--Team president Rod Thorn was more than an interested party to all of the comments that swirled around the Nets in recent weeks. From Terrence Williams' negative posts on Twitter to Rafer Alston's complaints about players hanging heads and not cheering to Devin Harris claiming the team is divided. So Thorn met with players and basically told them to keep any such matters in house. "To me, if you have an issue with a player as a player you go talk to the player," Thorn said. "You need to do this and you need to do that rather than air it publicly. You'd rather have it that way. And it's irrelevant whether it's true or not. If you an issue with a guy then go talk to him and do it internally." --During their record-setting 18-game losing streak that started their season, the Nets did at least defend. But lately, with more of an emphasis on motion in the offense and a faster-paced game, the defense had been lagging poorly.
Entering Tuesday's game in Cleveland, they have given up at least 101 points in five straight games (109.8 average) and in nine of the last 11 (106.0 average). One reason, suggests interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe, is the Nets cannot put a full team on the floor.
"In these type of situations," said Vandeweghe, "you recognize where you are, you recognize the reality. You don't use any excuses. We know we're in a tough spot. You can call it a dark tunnel if you want. But you have to recognize as a team you recognize you have a lot of injuries. It's not an excuse, it's a reality."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Let's just say, yes, that has been addressed." -- Team president Rod Thorn, discussing players being critical of teammates and claiming publicly there is division in the ranks.
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