Kittles provided the outside shooting presence the Nets desperately lacked in the series, and he played inspired defense tonight.

That was exactly the type of steady and disciplined work ethic the Nets lacked in the third quarter against Phoenix.

Down the stretch, the Nets lacked cohesion and focus.

All right, the Nets lack true grit and playoff perseverance.

But the Nets not only lacked energy, they also lacked focus from the start, breaking down in key moments.

The Nets lacked the ferocity they showed from the start Friday.

It wasn't effort that the Nets lacked this time, it was execution.

The problem cannot be that the Nets and the Devils lack the name of a proper city on their jerseys.

This was exactly the kind of spirited fun --if not luck - the Nets had lacked recently.

Meanwhile, despite their impressive record, the Nets lack a 20-point-a-game scorer who can consistently create open shots for himself.