NBA

Nets start website in Russian

In the seven months since Mikhail Prokhorov became principal owner of the Nets, one thing has become very clear: He is a man focused on the big picture. And, in most cases, big means global.

That became even more apparent yesterday when the Nets launched a new version of their website, netsrussia.com, so that Russian-speaking fans can now connect with the team.

“I’m glad we’re reaching out to our global fan base in a personalized way,” Prokhorov said in a statement written in English. “We want Russian speakers from New Jersey to New York to Moscow to see the Nets as their home team, and a Russian-language website is an excellent way to further that goal.”

With the Nets set to move to their new arena in Brooklyn at the start of 2012, Prokhorov is immediately bringing his team into the heart of New York City’s Russian-speaking community, most notably the areas of Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay. Official census numbers state there are about 250,000 Russian-speaking people living in New York City, but community leaders estimate the actual number is closer to 500,000, about 75 percent of whom live in Brooklyn.

By launching the Russian-language website now, Prokhorov is hoping to get a head start on titillating all those possible new Nets fans.

“We’re excited that Russian-speaking fans will now have the chance to get closer to Nets basketball in a comprehensive way,” said Nets CEO Brett Yormark. “While we strive to become Russia’s NBA home team, we are also gaining a large Russian fan base in the metropolitan area, which can now fully experience the Nets.”

As for the community itself, it has begun to show some interest in a team that is still not winning — its record is 6-13 — and playing its home games in Newark.

John Lisyanskiy is an assistant to the speaker of the New York City Council, Christine C. Quinn, and is an active member with the Russian American Foundation. Since emigrating from Russia to Brooklyn in 1992, Lisyanskiy has been enamored with basketball and thinks his fellow Russians are just as excited about the Nets’ proposed move.

“This is bringing out pride in the younger Russian-speaking community because of who [Prokhorov] is,” Lisyanskiy said. “We’ve been talking about getting him out into the community, getting him out in a real grassroots campaign. The website is the first sign of it.”

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Devin Harris will miss his second consecutive game tonight when the Nets head to Charlotte to take on the Bobcats. After straining his left knee in Tuesday’s 111-100 loss to the Knicks, Harris had an MRI on Wednesday and missed that night’s 123-120 triple-overtime loss to the Thunder.

According to the team, he will be re-evaluated tomorrow in hopes of playing Sunday afternoon, when the Nets host the Celtics.

bcyrgalis@nypost.com