In the embryonic stages of the 2009-10, not just anything but everything has gone wrong for the Nets, who at 0-5 already have been reduced to 10 players. Three rotation players, including starters Devin Harris and Yi Jianlian, have been lost to significant injuries. The three, which includes reserve wing Jarvis Hayes, join Keyon Dooling and Tony Battie, who were out in preseason.

And along the way, they've blown leads of 19 and 14 points in separate losses, have twice been victimized by individuals with 20-rebound games, saw the NBA schedule old friend Vince Carter and the Orlando Magic for their home opener, surrendered 44 points in a single quarter and in general, looked like a young, mistake-prone team.

So yes, anything that can go wrong has gone wrong so far.

"Everyone understands what we're up against. We know what people were saying before the season started. Now some of our players are injured and yet our guys are still going out there to win," said coach Lawrence Frank. "I tell you what, you can't fault the effort."

For the most part, anyway. There was a defense-less night in Washington. But then there was an offense-less night in Charlotte, a blown 19-point lead in Minnesota and, well, you get the idea. Will it get better? It doesn't look like it will happen soon. After Denver visited Wednesday, the Nets go to Philadelphia Friday and then see Boston at home on Saturday.

And you know what Murphy would say.

NUGGETS 122 NETS 94: The Nets held NBA leading scorer Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to a combined 1-of-16 shooting in the first half. That didn't last. They combined to shoot 9-of-15 in the third quarter when the Nuggets hung up 44 points on the Nets and then breezed to victory after turning a one-point halftime deficit into a 17-point lead entering the fourth. The Nets, who only had 10 men available, saw six of them in double-figures, led by Chris Douglas-Roberts with 19.