"The Nets have a lot more problems than Yi Jianlian's recent shooting slump, but it is a poser:

After getting the entire league's attention with a superb eight-game stretch that included averages of 20.3 points (.476 shooting) and 7.0 rebounds, the starting power forward has been in a two-week slump – probably for a very good reason.

"Teams now see him as part of the game plan. Having said that, he's missed a lot of very easy shots – a lot of layups, wide-open jumpers," coach Kiki Vandeweghe said.

Team president Rod Thorn agreed, "Once you get on the radar, and they start game-planning for you, it gets harder. And our team hasn't played very well, so that's when you have to start making some adjustments. But if anyone has a real run — like he did when he came back — then you face, 'What do we do to slow this guy down?' We have to make adjustments."

Yi, who has averaged 13.1 points (.366 shooting) and 6.7 rebounds in the eight games leading into his second encounter with Marcus Camby and the Clippers Wednesday, was not looking for excuses.

"I'm just not finishing," he said during the morning workout. "I have to work more until I make it. I kind of (disappointed) myself a little bit."

As for the ongoing experiment of Yi's partnership with Brook Lopez, management isn't ready to draw any conclusions. They've only been together for 15 games since Yi returned from knee and mouth injuries.

"I think that's something we have to see as we go along — some games they've done well together, other games not so well," Thorn said. "Over the course of time, it will be more evident."