The Nets have opened the season 1-4 — their worst start since 2015-16 — despite the fact that both of their high-scoring superstars, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, have been available in every game.

They are what happens when unstoppable offense gets wasted by unacceptable defense.

Brooklyn has a horrible habit of turning opposing stars into supernovas. After an offseason that saw its two cornerstones each on the verge of jumping ship, the Nets’ season may now hinge on whether they can hold morale together long enough to shore up one of the worst defenses in basketball.

“Sounds like a pretty word, morale; all the nice terms we throw around the game of basketball,” Irving said. “But really, it’s preparation, going out there and executing and really just trusting that your work that you put in before the game will pay off. We just want to play free.