Nets climb league rankings by refusing to wait for Irving to walk through the doors

Kevin Durant has been otherworldly and James Harden has created scoring plays for others, but the play of Brooklyn's new additions has as much to do with the team's current three game winning streak as anything.

LaMarcus Aldridge is automatic from the mid-range, Patty Mills is finding his long range touch as the former Spurs duo in impressing in early season action. The Nets roster is littered with All-Stars, but these are no one trick ponies. Mills brings defense on the perimeter along with Jevon Carter, while Aldridge and Paul Millsap hold down the paint and clean the glass.

Even without Kyrie Irving, the Nets are actually a more well rounded team than last year, even though defense and rebounding are continuously areas where they can and need to improve in.

As for Harden, he has not been his attack dog self as he spent the majority of the off-season rehabbing his hamstring with little live game action or practice under his belt to this point.

Harden can no longer benefit from touch fouls on the perimeter that he once turned into trips at the line with flailing shooting motions and rip moves. Nonetheless, Harden's lack of free throws attempts and scarcity of points in the paint are more a product of a player looking to regain his pre injury explosiveness and get into game shape than the impact the new rules have on his mindset.

The Nets are showing once again they're a force to be reckoned with whether Irving is in the picture or not.