--Coach Lawrence Frank has watched his Nets fall almost daily to injury since the start of the season and has also has seen them play hard and spirited only to come up empty repeatedly during the worst start in team history, 0-8. And even with a potentially murderous back-to-back at Orlando and Miami awaiting on the weekend, Frank has stayed positive. "There's a silver lining in everything," Frank said. "We need everyone. Everyone's getting an opportunity. At the end of the day it'll make us a better team because of what we're going through. "These guys, I think, have embraced how we have to play. And when guys come back it's no different. It's not all of a sudden, you're coming back and you have more talent than the rest of the league. No, we knew coming into the season it was an uphill battle, that's why we understood how hard we have to play."
--When the Nets needed a three-point shot to tie at the end of Wednesday's game, they drew up an inbounds play that was designed to make Rafer Alston the first option. And the second option?
Brook Lopez. Right, the 7-foot Lopez who hasn't attempted a three-point shot all year. That Brook Lopez.
"We had two options," explained Trenton Hassell, who was targeted to received the inbounds and then feed back to Alston. "Two options, Skip (Alston) and Brook."
But it became moot when Alston tried to hit a curling Bobby Simmons and the Sixers picked off the pass.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "No magic act, no David Copperfield, David Blaine, or Harry Houdini." -- Coach Lawrence Frank, explaining the physically-battered Nets must get by with what they have, which has been eight players.
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