New Jersey Nets' Harris no longer gets down on self for poor play

New Jersey point guard Devin Harris would be the first to tell you that he might not have been as mentally tough as he needed to be in his first couple years in the NBA. However, he is 'thinking foward' more and try to play through his mistakes. Here is a good article on his mental state right now & how he kept fighting through a rough game recently to help his team defeat the Kings on the road.

Says Harris: "It's good for me mentally, just knowing the first, second, third quarter, (that) I didn't have it," he said in the aftermath of the Nets' bizarre 116-114 overtime victory. "I could have beaten myself up easily. I've done it in the past, where I just totally locked down in the fourth quarter. But tonight wasn't the case. It was a good game for us mentally."

"Early on in my career, I would have just totally let down in that fourth quarter. But I can't afford that here," Harris said. "Guys are depending on me and I've got to deliver."

Consistent Leadership

The New Jersey Nets are picked by the 'experts' to finish toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference this season due to alot of young players replacing all-star veterans such as Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson. However, according to Vince Carter and up and coming point guard Devin Harris, they are looking to suprise a few people by simply outworking their opponent:

“It was important to establish my dedication to the team and let the new vets know that I want to win,” Vince Carter said. “Regardless of what’s being said or predicted, I want to win. My mentality is that we have a good enough team to win basketball games. Now, who else is going to jump on board and believe it?”

On Devin Harris:

As he looks to improve on last year, the 25-year-old point guard has prepared himself to take control of the offense. And with only three players on the roster who were on the team at the beginning of last season, the role of floor leader has Harris joining Carter in setting a strong example for his teammates.

“(Coach Lawrence Frank) talked about it during the summer,” Harris said. “The thing about being a leader is, I’m going to have to be the same guy every day. I’m going to have to show the same face every day. Whether we win or lose, I can’t be too hard. Patience is definitely going to be tested, but we have expectations on ourselves.”

Coach Frank added:

“You know whose team it is?” asked Frank, rhetorically. “It’s everyone’s team. It’s not Vince’s team or Devin’s team or anyone’s – it’s our team, collectively. Everyone has a responsibility. No one can abdicate themselves by saying, ‘Hey, it’s not me.’ No. We all have a job to do. And if everyone does their job on a consistent basis, then we’ll be as good as we can be.”