Here's one unintended consequence of Lawrence Frank calling all the team's plays: It means backup point guard Zoran Planinic, who still struggles a little with English, doesn't have to.
"I'm much more comfortable with the offense now," Planinic said. "Because before, it's hard for me to say the offense. My tongue gets split up. Now the coach calls all the plays. All I have to do is pass the ball. It's a lot easier."
It certainly showed in the Nets' 120-99 blasting of the Magic last night. The rookie guard had a career-best seven assists last night to go with his eight points, and he led the Nets on a 13-3 run early in the second quarter, scoring or assisting on all but one of the baskets during that time.
Planinic was playing so well, franchise point guard Jason Kidd tried to beg out of the game when Frank went to put him back in.
"When coach called me in, I was like, 'Coach, leave him in, he's playing great,'" Kidd said. "And he said, 'Well, he's got three fouls.' And I was thinking, 'Well, let him foul out.' Any time we can get positive minutes like he had, the better off this team will be."
Kidd then whispered a few words into Planinic's ear as he came off the court. Namely: "Stop fouling."
