The Nets are 0-14. Portland is 11-5, including 6-2 at home. Even history is against them: They are 5-29 all time in Portland. And while the Nets are nearly at full strength -- 10 players -- they still have five anticipated rotation players mending from various ailments.

So on paper, it looks bad. But in the papers, the Nets have become a national story as they garner attention for their hideous start.

"It's a national story, I'm sure, but I don't keep my ear to that," said Chris Douglas-Roberts, whose impressive development is being overshadowed by the constant losing. "We're all on the same page. Everybody is trying to get a win. I don't listen to all the other stuff."

And so the Nets, who very well might be eying Friday in Sacramento (even though the Kings have played well at home, 4-2) for their breakthrough victory because the Lakers and Mavs are after that, continue pressing on amid adversity and the surrounding negativity.

"They're working hard. They're preparing the right way. We just need to do things a little bit better, a little bit harder," said coach Lawrence Frank. "I get it. It's a results-oriented business, and I firmly believe that we will find our way out of this."

NUGGETS 101, NETS 87: The Nets had 10 men available for the first time since Nov. 6. And then the numbers were reduced, sort of, within minutes as the team's two leading scorers, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Brook Lopez, were negated with fouls and eventually combined for nine points -- hardly enough to stall the Nuggets, who dominated inside, scoring 22 paint points in the first quarter en route to 60 for the game. Devin Harris, in his second game back from the groin injury that kept him out of 10 games, had 19 points. Courtney Lee returned after missing seven games and had seven points.