NEW YORK _ The thought of facing James Harden and Russell Westbrook seemed a little like a horror story, from the way coach Kenny Atkinson spoke about it. Here was this ferocious two-headed monster _ one that changes its shape and its style of attack depending on which one is at the helm _ and there was Kyrie Irving, the early hero in the Nets' disappointing 1-3 start.
That was the story going in, at least. Coming out, it's the Rockets that lived the horror story. The one in which they lost a 15-point, first-quarter lead and charged back in the fourth before eventually faltering against the new-look Nets.
And on this day, at least, it wasn't just Irving doing the damage. It was Caris LeVert and Garrett Temple and Taurean Prince. You know, the guys the Nets need to start producing if this season is to be anything more than a long, painful preamble to the Kevin Durant era. On Friday at the Barclays Center, it translated to a 123-116 win, only the Nets' second of the season, in a cohesive effort that looked a whole lot like the team has found a groove.
