The New Jersey Nets set an NBA record by losing their 18th straight game to begin the season after falling to the Dallas Mavericks last night. Previously, the 1988-89 Miami Heat and 1999 Los Angeles Clippers had dropped their first 17 contests.

Underacheivers.

The Nets did it in style, too, giving up 77 first-half points -- including 49 in the second quarter to the Mavs -- in front of a sparse, paper-bag-wearing crowd.

Simply put, nothing is going right for them.

Kiki Vanderweghe, the team's general manager, has replaced Lawrence Frank on the sidelines, they've been plagued with injury and after injury, Chris Douglas-Roberts had swine flu and part owner Jay-Z only sings about Manhattan anymore.

Next, they'll seek to avoid setting the league's all-time losing streak record, which is 23 games.