Nets' Julius Randle doesn't believe team is 'letting go of the rope'

Brooklyn Nets forward Julius Randle has maintained that the Nets have to work on being more connected as a team when they're facing adversity, especially given that they're 2-8 through their first 10 games. Brooklyn is currently 0-2 on its four-game road trip and while the Nets understand that there are 72 more games to go, Randle is giving his take on where the team stands now. "Honestly, I'm not really sure. I gotta watch the film, to be honest. But, they were getting a lot of stuff off of switching, and credit to them," Randle said to the media after Sunday's 130-93 loss to the Dallas Mavericks . Brooklyn were within striking distance throughout the first quarter, but the Mavericks built as much as a 26-point lead in the second quarter as the Nets looked discouraged by the growing deficit. "[We] just got to find a way to get back to being a connected group on both ends. I feel like we do a good job of communicating, but it's not really translating," Randle said when asked for his takeaways from this weekend. "So, [we have to figure out] how to make things translate. Basketball is a funny game; it can turn really quick. So, I think [we have to] continue to be optimistic, stay positive." This hasn't been the first time that Randle or any of the other players have had to address the team being disconnected and it's easy to see when it comes to the numerous defensive breakdowns. For his part, Randle ended Sunday's loss to the Mavericks with 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists, but he was also a -33 plus/minus, easily the worst mark on the team. As head coach Jordi Fernandez and center Mo Wagner have spoken on since Sunday's game ended, the Nets eventually have to find a way to get on the same page if they're going to string together some wins. Wednesday's contest pits them against the New Orleans Pelicans (4-7) and if Brooklyn isn't careful, they could find themselves with an 0-3 record on their current road trip.