The Nets -- to quote the great philosopher Prokhorov -- just need time.

They proved that yesterday against the Heat, but also in the two prior games. They were great victories for the Nets, who showed great resilience, as Devin Harris and Brook Lopez played the roles of co-captains well.

But the Nets were this-close to losing both of those games to the Pistons and Kings, respectively, and could very easily be 0-3 right now. Then people would be wondering what’s wrong with the Nets, does Avery Johnson know what he’s doing, the players aren’t responding to him, they wasted money on the free agents they signed and they better get Carmelo Anthony right now.

Yet because of those two wins, Harris playing well in the two wins, Derrick Favors showing he can be a rebounding machine with 30 boards in 64 minutes, some fans want the Nets to stay together and forget about going after Anthony.

Just remember what owner Mikhail Prokhorov said during his recent trip to The Rock

“At the end of the season we will be much better. Just we need time.”

The Nets are a work-in-progress. Just the other day, Johnson said it would take him about 30 games before he had his rotation set. Coincidentally, that’s the week after the Dec. 15 date that some believe is when Anthony will be traded. Something to consider.

That said, the roster you see now may not be the one you see all season because of the Anthony talks. And if the Nets don’t get Anthony it doesn’t mean they won’t make changes.

For the record, the Nets should continue to try to get Anthony if Denver says yes and ‘Melo says yes. You win in the NBA with stars and stars recruit stars as we’ve seen with the Heat.

The Celtics didn’t win until Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett joined Paul Pierce and after Shaq left, Kobe Bryant stopped competing for titles until Pau Gasol was traded to the Lakers. The Nets never won until they traded for a future Hall of Famer named Jason Kidd.

These Nets will get better. They’re not yet whole, something they hope to be this week barring a setback by Troy Murphy as he continues his comeback from groin and back injuries.

Not having Murphy set the Nets back, but you don’t realize it because they won their first two games. They planned for him to be the starting power forward and for Kris Humphries and Joe Smith to play spot minutes or be good examples for this young team. Humphries is young himself, but he practices hard, plays hard, is physical and doesn’t back down from anyone.

Having Murphy would spread the floor more from Harris to create and Lopez to operate down low. Murphy is a proven double-double guy and immediately makes the Nets' better.

It’s only three games, but the Nets have gotten no consistency from their three new starting players: Travis Outlaw, Smith, and Anthony Morrow. The three combined for five points yesterday. When three starters combine for five points you’re not winning games.

“Just we need time,” Prokhorov said.

Morrow is going to get better and Outlaw has to get better. Johnson and the Nets have to find ways to get him the ball in places he can score. Outlaw missed wide-open shots in the opener and yesterday, but he is better than what he’s shown.

Favors is a work-in-progress, too. He’s not going to start yet, despite his 10.3 points and 10-rebound average. It will be Smith or Humphries – and Johnson probably should switch to Humphries – until Murphy is ready to go.

But Favors has had some impressive moments thus far, especially his 13-point, 13-rebound effort against the Heat yesterday. The Nets hope it continues for Favors, but it doesn’t mean they will stop talks with Anthony is Favors continues to show something.

But there are going to be games where he doesn’t look as good, where he looks like a rookie, and you have to accept that.

Just like you have to accept that the Nets are going to look bad against teams with superior talent, such as the Heat. The Pistons and Kings have talented players, but none of them are close to the caliber of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

But when the Nets run up against those teams, which they will plenty in the next 12 days they have to compensate for being over-matched by working harder, playing smarter and not letting down when the deficit gets too big.

In the next 12 days, the Nets are at Orlando and Miami and home for the Magic. They also play the Bobcats and Cavaliers twice. Those three are winnable games, but they won’t be in the Nets won’t be in the games against the Magic and Heat if they don’t come with different mindset and play with more effort, energy and belief than they did yesterday.

“I am very pleased with the team's progress and look forward to watching the Nets reach their full potential as the season continues,” Prokhorov said yesterday before returning to Russia. “I had a great time at all the games and being part of all the fun. I'll be back."

Whenever that is, the Nets should be better through individual improvement or trade.

***

Follow me on Twitter: @Al_Iannazzone

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