It's been a while since the Nets came back from a West Coast trip with a .500 or better record, like two years.  If the Nets, who are 1-1 on this trip, are going to do that now, they'll need to beat either the Kings or the Nuggets.  Their best shot will be in Sacramento where the Kings' defense is reeling...and when the Nets defense has been its best in years.

The Nets have not permitted an opponent to score 100 points in the last five games and are now among the league leaders in in scoring defense at 95.9 ppg and field-goal percentage defense at 44.3%.  Problem is they are dead last in scoring offense at 92. ppg and 44.3%.  The Kings on the other hand have lost six straight because of their league worst defense which gave up 40 points to the Knicks in the second quarter Wednesday night.

It could be a good night for Brook Lopez who is averaging 26.3 ppg and 10 rpg in his last three games vs. the Kings.

• New Jersey Nets Game Notes - New Jersey Nets
• Sacramento Kings Game Notes - Sacramento Kings
• Getting Inside - New Jersey Nets - Sports Xchange
• Getting Inside - Sacramento Kings - Sports Xchange
• Nets-Kings Preview - Stats LLC
• Murphy and his own Melo-Drama - Stefan Bondy - The InterNets
• Murphy Works, Waits, Will Likely Sit - Fred Kerber - New York Post Nets Blog
• Johnson making defense a priority - Fred Kerber - New York Post
• Troy Murphy finds himself on the trading block for Nets - Star-Ledger
  
• Tonight's game plan: Kings vs. New Jersey Nets - Jason Jones - Sacramento Bee