Pierce is very inconsistent, and Terry hasn't gelled yet. Plus, our bench as a whole is still finding their identity. I think that's a good summation.
What's frustrating about the identity thing is that this team should not have any questions about their identity. Their only path to success against the best teams has to be tough, physical, swarming defense. The kind the Nets have been playing to get to 10-4.
As I described at length in another post, I think the bench was put together this off-season with the idea in mind that they would score, because trying to maintain the defense when KG isn't on the floor is a very difficult endeavor with the current roster options available. As you are perhaps suggesting, though, this creates an issue of identity, because we have mostly the same starting lineup which has hung its hat on slow, efficient half-court offense and tough D, but a bench that wants to play up-tempo and try to outscore the opponent.
What we've gotten as a result is a team that is scoring more, but is still nowhere close to an elite group on that end. Meanwhile, the overall defense has gone into the toilet because any unit without KG anchoring is a complete sieve.