Kidd helps Nets tie playoff series with Pacers
Jason Kidd fell just short of a triple-double and Kenyon Martin had 19 points as New Jersey tied its Eastern Conference first-round series with Indiana at 1-1 with a 95-79 victory on Monday.
In the Western Conference, the Seattle SuperSonics also made it 1-1 in their five-game series with San Antonio by defeating the Spurs 98-90.
Kidd finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Nets showcased the balanced attack that helped them streak to the best record in the Eastern Conference.
He completely dominated Pacers rookie Jamaal Tinsley, who was plagued by foul trouble and did not score.
The only real trouble Kidd had was when he lost a shoe -- twice. That was the only bump in the road for New Jersey as Keith Van Horn came up with 17 points and reserve forward Aaron Williams added 15.
The Nets gained control of the game with a 15-3 run to close the second half. Kidd scored 10 points in the spurt, including a jump shot that provided a 49-38 cushion at intermission.
Reggie Miller's jumper pulled Indiana within 51-48 just over four minutes into the second half but Kidd had three baskets in an 8-2 run for a 59-50 edge with 6:22 to go.
"Everybody on our team knew that this was a must-win," New Jersey coach Byron Scott said. "I am not sure that everyone wanted to admit it."
"I think everybody was a little bit more relaxed tonight," Kidd said. "They gave me a sense that everybody was ready to play. You could tell the atmosphere was different."
"I was pretty fired up for tonight's game. I enjoy the battle and that's what it's all about."
"I think we just really wanted to come out and play Nets basketball, like we have throughout the whole regular season," Van Horn said. "In the first game, it wasn't there. We weren't playing like ourselves."
NOT COMFORTABLE
"They did a lot of things right tonight," Miller said. "You have to give their defense a lot of credit. They forced us into a lot of situations that we were not comfortable with."
Brad Miller, who posted a double-double on Saturday with 18 points and 12 rebounds, managed only 10 and four. No other Pacer broke into double figures.
The contrast in the two games for New Jersey was evident on the defensive end.
The Nets allowed 52 points in the first half on Saturday but limited the Pacers to 39 percent shooting (11-of-28) in the first 24 minutes and only four baskets in the second quarter on Monday.
New Jersey posted its first victory in a playoff game since a 94-93 overtime win over New York here on May 4, 1994.
The win also snapped a three-game home losing streak for New Jersey, which owned the best home record in the East with a 33-8 mark. The Nets were boosted by a sellout crowd after falling over 1,000 fans short of capacity in the opener.
In San Antonio, Gary Payton scored 21 points as the SuperSonics constantly double-teamed Tim Duncan and used a balanced attack to defeat the Spurs 98-90.
David Robinson was out with a lower back strain and Seattle sent every big man available to Duncan, who still finished with 32 points.
However, the Sonics forced the ball out of his hands with double-teams and Duncan's colleagues were unable to make them pay.
Seattle took the lead for good when Vladimir Radmanovic scored five straight points and Jerome James added a tip-in for an 80-74 lead with 9:12 remaining.
Duncan scored inside to cap a run of six straight points to pull San Antonio within 85-84 with 5:24 left.
Payton responded with a tough turnaround jumper over Spurs rookie Tony Parker and Rashard Lewis added a basket for an 89-84 lead with just over four minutes left. Seattle held the Spurs without a basket for the final 5:24.
Lewis scored 19 points and Vin Baker collected 15 and 10 rebounds for Seattle, which hosts Game Three on Saturday afternoon.
