This streak started innocently, unlike some of the Nets’ streaks this season, and it's still going.

The start of the Nets’ record-setting losing streak to open the season was like a hammer crashing as they blew a 19-point third-quarter cushion and lost at the buzzer in Minnesota.

This latest streak started after another hammer came down when the Nets wasted a double-digit second-half lead despite out-rebounding the board-effective Bucks. That was the last time the Nets won the battle of the glass.

One game later, the Nets played the Knicks in Devin Harris’ return from a groin injury. The winning was supposed to start. Instead, the Nets lost again and New York held a slight edge in rebounds.

It was loss No. 13 in a row and also the first of now 21 consecutive games

When LeBron James rattled off the good, young players the Nets have he mentioned every starter but one -- Yi Jianlian. It wasn’t surprising.

James hasn’t seen the best of Yi. The previous four games, his first four since returning from a seven-week absence, Yi averaged 22.5 points and opened up some eyes with his aggressiveness. But he went back to being jump-shot happy against the Cavaliers on Saturday and shot 2-for-13.

So when James omitted Yi he probably was going on the games he played against Yi or his reputation, which is of someone who is inconsistent or lacks aggressiveness or can be taken out of games mentally.

Yi deserves a little more time, especially under this coaching regime, which will allow him to play through his mistakes, before he is judged. Kiki Vandeweghe

Fans filled the arena early to see LeBron James warm up just before noon and didn’t leave until they got enough of the man who would be King.

It helped that the Nets hung with the Cavaliers enough that James had to play until there was just over one minute remaining.

The Nets lost again, 94-86, but played hard and tough against the Eastern Conference’s top team and reigning MVP.

At this point, that’s the best the Nets, as an organization can hope for because a blowout loss wouldn’t help in their summer pursuit of James.

Everyone knows James is the person the Nets cleared all the salary for this summer. The popular opinion is James and no other marquee free agent would consider the Nets because of the awful season they’re having.

But it might count for

The Nets showed some of the things they promised before the season began in last night's 104-95 win over the Knicks.

They played defense, scored in transition, had energy for 48 minutes, outworked and outhustled their opponent. It also helped that they had their starting five playing together for the first time since Oct. 30.

Maybe this is the start of something. It definitely was the end of a couple of things: their 10-game losing streak and their 2009 schedule. It was a crazy year and decade for them.

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CLEVELAND -– Devin Harris treated his Nets' teammates to steak dinner when they got here, a bonding experience they hoped would bring them closer together on and off the court.

It seemed to have worked the way the Nets played against the Cavaliers last night. But with one swing of Harris’ arm, the Nets' best performance maybe in weeks became somewhat of an afterthought.

The Nets lost the game, 99-89, but the bigger story was Harris' ejection after a hard foul and LeBron James' reaction to it. Anything involving James becomes a big deal.

After Harris unintentionally took down Jamario Moon with a shot across his head and neck as he went in for a dunk, James sprinted to defend his teammate. If it had been Mo Williams pinning Harris up against the basket stanchion it wouldn’t

ATLANTA -- There was nothing more fitting than the Nets holding practice this morning in the home of the Rambling Wreck. That’s just what they are.

Twenty-four games into this season, the Nets have two wins. At this rate, they’re going to win about seven games, but they’ll be better than that. The Nets, who practiced today on the campus of Georgia Tech, won’t break the record for fewest wins in a season -- nine -– unless they have extended injuries to Devin Harris or Brook Lopez.

While we were in Atlanta, we were reminded of something former Nets coach Kevin Loughery said. We spoke to Loughery, who lives in Atlanta and was the player-coach of the 9-73 Sixers, after the Nets set the mark with 18 consecutive losses to start this season.

“They’ll