Nash: Nets aren't in same category as Warriors

Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash doesn't believe people should consider his club as one of the NBA's elite teams alongside the Golden State Warriors.

"Well, I just don't think we're in that category yet," Nash told reporters Tuesday after the Nets' 117-99 loss to the Warriors, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

"We got a lot of work to do. We're trying to improve as a group, get better, and hopefully, we can find a way to overcome some of our deficiencies by the end of the year."

Brooklyn sits third in the East with a 10-5 record but has dropped contests to the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. Despite boasting Kevin Durant and James Harden, the Nets rank 17th in points per game and offensive efficiency.

Nash attributed Brooklyn's scoring woes to All-Star guard Kyrie Irving's absence as well as the new faces on the roster.

"I think offensively we have all these different lineups, different backgrounds, styles of play, 10 new players on our team. It takes time," Nash said.

"We started the year with a continuity plan from last year that got thrown out the window obviously when (Irving) didn't come back, so we're trying to build and figure it out."