Brook Lopez isn't backing down from his claim that the Nets can make the playoffs this coming season.

"I want to say we can be a good playoff team," Lopez, who made a similar claim earlier this offseason, told the Star Ledger. "We have enough talent, enough intelligent guys. Just from pickup games, you can see us really come together on the defensive end."

With that said, Lopez knows that New Jersey has a young, unproven team.

"We have young, eager guys who are out here. Some a bit naive in that regard -- they ignore the press. But they have a general idea of where we're supposed to be. We're coming together, we're expecting to play well.

"A lot of guys want to prove themselves, get out and play basketball and show what we can do. We have a really good group of strong-minded guys who see what we should be and what we can be and attain our goals."

The Nets traded Vince Carter to the Magic back in June for a package that included Courtney Lee.

Via Star Ledger

New Jersey Nets

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