The Nets are doing something never thought possible when they were 0-18. They’re getting worse.

They’re much healthier than they were when they were losing every night earlier this season and they’re worse now. That’s not an easy thing to do.

They returned early this morning from the West Coast just totally beaten, believing there is no hope in sight and honestly there is no reason for hope. You know the numbers: 40 losses in 43 games. Even more distressing is how far they have fallen, how much they have regressed not only since Dec. 30, but since Lawrence Frank was replaced after 16 games.

But here's looking at a small sample of games before we go big picture. Over the four-game trip, the Nets allowed the opposition to shoot 55.4 percent and average 112.8 points per game. They were beaten by an average of 25 points, prompting one of most honest answers a player ever uttered.

"This is the toughest road trip of my life," Keyon Dooling said on the YES Network.

"This is my tenth year in the NBA. This is the toughest road trip in my life.  We got blown out every game. We weren’t competitive. We’re just not a very good team right now."

Dooling could have left off the "right now." The veteran point guard has done his best to stay positive - many of the guys have, including Jarvis Hayes, Devin Harris and especially interim coach/GM Kiki Vandeweghe. But Dooling finally had to say what he's feeling and he probably still held back.

It really has gotten worse than ever imagined. Not only did the Nets return home tied for the worst record after 43 games - not even the 9-73 1972-73 Sixers, the record-holders for worst mark ever, were this bad at this point - but the Nets woke up at the very bottom of the NBA in field-goal defense.

It's an awful combination when you're the worst-shooting team (41.9 percent), worst three-point shooting team (28.1), lowest-scoring team (89.9) and you show no resistance on the other end and allow teams to shoot 48.6 percent.

But what would expect from 3-40?

Here's another stat that puts things in perspective: the Nets gave up 100 points four times in 16 games under Frank and have seen the century mark reached against them 20 times in the 27 games since, including the last six.

"We’re not very good defensively," Dooling said. "People just drive right down the middle and lay it up."

This is nothing new. The Nets never show any resistance, never deliver any hard fouls to let teams know things won't be that easy for them. The Jazz scored 70 points in the paint. That is unacceptable and it speaks to things Chris Douglas-Roberts said earlier this season that ruffled some feathers but is true: the Nets are soft.

They are and you would think all this losing, all this frustration would lead to someone being knocked on the ground when they come in for yet another dunk or layup. No one is suggesting trying to start a fight, but you have to stand up at some point. But the Nets keep laying down.

Showing a little physicality might lead to a some mental toughness. The Nets are lacking in both areas.

But it really starts with your threshold for this humiliation, this suffering. How much more can each player take of this and what can he do to make a difference?

If you keep doing the same things you're going to get the same results. If these games haven't been carbon copies of each other I don't know what has. It really is the same thing every game: lack of defense, offense falters, big run, heads down and shoulder's slouch - game's over.

Vandeweghe could do more.

He could try to get other players involved. Run some plays for them and get them going to keep them engaged. He also shouldholding players more accountable, activating some veterans like Bobby Simmons and going to him and Trenton Hassell and Josh Boone. Some of the young players might get upset, but it also may wake them up that they need to do more.

Beside how much more upset can they get?

Nets president Rod Thorn had a talk with Terrence Williams recently that seemed to wake up the rookie. He's not playing great but his attitude seemingly has changed. Each player needs that type of conversation. motivation, something to snap them out of it because some of these players seem lost. Douglas-Roberts is a shell of the player he was and you can go down the line on the roster.

There still are 39 games left, nearly 48 percent of the season remains. So much time. The attitude has to change, the body language, the mentality - everything. Don't think it can't get any worse. It already has.

Al Iannazzone covers the Nets for The Record (Bergen County, N.J.)