The Nets disposed of Maccabi Haifa with relative ease and with Derrick Favors showing the potential the team has been touting. Now they begin the reunion portion of their preseason schedule and the part where they play real NBA talent.

It was good to get the game against Maccabi Haifa out of the way, though. Good for the Nets players to experience some success after what they experienced last season.

Yes, most of the players are new, but every one of them has been asked why they chose to play for a team that won 12 games last season or how do they feel playing for a team that won 12 games last season. Similar questions as what Carmelo Anthony is being asked in Denver – as in would you really want to play for a 12-win team?

The Nets will win more than 12 games. That’s not saying much. But they have better players than they had last year all the way around whether or not they can trade for Anthony.

They have legitimate power forwards and small forwards, rebounders and shooters. They didn’t have much, if any of that, last year.

But one 38-point win over Maccabi Haifa doesn’t mean the Nets are playoff bound or that Favors will be Rookie of the Year. There is plenty of work still to be done, plenty of improvements that need to be made and some positions that need to be decided.

So now the next step in the process begins. Tomorrow night in Roanoke, Va., where the Nets face the Philadelphia 76ers, now presided over by Rod Thorn.

In case you missed it, Thorn had some interesting things to say about why he left the Nets, to which CEO Brett Yormark responded with a swipe of his own.

Makes for interesting reading and for what should be interesting game Saturday when the Sixers are in Newark to play the Nets and Thorn and Yormark likely are in the same building.

Before that, though, Lawrence Frank faces his old team for the first time Thursday when the Celtics visit the Prudential Center. Frank, the former Nets coach, wound up in a great spot, assisting Doc Rivers for a team built to win now.

Remember when the Nets were that team. Not anymore, but now is a chance for them to see where they need work. Simply put, they need it in all areas.

“We need to see our team against real NBA talent,” coach Avery Johnson said. “In watching the film – everyone talks about ‘the film doesn’t lie’ – the one thing about our team: our guys are working hard.”

Johnson was smart not to overplay or underplay what happened in the Maccabi game, against a team that really doesn’t play anyone bigger than 6-foot-8.

Johnson watched the tape, addressed some things at practice today and will show them when they land in Virginia things they need to see.

“At this stage I don’t want to overreact one way or another,” Johnson said. “We gave up 12 offensive rebounds, against a smaller team and that can be difficult sometimes because they’re quicker to the ball. We’ve got to improve in that area. We got beat off the dribble a little too much. But we ran hard on offense. Our pick-and-roll we executed pretty good. That’s going to be going on all year.”

The talent will get much bigger and much better tomorrow when the Nets start seeing people who were here when they were a team built to win now.

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Devin Harris didn’t practice because of a sore right foot. X-rays were negative. He said he would play against the Sixers tomorrow.

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Coach’s Corner
"He’s going to have to do better job with his post defense. I want Brook to finish more in the paint when he gets fouled. There are times when a guy really cracks you hard and wraps you up. It’s hard to make those. There are times a guy fouls and then their hands go straight in the air. He should be able to make those and-ones. Again we’re working on it. Post defense, finish those plays. He ran the court really well last night. I was proud f the big fella."

- Johnson on what he wants from center Brook Lopez, who didn’t hold his ground defensively against Maccabi.

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Follow me on Twitter: @Al_Iannazzone

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