Joe Johnson likes what Brooklyn Nets have done, but not sure how ... or if ... it will work out

In his analysis of the Nets upcoming season, Daniel Popper of the Daily News asked Joe Johnson what he thought of the team's chances.

"To be honest with you, I can't pinpoint what I think we gonna make - first round, second round. I don't know, because I really have to see how we are when we get down in the trenches, in the thick of things, whether it's tight games, big games, see how we respond...

"We're athletic. We can run. We can get up and down," Joe Johnson added. "We gotta cause havoc defensively to get out and get easy baskets. So I know coach wants to run. We've got the guys to do it."

So it's wait-and-see. No one is talking about anything other than the playoffs.

"Success is getting in the playoffs," Hollins said Saturday. "That's what everybody's trying to do."

Brook Lopez remains, as always, the most optimistic. As Popper notes, that's a good thing because Lopez IS the key to the season.  Lopez pointed to 23-year-old Shane Larkin and 24-year-old Thomas Robinson as reasons why he's optimistic.

"I obviously see potential in guys like Shane running the team, his athleticism, making plays," Lopez told Popper. "And just T-Rob's motor, he just keeps going, and I know he's making me better out there every day I play against him. I think he's doing that for every one of the bigs."

But, he noted as well, "We can't really have guys that just don't show up."

As others have written, star talent is hard to come by on the Nets. It's going to be all about chemistry and effort.  Whether that will be enough is the question.

• Nets aware of limitations, happy just to make playoffs - NY Daily News - Daniel Popper - New York Daily News
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