For the last two months, the Brooklyn Nets have drawn notice in a positive light due to their turnaround and emergence into the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Even with a solid last two months, recent results show the Nets are slightly staggering toward the All-Star break.

They hope to head into the break with a winning record Wednesday night when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers, who entered Tuesday with the NBA's third-worst record (12-45).

Brooklyn (29-29) hasn't been above .500 at the All-Star break since 2012-13, when it was 31-22, which was the only time since 2005-06.

After watching Paul George hit a game-winning jumper and the Oklahoma City Thunder rally from a 23-point deficit on Dec. 5, the Nets were 8-18. They are 21-11 since, but since winning six in a row from Jan. 14-25, they've lost six of eight, including four straight road losses.

One of Brooklyn's worst performances since its turnaround came in Friday's 125-106 home loss to the Chicago Bulls. The Nets followed it up with a difficult 127-125 loss in Toronto on Monday in a game that was decided by Kawhi Leonard's bank jumper with 4.4 seconds remaining.

"I just want to keep building on this game," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "Sure we want to go into the break with positive momentum, but I want to play another high-level game. That doesn't always guarantee success in this league as you know, but I really liked our rhythm tonight. We had good chemistry. Everybody played well."

The Nets continue to get stellar performances from All-Star D'Angelo Russell, who totaled 28 points and a career-high 14 assists Monday. Russell also had seven rebounds but missed the game-winning 3-point attempt as time expired.

Russell has seven double-doubles and is averaging 21.6 points and 7.4 assists since the turnaround began. >> Read More

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