Two Cleveland castoffs have been instrumental in the Nets‘ recent hot streak, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. When the Cavaliers were trimming salary last summer to sign LeBron James, they sent Sergey Karasev and Jarrett Jack to Brooklyn as part of a three-team deal with the Celtics. Both recently entered the Nets’ staring lineup and helped lead the team to within a game of .500 and back into the Eastern Conference playoff race.
There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:
- Nets coach Lionel Hollins credits “changing attitudes” for the turnaround, writes Tim Bontemps of The New York Post. “It’s getting everyone to buy in, it’s getting everybody to believe and trusting each other,” Hollins said. “You hear all coaches talk about team, and it’s not easy to get going, especially with a more veteran team when all the players have had success doing it their own way. To then get them to do it a little bit different for the group, and make sacrifices for the group is always difficult, but I see it coming.”
- The Nets made two roster moves Thursday, Bontemps tweets, sending rookies Markel Brown and Cory Jefferson to the Maine Red Claws, Boston’s D-League affiliate. Brooklyn no longer has its own affiliate in the league.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown understands that he hasn’t been given the talent to win right away, but he tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that he is concerned about the effect losing is having on his players. “I don’t want our guys feeling embarrassed,” Brown said after Tuesday’s 40-point rout by the Warriors. “I don’t want them feeling ashamed. I want them finding a way to take a deep breath and understand this is where the Philadelphia 76ers program is at the moment. At times, it is painful. But we move on.”