What figured to be a trying season has begun disastrously in all areas. The team is off to its worst NBA start ever, 0-6, with multiple factors involved, not the least of which is a slew of injuries that is almost unimaginable already. The Nets broke out of training camp knowing their outlook was bleak.

And they also broke knowing Tony Battie (knee) and Keyon Dooling (rehabbing hip surgery) would not be available for a while. But since then, two starters, Devin Harris (groin) and Yi Jianlian (knee), fell with injury along with key reserve Jarvis Hayes (hamstring). Then they marched into Philadelphia Friday without an ailing Chris Douglas-Roberts (flu) -- and saw a third starter, Courtney Lee, strain a groin. They hope Douglas-Roberts is back for Saturday in New Jersey. But beyond Douglas-Roberts, there's no help coming.

"Just to put it in perspective, no one is coming back any time soon, okay?" said coach Lawrence Frank before the Lee injury.

Lee said he believed the injury to be minor and had not ruled out Saturday. But would it matter? They play the Celtics. And Boston will be in an ornery mood after losing at home to Phoenix. Boston has beaten the Nets nine straight games, sweeping four-game series in each of the last two seasons. Last season, the Celtics outscored the Nets by 14.5 points per game, 111.0 to 96.5.

SIXERS 97, NETS 94: The Nets ended the game with eight available players -- using only seven -- as they lost a fourth starter to injury along the way. Courtney Lee exited with a strained left groin in the third quarter making him the fourth starter down since opening night.

The Nets led by eight in the fourth quarter but Louis Williams' penetrations and a strong finish by Andre Iguodala rallied the Sixers. Brook Lopez had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, who could not get off a shot in the final 11 seconds, looking for a three-pointer to tie.