Nets Get Off the Mat, but Heavyweights Loom on the Schedule

In a week in which their tumultuous season may have reached its lowest point, marred by back-to-back 17-point losses, a season-ending injury to the All-Star center Brook Lopez and reports of locker room turmoil, the Nets finished a three-game home stand showing a glimpse of the play that many had envisioned when they talked of a championship contender budding in Brooklyn.

The good vibes from their 104-93 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks may not last for long. On Saturday, the Nets begin a three-game trip that will pit them against a series of teams - Indiana, San Antonio and Oklahoma City - that have proved themselves to be actual contenders. Before Friday's game, the Nets also announced that Andray Blatche would miss the next three games.

Kidd said that Blatche was out for 'personal reasons' and that he would not accompany the team on the trip.

Despite the uninspiring play of the Nets and the Knicks this season, there are teams outside New York that are playing even worse. The Bucks, who have the league's worst record at 6-23, shot 37.5 percent from the field and trailed by as many as 23 points in the fourth quarter.

Shaun Livingston led the Nets with 20 points.

After Lopez broke his right foot last Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Nets entered the week facing a daunting challenge. The Eastern Conference-leading Pacers came first, easily defeating the Nets at Barclays Center, 103-86. Afterward, Coach Jason Kidd said his team was reaching a point where they seemed to accept losing.

'When things get tough, do we just give in? Most of the time, right now, we do,' he said.

Two days later, on Christmas, the Nets were outplayed by the Chicago Bulls on national television, 95-78. The Bulls, another preseason pick to be a contender, have been decimated by injuries, but they out-hustled the Nets much as they did in last season's first-round playoff victory. After the loss, Deron Williams called the season a 'nightmare.' The following day, reports surfaced that Kidd and Kevin Garnett had voiced their displeasure in the locker room.

Before Friday's game, Kidd clarified his message. 'It wasn't to call them out,' Kidd said. 'It was just a conversation in the locker room that we've got to compete.'

In the short term, the message resonated with the players, who make up a $190 million roster.

The Nets played their 13th starting lineup on Friday, adding the reserve point guard Shaun Livingston to the backcourt alongside Deron Williams. Paul Pierce, who played seven of the last eight games coming off the bench, started in the frontcourt along with Joe Johnson and Garnett. Kidd said he had made the change looking for a more energetic lineup.

The revamped starting five paid off immediately, as the Nets took a 31-18 lead after the first quarter. Livingston and Williams combined for 11 of the Nets' first 15 points, while their smaller defensive lineup held the Bucks to 29.2 percent shooting.

The absence of Lopez did not factor in against the Bucks, whose young starting five often looked bewildered against the Nets' veteran lineup. The Nets' starters had a combined 61 years in the N.B.A., while the Bucks' starters had a total of nine.

The Nets were able to maintain their strong play after halftime, building a 76-60 lead entering the fourth quarter. The third quarter has often proved decisive for the Nets, who have lost momentum at that stage of numerous games this season.

On Monday, against the Pacers, the Nets were outscored by 30-19 in the third; on Wednesday, the Bulls outscored them by 36-20.

Crucial to the third-quarter stretch was outside shooting from the Nets' bench. Jason Terry, who scored 12 points, had three 3-pointers in the quarter. The Nets made their first six 3-point attempts and 12 of 26 shots in all from behind the arc. Mirza Teletovic added five 3-pointers and scored 19 points.

The Bucks were able to cut the Nets' lead to 88-79 on two free throws by Giannis Antetokounmpo with 3 minutes 2 seconds remaining. Kidd soon reinserted Williams, who until that point, along with Garnett, had rested the entire quarter.

With 1:03 remaining, Williams drew a charge on Milwaukee's Khris Middleton to seal the victory. Williams left the game and was greeted by celebrating teammates on the bench.

Whether the good times continue may hinge on whether the Nets have finally heeded their coach's message or just ran into a team on Friday that was having a worse season than they were.