Joe/Brook on Over/Under: We don't care

No one (other than Skyscraper Sports) is predicting anything but a season of hurt, 20 wins, 30 wins, maybe in the most optimistic calls, a whopping 40 wins. They have been called (one more time) "putrid," "pocket lint," "vanilla slowpokes" and "arguable the worst team in the NBA," (all by ESPN by the way)

But in Andy Vasquez's season preview --the absolute last word in such previews, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez are asked what they think of the punditry that has put so much of their fanbase in a funk, the Vegas wisdom that their over/under is no more than 28.5 wins.

They don't care...

"We can’t worry about that," Johnson said. "We can’t worry about the naysayers, or whatever the over/under is on this team. We’ve got a confident group of guys, man. We’ve been working hard since Day 1, and we’re looking forward to this new challenge. We’ll be ready."

"I don’t really care," Lopez said. "I guess they have some intel that we don’t."

A lot of the veteran Nets' confidence has to do with the cohesive locker room.

"I definitely think it’s 100 percent correct, astute," Brook Lopez said. "It is a different vibe and a different feeling ...  I definitely think it’ll translate onto the court. Guys’ will have each other’s backs and know that we’re out there playing for each other."

In a few hours, we (and they) will find out just how well chemistry, cohesion and confidence can carry a team. It's a worthy experiment.

• Nets Season Preview - Andy Vasquez - The Record