As John Schuhmann of NBA.com writes: “They were a Carter 30-footer against Atlanta from going 0-4.” He dropped the Nets one place to #17, citing improving defense. ESPN’s Marc Stein notes only one team, the 1955-56 Knicks, finished with a better record on the road than at home. He too has them at #17. Chris Colston of USA Today puts them one place higher, citing Devin Harris’ efficiency rating. The Sez looks back at preseason expectations and is happy where his team stands.

Devin Harris was at shootaround Monday morning and was non-commital about the chance he’ll play Monday night against the Kings, saying his hamstring is at “93.4 percent.” Meanwhile, there appears to be no movement on acquiring a third PG. Brook Lopez said that he learned his lesson Saturday in Miami. “It’s just a pump fake and then I’ll pretty much have more of an advantage.”

Think of it as a mid-season summer league, writes the Salt Lake Tribune. All 16 D-League teams gather in Orem, Utah, Monday for a 4-day “showcase” of games. Already, 67 NBA execs have credentials for the event, and among those being watched will be Sean Williams of the Nets and 14ers. The Nets will have reps there too as they consider point guard possibilities. Eddie Gill is always on the Nets’ radar.

After acquiring Nenad Krstic, the Thunder made it clear they’re still looking for more help. The Daily Oklahoman thinks there are “five attractive trading partners for the Thunder”…including the Nets. The top choice on New Jersey would be Eduardo Najera, who played college ball at Oklahoma and “plays with a toughness and defensive mindset the Thunder sorely lacks”.

No word on whether Devin Harris will play, but Kevin Martin will. The Nets who did play over the weekend –in two overtime games, 1,100 miles apart, with different outcomes– may be a bit tired, but the Kings haven’t had it easy. They lost two games to start a four-game trip. Martin did score 45 in Indiana Saturday. It’s a return to New Jersey for Rider’s Jason Thompson and a chance at redemption for Brook Lopez.

Yi Jianlian is only 140,000 votes behind Kevin Garnett in balloting for a starting spot in the All-Star game…and 300,000 ahead of Chris Bosh. Now, a Chinese youth publication is taking a look at whether Yi deserves the spot, pitting arguments from pro’s and con’s. Beijing Youth Daily also alleges that some fans “resorted to manipulating computer software in an attempt to give him enough votes.”

When Thunder GM Sam Presti began pursuing Nenad Krstic, he knew he faced two challenges: getting his owners to fork over $500,000 to Krstic’s Russian team and playing poker with Rod Thorn. He didn’t want Thorn to match OKC’s $15.8 million offer. The first turned out to be easy and Presti correctly figured that the Nets were so enamored with 20-year-old Brook Lopez they would pass on 25-year-old Krstic.

For those who attended Friday’s game against Atlanta, the Nets’ first half performance seemed comical…and they treated it that way. They laughed at Eduardo Najera’s air ball, cheered Lawrence Frank’s ejection and booed Brook Lopez’s fall. The Nets, it turns out, didn’t think it was funny…at all. They used the fans’ derision to push them to a stunning overtime win. But how long can this love-hate relationship work?

The Nets played overtime for the second straight night, but it was Dwyane Wade, not Vince Carter, who provided the late-game heroics Saturday night in Miami. The Nets’ held the Heat to just 36 percent shooting in the first half, led by as many as 15 and were up eight at halftime. Both teams shot poorly in the third quarter, but the Heat eventually took the lead early in the fourth. The final period went back and forth, Keyon Dooling tied it with a bank shot with 8.4 seconds to go in regulation, and Wade missed a potential game-winning jumper on the other end. The Nets made just one of their first six shots in the extra period while Wade took over on the other end. The Nets did cut a seven-point Heat lead down to two and had the ball down three with eight seconds to go, but Carter’s contested three fell short. Wade had just six points on 1-8 shooting in the first half, but led all scorers with 29 points for the game, adding eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and four blocks. Dooling led five Nets in double figures with 23 points and seven assists. Carter finished with 20 points, nine boards and six assists, but shot just 5-21 from the field. As a team, the Nets shot just 40 percent.

After giving his sore hamstring a try during shootaround, Devin Harris decided to sit out the Heat game, hoping the rest will let him play Monday vs. the Kings. Rod Thorn doesn’t know whether his point guard will be able play then, either. “He was 50-50 to play tonight,” Thorn said. “I think it depends on how he reacts the next couple days if he’s going to be out any longer.” Starting point guard duties fall to Keyon Dooling.