½ games back. That would be the Net thing to do — pass the T’wolves and blow the No. 1 pick. Even that wouldn’t deter Prokhorov’s aim of making them a power.
Prokhorov claims in a “60 Minutes” interview to be televised tomorrow at 7 p.m. that he is looking forward to making the worst team in the league (that would be the Nets) into the best team (that would be near miraculous). Prokhorov welcomes the challenge.
“Do you remember in the Frank Sinatra song, ‘New York, New York?’ If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere,” Prokhorov said.
Of course, he won’t be making it in “New York, New York” for at least two years because the Nets will be playing in Newark, New Jersey, which hasn’t had too many songs written about it. Still, the Nets are excited about Prokhorov.
“Everybody goes through hard times and we’ve gone through this to see a better day,” said Courtney Lee. “With him being the owner, it changes a lot of things. I know he’s very dedicated and he puts a lot into his teams. He sounds a lot like [Dallas owner] Mark Cuban.”
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Terrence Williams returned from a left foot injury and had 13 points, eight assists and six rebounds off the bench.