As rough as the Nets have looked this season, especially at times on the defensive end, the latest NBA.com power rankings say they’re not among the league’s three worst teams at this point.

Those spots belong to the Washington Wizards (No. 30), Indiana Pacers (No. 29) and New Orleans Pelicans (No. 28). Brooklyn landed at No. 27, with its only two wins coming against Washington and Indiana. The Nets won’t see New Orleans for the first time this season until Dec. 6.

What’s keeping Brooklyn from sinking into the league’s absolute basement? NBA.com’s John Schuhmann points to a defense that’s trending upward, and over the last two games against Orlando and Washington, the Nets have finally started to show consistent effort on that end, even though the numbers still paint a grim picture, w

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