NBA

Nets’ Humphries starting to score more

CHICAGO — All last season, Nets coach Avery Johnson drilled into Kris Humphries’ head: “Defend, rebound … defend, rebound.”

Johnson also successfully broke Humphries from his offense first mentality. Now this season, without Brook Lopez (until Sunday night) and with a team that often struggles to score, Johnson whispered another word: “Score … score.”

That whisper has translated into a strategy, because the Nets recently have been trying to get Humphries off to fast starts.

Yesterday, in their 97-85 upset of the Bulls, Humphries was 5-of-5 for 10 points in the first quarter and finished with 24 points for a second straight game and 18 rebounds. Thursday at Indiana, he was 6-of-6 for 12 first quarter points.

“The way Hump played, he just came out and set the tone for us offensively, rebounding the ball. He was just a monster,” praised Deron Williams.

Kris Humphries, Monster, Go-To Guy. Defender and Rebounder, too.

As well as a guy who regularly gets booed away from Newark.

“You’re just out there playing,” said Humphries, averaging 13.6 points, 10.5 rebounds. “My job still is to defend and rebound, but there are times when the team needs other things. Now Brook is coming back, and we all have to work him in and roles could change.”

So maybe Humphries won’t be the focal point early in games, but he still will be expected to clean up inside, run the pick and roll with Deron Williams and just be Kris Humphries, especially the one from the past two games.

“He got off to a great start in Indiana, double-double [24 points, 10 rebounds against the Pacers],” Johnson said. “He’s been really focused. I know he’s been anxiously awaiting Brook’s return. We all know now Brook’s going to return, so he’s getting in sync.

“He had a tough stretch for about 3-5 games there, where he just didn’t have the lift. You didn’t see him dunking, he wasn’t defending well. But he seems to have bounced back now and has gotten his lift, gotten his energy.”

And now the Nets will have him and Lopez up front. When the Nets are whole, Humphries said he feels he plays a whole lot better.

“A lot of times I play of my teammates,” he said. “If we’re struggling it’s tougher for me. But when we’re playing well, it’s easier for me offensively and there’s more rhythm to get offensive rebounds. You have a better feel for when shots are going up and just [being] more aggressive when you know your guard has your back or your other big guys are covering you.”

fred.kerber@nypost.com