"As the Nets begin a home-and-home set with the 6-20 Pistons tonight at Prudential Center, they have a pair of golden opportunities to begin to create some positive momentum after losing three straight games.

Of course, considering the Nets are merely 8-18 this season, there's little doubt the Pistons are thinking the same thing.

"I'm never gonna overlook anybody, or belittle anybody," Deron Williams said after yesterday's practice. "They're a good team, an NBA team . . . they have great players on that team, they have a good coach.

"Anything can happen, but it's definitely a team we think we can compete with and beat on any night, and we're going to try to do that.""