Beck: Nets are "steady," but lacking in "tangible passion"

Howard Beck, taking off from Gerald Wallace's comments after the Heat game, calls the Nets "lacking in any tangible passion," a team with "steady" stars in Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez, but nothing on the order of a dominant personality, without which championships are hard to achieve.

"Theirs is a locker room with no discernible pulse, no dominant personality and no transcendent player. That does not mean they cannot be successful, but it does raise questions about their championship aspirations. The great teams are easily defined."

Beck believes the Nets are last in the league in technicals and flagrant fouls, evidence of a mindset that is without the "bravado of a contender." Beck doesn't discuss leadership, but the decision not may speak volumes as well.

In essence, Beck is saying that Wallace's comments were so shocking because they were so rare, so out of the team character. His suggestion moving forward: "maybe they just need to get a little mad now and then."

• Nets’ Pulse Is Not So Easy to Find - Howard Beck - New York Times