Nets know they need better rebounding

It’s hardly a secret, and maybe that’s why it’s so frustrating.

The Nets know that to succeed they need better rebounding, but understanding the why is far from figuring out the how. Sunday, in their loss against the Nuggets, it meant slowing down the pace, taking away some fast-break opportunities and lagging a little more in transition. But even that wasn’t quite enough.

“We did try to sacrifice that and bring guys back and try to hit,” Jacque Vaughn said. “If we couldn’t get back out on the break then that’s part of it.

“I want our guys to embrace it, realize that [rebounding is the] big difference [in] us being a pretty good defensive team.”

For what it’s worth, the Nets, who are the second-worst rebounding team in the league, were only outdone 40-33 against the Nuggets, and actually won the offensive board game.

“I do think there’s been some slight improvements,” Cam Johnson said. “It’s something we’re going to emphasize going forward. I definitely think we crashed the glass with intent this time today.”

They’re also going to eventually get some help from Moses Brown, who’s 7-2 and just signed a 10-day contract. Brown, 23, was averaging 4.1 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per game with the Clippers. Vaughn said he’d integrate him eventually but wasn’t quite ready to throw him in on Sunday.

“I talked a little bit about just how big he is,” Vaughn said. “And you know, his ability to be at the rim for us. But he’s also a big who can run the floor and is agile enough to catch the basketball and finish. So, there’s some additional size for us, so hopefully he’ll get a chance to get a look out on the floor soon.”

n  No timetable on Simmons

Vaughn said Ben Simmons, who’s missed the last 13 games with back and knee injuries, has suffered no setbacks and is continuing to progress on the court, but he has no timetable for his return. Vaughn has said that the Nets are “operating under the belief” that Simmons will return this season.