Sports

NO POSITIVES FROM THIS DEFEAT

NET NOTES

It’s one thing to lose to Detroit, the team with the best record in basketball. It’s quite another to lose to Toronto, the team with the worst record. And that’s exactly what happened to the Nets in the last two games.

After being beaten by Detroit on Wednesday, the Nets all said there were positive signs, reason to be upbeat. After losing last night to Toronto, which entered at 2-15 last night, the Nets had every reason to stick their heads in a microwave.

Remember all those good feelings from earlier this week? Gone. But Richard Jefferson insists the Nets can get them back.

“I’ve been here a long time, and we always come out on top. Somehow and some way we always figure out a way to be successful. And we will figure it out,” said Jefferson, who then cast a hint of doubt.

“Will we get it in time to be the team that we want to be, a 50-some win team? I hope so. If not, we’re going to be right in the middle of things, be a fifth seed, maybe a sixth seed, stumble into the playoffs. We’ll find out.”

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It was the first time Toronto won on consecutive road nights since April 7-8, 2000. . . .

Jason Collins shot 1-of-2 from the foul line, 50 percent. And his season mark went up to .429. “I don’t know why,” Collins, a .716 lifetime free-throw shooter, said of his poor effort. “I started off 2-for-12 on the road, so there’s a lot of work to make up. I will say, six of those were with seven stitches in my eye [at Miami, from a hit by Udonis Haslem].

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Jeff McInnis, whose minutes have yo-yoed with his play, is asking coach Lawrence Frank for a longer leash.

“As a starter, I used to get a chance to struggle a bit and have a good game,” said McInnis. “So the only thing I tell coach is, ‘If I come out and miss a couple shots, stay with me. Don’t give up on me, because in the fourth quarter I can make a play or two.’ ”

Frank had little reaction to a story in Utah in which Gordie Chiesa said he quit Nets’ staff because he had no input. “All I’ll say is Gordie’s a great guy,” Frank said. “We wish him the best of luck. We feel bad that it didn’t work out to his liking, but we wish him well.”