November 7, 2007 By Matthew McQueeny, NJNets.com Nachbar: "I’m sure once I get in rhythm I’ll be just fine" The Nets are off to a good start in the new season with one of their best bench players from last season still looking for his breakout.

Coming off a season of career-highs in nearly all statistics and on the heels of a preseason where he averaged nearly 20 points a game, Bostjan Nachbar has been solid in the new campaign– with averages of 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds through four games – but has not quite been his 2006-07 self just yet.

“Yeah, it’s still real early and obviously I’m not playing as well as I would want to but the important thing is that I keep my head up and keep working hard and practice hard and stay focused,” said Nachbar.

It has been a transition for Nachbar in the early season: after practicing in training camp and playing in preseason mostly at the small forward position, he has - due to early in-season match ups - gotten most of his playing time at power forward, where the role and offensive responsibilities are a little different.

“I was working the whole off-season on coming off screens and being the guy who’s driving the ball and penetrating. In training camp and preseason, I did that. Now once the season started, the coach decided to move me to the four spot because we had a lot of guys who could play the two (shooting guard) and three (small forward). So, me being the tallest and the guy who could play multiple positions, it came down to me. It is a little bit different. Like I said, it’s mostly setting screens, moving the ball, setting pick-n-rolls. I just need to find myself within that.”

“…I think it’s taking me some time to adjust to that, find my spots, and then to get into my rhythm. I think I’m a little bit off rhythm now but, like I said, I just want to stay focused on it. I’m pretty sure my game is going to come.”

“Boki’s going to be fine,” said Coach Lawrence Frank.

“Last year Boki started at the four and then we moved him to the three once Richard (Jefferson) got hurt. This year, he’s playing the three and then learning the four in some different sets, so I think he’s still learning exactly where his shots are going to come from but the important thing is the defensive effort he gives, he’s one of our best shooters and especially in pick-n-rolls, his spot-up ability. He really stretches the defense. He affects the game even sometimes when he doesn’t get the ball because they’re not shrinking as much off of him.”

Nachbar knows the team is functioning well and that his shots will come.

“As the season goes on, and we’re going to see different teams out there, I’m sure I’ll get in rhythm…I’m sure once I get in rhythm this year I’ll be just fine – whether it’s playing four or three.”

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With Boki on the mind today, asked Coach Frank about how "going small" with your lineup affects the way the offense runs. Does the team call similar offensive plays in both big and small lineups?

“Yeah, and what we do is there would be some minor tweaks in terms of we may spread the floor as opposed to having him duck in like the big. But really when you go small, offensively what your intent is, especially in pick-n-rolls, is you’re looking to try to force rotation to create help and to force close-out situations so you get two on the ball and you move it and that creates a real good drive-and-kick opportunity.”

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Coach Frank:

“Offensively, we obviously haven’t hit our stride and it’s going to take time. I think the thing that was encouraging (on Tuesday vs. Hawks) was seeing 28 assists on 34 field goals, 16 of our first 17 field goals were assisted on. As we move further along, we’ll have a greater comfort level there. And as long as we’re taking good shots – we have a certain percentage of shots that we want to be uncontested – and we’re moving the ball, then we’ll be fine. The key is by defending you give yourself a margin for error; we obviously have to take care of the ball a little bit better, but over the course of time, we will…”

“I think you look at it – Richard, Antoine, and Jason are playing at a very high level. And I think as everyone else continues to raise their levels, and we’re able to stay consistent with understanding what our identity is, I think that’s how you have a chance. If you stay the course with who you are and what you do, you’re going to be pretty good. We aren’t wavering. This is who we are through good times and bad and we have to fight our tails off every single day because this conference should be called the “parity conference.’ It doesn’t matter what the record is of any team. Any team is very capable of making the playoffs and I think it’s that understanding and recognition that you have to fight every single game to have a chance to win.”

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