Zach Lowe is the latest pundit to point out the Nets' defensive issues, which will keep them from entering any discussion of championship contenders, in his opinion.

The Nets' defensive issues start with their frontline of Brook Lopez and Kris Humphries. Lopez is slow and doesn't rebound well. Humphries, on the other hand, "doesn't have the genius-level innate understanding of space, timing, and angles that can turn a so-so defender into a very good one."

Lowe also looks at Avery Johnson's defensive principles. "Will he load up more heavily on the paint this season? And if he does, will the Nets make the optimal rotations behind the inside action?"

Bottom line: You typically need a top-10 defense to get to the conference finals, and the Nets will have a tough time reaching that standard.

• How Brook Lopez hinders the Brooklyn Nets' title hopes - Zach Lowe - Grantland