For years, they were the butt of most NBA jokes. Usually rightfully so. The Nets had won ONE playoff series in their tortured 25-year NBA history. Then before the 2001-02 season, some newcomer acquired from the West — granted, an All-Star newcomer — made ludicrous claims.
Jason Kidd predicted a plus-.500 record. He predicted the playoffs. The reaction at that pre-training camp press conference was what you would expect.
“Are you nuts?”
Kidd repeated it all at the team’s kickoff dinner to a gang remade from the 26-victory mess of the previous season.
“He basically said, with a straight face, ‘I believe we can make the playoffs,’ ” said Richard Jefferson, part of the Nets transformation.