CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Well, LeBron James may win the race with his old team after all -- the one to a first win this season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers entered Wednesday's game as one of a quartet of teams without a victory. They had their fourth chance on Wednesday night to put a notch in that column against the Brooklyn Nets while also boosting morale following a few tough days, as Sunday's embarrassing loss in the home opener festered.

But after an admirable first half, staying even with the Nets, the Cavs got run off their own home floor for the second straight game, losing 102-86.

"We've got to be able to sustain it," head coach Tyronn Lue said. "I thought we did a good job in the first half of being physical, fighting over screens and even competing when we weren't making shots. And that third quarter we wasn't making shots. That let our defense down and we can't do that. The margin for error for us is too small right now to give in to that."

In a season of wins and lessons, Cleveland is still seeking the all-important but incredibly elusive W. The early-season teaching points haven't been an issue.

The Cavs have gotten off to slow starts before. They've had some incredibly baffling losses -- even in their most bountiful years. But this is different. This season, James is no longer around to pull the team out of the darkness and bring hope of brighter days. No, he's thousands of miles away still seeking his first victory with the Lakers.

Hours before the game, veteran Kyle Korver said this poor start will allow the Cavaliers to find out who they truly are.

Adversity has a way of providing answers -- either come together as one or be ripped apart by losses.

What are the Cavs made of? Everyone, including the players inside that melancholy locker room, is about to get that answer.

On Wednesday night, the Cavs looked disheveled and overmatched.

"Play hard and play smart," Tristan Thompson said. "You can play hard but play like a chicken with your head cut off and look like a damn idiot out there. We've got to follow our schemes."

Against Brooklyn, one of a handful of teams expected to fight for a back-end Eastern Conference playoff spot, the Cavs seemed to be playing a different sport, looking like a team with no chance to be in the same battle for a postseason berth.

For the fourth consecutive game, the Cavs trailed by at least 20 points, facing a deficit of 23 points in the second half.

A night Cleveland's picked-apart defense looked its best, the offense collapsed.

"I think we're supposed to be playing at a faster pace and seeing the ball move, getting those swing-swing actions," Kevin Love said. "But plain and simple we're not getting them right now at all. Teams are out-shooting us from 3 by a wide margin, teams are getting to those wide margins and we're not able to fight back. That has to change."

The Cavs tallied a season-low 86 points on 34-of-89 shooting. Love, who appears miscast as the No. 1 option on a team with playoff aspirations, struggled once again. He scored 14 points on 4-of-9 from the field and was largely ignored during the Nets' runaway third quarter, where they outscored the Cavs by 21 points.

Thompson missed nine of his 10 shots. Jordan Clarkson had his worst offensive showing of the season, needing 14 attempts to reach 14 points.

Rodney Hood, the de facto second scoring option, repeatedly passed up long-distance bombs for mid-range jumpers -- the NBA's most inefficient shot.

Cedi Osman stumbled again, tallying eight points on 4-of-12 shooting.

While the Nets were launching 3-pointers, going 14-of-34 from beyond the arc, the Cavs were playing inside the stripe. Cleveland went 3-of-18 on 3s, only taking four more than what the Nets made all game.

Lue talked about the team being in a good place heading into the night. They left the court in a much more somber mood, wondering what it will take.

"Fight, fight. If you don't fight you don't give yourself a chance," Thompson said. "You've got to fight out there and take it kind of personal. At the end of the day, coaches, fans, everyone can live with the team playing hard and giving an effort. Fall short, you can live with those results. But if you're not giving yourself an effort or a fight, you've got no chance in this league."

It's the latest test in a season that will be filled with them. The exams aren't going to stop. Winning is the only answer.

Through four games, the only race the Cavs look to truly be a part of is the one to the bottom. They've got a big head start there.

New rotation

The Cavaliers dusted off veterans JR Smith and Korver in the first half after neither guy played during Sunday's blowout loss against the Hawks, leading to some internal frustration. Both players have been a part of plenty of wins the past few seasons and the Cavs are hoping to capitalize on that vibe.

Neither guy helped much.

Korver scored two points in 19 minutes. He took two shots. Smith was able to get minutes at the power forward spot, matching Brooklyn's small-ball lineup. Lue has been searching for unique ways to get Smith some playing time and the downsized Nets provided a great opportunity.

Smith scored seven points in 18 minutes.

With Smith in the rotation, Sam Dekker, who had been the backup 4 during the first three losses, was headed for a DNP-CD before garbage time hit.

It will be tough for the Cavs to consistently use Smith as an undersized forward, especially Thursday night against the burly Pistons. But in matchups similar to Wednesday, the Cavs will be able to get away with that strategy.

Winning second quarter

One of Cleveland's problem areas was fixed. For one night anyway.

The Cavs, outscored 111-72 in second quarters of the first three games, won that 12-minute stretch by seven points. As a result, they didn't trail at halftime. Instead, the Cavs and Nets were tied at 45 following the first half.

Up next

The Cavs will play the second game of a back-to-back on the road Thursday night. Cleveland heads to Detroit to play the undefeated Pistons, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. at Little Caesars Arena.