Over the past two games, Yi Jianlian has looked nothing like the lethargic and uninspiring forward he was in 2008. Shooting over .500 from the field and shooting with extra confidence, Yi has been exactly what the doctor ordered for this team, especially considering that Devin Harris has been battling injuries lately.

His first 20-point game in a month and a half on Monday against the Kings, Yi’s defense was also markedly better. Is he worth what the Nets gave up for him yet? Absolutely not, but if he can find some type of consistency, basically get himself to about 15 points and eight boards, this Nets team can and will be a lot better than .500.

It may not start with Yi, but it has a lot to do with him. His teammates know it too.

“Yi was tremendous for us tonight, not only putting the ball in the basket, but giving us extra possessions with his aggressiveness, and blocking a couple of shots,” Carter told the AP on Wednesday. “It was great to see.”

Net Fans Angry?-The way the team has played at home this season, going 8-12 through their first 20 games there, you’d expect some type of reaction eventually.

Well it’s come and it’s in the form of boos.

Apparently, Keyon Dooling isn’t a fan of boos.

“You’re not used to hearing it at home,” Dooling said. “We don’t like the boos at home. It doesn’t make us play better. If they come and cheer us, that will be more helpful. We want to get it right. We don’t want to lose especially on our home court. We want to give them a good show. But unfortunately in this league sometimes you have slow starts or rough starts and cheering would help us get through it.”

Well, Mr. Dooling, when you give up 10 point leads faster than Amy Winehouse’s daily sobriety, the fans that pay their hard-earned money to watch you are of course, going to vent.

Rattling off two consecutive wins at home, maybe this team is starting to understand what it takes to win at the Izod Center. One things for sure, if they can play .500 at home and continue to play the way they have been on the road this season, this team may even make the playoffs.

It’s a weird situation, but as long as it continues, this team may end up in a much better predicament than anyone else thought they would.