2002–03 New Jersey Nets season

The 2002–03 New Jersey Nets season was the 36th season for the New Jersey Nets in the National Basketball Association, and their 27th season in East Rutherford, New Jersey.^[1] The Nets entered the regular season as runners-up in the 2002 NBA Finals, where they were swept by the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in a four-game sweep. During the off-season, the Nets acquired All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo from the Philadelphia 76ers,^[2][3] and signed free agent Rodney Rogers.^[4][5] However, Mutombo only played just 24 games due to a wrist injury.^[6][7]

The Nets won their first four games of the regular season, and posted a 10-game winning streak between December and January, which led to a 26–9 record, and later on held a 34–15 record at the All-Star break.^[8] However, the team played below .500 in winning percentage for the remainder of the season, losing four of their final five games, but managed to finish in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 49–33 record, and earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference.^[9]

Jason Kidd averaged 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists and 2.2 steals per game, led the Nets with 126 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In addition, Kenyon Martin averaged 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, while second-year forward Richard Jefferson showed improvement, averaging 15.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, and Kerry Kittles provided the team with 13.0 points and 1.6 steals per game. Off the bench, sixth man Lucious Harris contributed 10.3 points per game, while Rogers provided with 7.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, and Aaron Williams averaged 6.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Mutombo averaged 5.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and second-year center Jason Collins provided with 5.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.^[10]

During the NBA All-Star Weekend at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Kidd was selected for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team.^[11][12] Meanwhile, Jefferson was selected for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as a member of the Sophomores team,^[13][14] and also participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.^[13][15] Kidd also finished in ninth place in Most Valuable Player voting,^[16] while Martin finished in twelfth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting,^[16] Jefferson finished in eighth place in Most Improved Player voting,^[16] Harris finished tied in eleventh place in Sixth Man of the Year voting,^[16] and head coach Byron Scott finished in 13th place in Coach of the Year voting.^[16]

In the Eastern Conference first round of the 2003 NBA playoffs, the Nets faced off against the seventh-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, a team that featured All-Star guard Gary Payton, Sam Cassell and Michael Redd. The Nets took a 2–1 series lead, before losing game 4 to the Bucks on the road in overtime, 119–114 at the Bradley Center. The Nets won the next two games, which included a game 6 win over the Bucks at the Bradley Center, 113–101 to win the series in six games.^[17][18]

In the Eastern Conference semifinals, and for the second consecutive year, the team faced off against the sixth-seeded Boston Celtics, a team that featured All-Star guard Paul Pierce, All-Star forward Antoine Walker, and Tony Delk. The Nets won the first two games over the Celtics at home at the Continental Airlines Arena, and then won the next two games on the road, including a game 4 win over the Celtics at the FleetCenter in double-overtime, 110–101 to win the series in a four-game sweep.^[19][20]

In the Eastern Conference finals, the Nets then faced off against the top-seeded, and Central Division champion Detroit Pistons, who were led by the trio of Richard Hamilton, Chauncey Billups, and All-Star center, and Defensive Player of the Year, Ben Wallace. The Nets won the first two games over the Pistons on the road at The Palace of Auburn Hills, before winning the next two games at home, including a game 4 win over the Pistons at the Continental Airlines Arena, 102–82 to win the series in another four-game sweep, and advance to the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year.^[21][22]

In the 2003 NBA Finals, the Nets faced off against the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs, who were led by the trio of All-Star forward, and Most Valuable Player of the Year, Tim Duncan, second-year star Tony Parker, and David Robinson. The Spurs took a 2–1 series lead, but the Nets managed to win game 4 at home, 77–76 at the Continental Airlines Arena, to tie the series at two games a piece. However, the Nets lost the next two games, including a game 6 road loss to the Spurs, 88–77 at the SBC Center, thus losing the series in six games, as the Spurs won their second NBA championship in franchise history.^[23][24]

The Nets finished 23rd in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 622,574 at the Continental Airlines Arena during the regular season.^[10][25] Following the season, Mutombo was released to free agency, and signed as a free agent with the New York Knicks.^[26][27]

On August 1, the Nets re-signed Chris Childs as a free agent; Childs previously played for the Nets from 1994 to 1996. Five days later, the organization traded Todd MacCulloch and Keith Van Horn to the Philadelphia 76ers for Dikembe Mutombo. On August 14, the Nets signed Rodney Rogers as a free agent. On October 25, they signed Anthony Johnson as a free agent. Their final off-season transaction would come three days later, when they waived Donny Marshall.

Player statistics citation:^[10]

• Jason Kidd, All-NBA Second Team
• Jason Kidd, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
• Jason Kidd, NBA All-Star

Player Transactions Citation:^[28]

• New Jersey Nets on Database Basketball
• New Jersey Nets on Basketball Reference