The Armor won 20 games in their first two years in the D-League. That's it. So far, in the first three weeks of their first season under Nets management, they've won five, sitting atop both the D-League's Eastern Conference and Power Rankings.

Equally important, one of the Armor players has shown he can contribute to the Nets. Dennis Horner, a 6'9" forward, had four points, four rebounds, three assists and an emphatic block in the first preseason game. Nice.

Milton Lee talked to an NBA.com writer about the team's success. Lee credits Bob MacKinnon, who won the D-League championship three years ago, for most of it and adds that the integration of the two teams' philosophy is best reflected in the three Armor players in Nets camp. "They have the added benefit of being in shape, running our plays, understanding what points of emphasis there are"

Now comes the hard part. The Armor head out this week on their first big road trip...a 16-day, seven-game, five-city, 4,600-mile road trip that includes a seven-hour bus trip across the snowy Dakotas...on Christmas Eve.

• Springfield G.M. Milton Lee Strikes Balance Between NBA Present and Future - Rob Reheuser - NBA.com
• Springfield Armor close out 2011 with 16-day, 7-game road trip - Jeff Thomas - Springfield Republican