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Harris leads surging Nets against Knicks

Dec 10, 2008 - 11:38 AM New York (9-12) at New Jersey (11-8), 7:30pm EST

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- As they get set to take on one of their chief Atlantic Division rivals for the first time, the New Jersey Nets at least come into the showdown fresh and well-rested.

After three days off, the Nets will host the struggling New York Knicks on Wednesday as they look to continue their surprising early season showing.

The Nets have won two straight and five of six - largely on the back of emerging star Devin Harris, who is making a bid for his first All-Star appearance. The fifth-year point guard has carried the Nets in his first full campaign with the club after being acquired from the Dallas Mavericks in February.

Harris is sixth in the league at 24.4 points per game. In the Nets' 95-84 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, Harris collected 27 points and eight assists while hitting 9-of-17 from the floor. He has six showings of 30 or more points, including a 47-point effort on November 30 against Phoenix.

The Knicks are still looking for that kind of offensive consistency. They have lost four of five to fall three games below the .500 mark, while new acquisitions Al Harrington and Tim Thomas - picked up in a pair of separate trades last month - have been up and down. The only reliable scoring option in the backcourt recently has been Chris Duhon, who isn't typically known as a great shooter or scorer but is averaging 13.4 points and 11.7 assists over his last six games.