Even as the Brooklyn Nets become a fully healthy team, they continue to slump.

The struggles have been ongoing for over a month and the Nets attempt to halt a three-game losing streak Monday night when they host the Dallas Mavericks and standout rookie Luka Doncic.

On Friday, Spencer Dinwiddie returned from missing 14 games with torn ligaments in his right thumb that required surgery and the Nets sustained a 123-112 home loss to Charlotte. A night later, the Nets turned in an uglier performance by shooting 35.2 percent in a 117-88 loss at Miami.

At 32-33, the Nets are under .500 for the first time since they were 22-23 after a 109-102 win over the Boston Celtics on Jan. 14. That win began a six-game losing streak but since Jan. 25, Brooklyn is 5-10 in its last 15 games and six losses are by double digits.

The Nets are also struggling at home where they have dropped five of their last seven games since Feb. 4. They also are running out of time to bank home wins since a seven-game road trip starts in Oklahoma City on March 13.

"This is kind of like playoff time and teams raise their level, so just playing good defense isn't good enough," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said after his team sustained their most lopsided loss of the season. "We have to take another step up, and the contests have to be a little better, the individual defense has got to be a little better. We've got to turn it up a notch. Just being OK, or good isn't good enough right now with teams desperate to get in the playoffs." >> Read more

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