Nets finish off Hornets

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Posted 7:52AM on Thursday, May 16, 2002

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The New Jersey Nets haven't enjoyed this kind of glory since their ABA days. Instead of Dr. J though, it's J-Kidd in what has become one of the great turnaround seasons in NBA history. Jason Kidd scored 23 points and made several plays that swung the momentum as the Nets defeated Charlotte 103-95 Wednesday night in Game 5 in the Hornets' last game before moving to New Orleans next season. The Nets earned their first trip to the Eastern Conference finals since joining the NBA in 1976, and will play the Boston Celtics in a best-of-seven series that will start here on Sunday. In the West, the Lakers and Kings begin their conference final in Sacramento on Saturday. The Nets-Celtics series pits a two-time ABA champion in the 1970s against a franchise that has won an NBA-best 16 titles. ``We have answered a lot of questions that were out there since October and the next question is if we are going to beat a talented team in Boston,'' said Kidd, who also had 13 assists, seven rebounds and five steals. ``I think this has been a dream season for us and we do not want it to end.'' Before this season, the Nets had made it out of the second round of the playoffs only once (1984) in their first 25 years in the NBA. They made the playoffs once since 1994. However, everything has changed this year following the offseason trade with Phoenix for fellow All-Star point guard Stephon Marbury. ``I came in with the attitude that on paper we had some talented guys and my job was to get them to play and have confidence in each other,'' Kidd said. Kidd did that and the Nets went 52-30 just a year after going 26-56. The thread most of the season was Kidd's ability to deliver in big games. It happened again in this series, notably in Game 4 when a one-eyed Kidd scored 24 points a little more than two days after getting 15 stitches to close a gash above his right eye. ``Jason has been like this in big games all season long,'' Nets coach Byron Scott Wednesday. ``He has been the one guy who has done a little of everything for us and tonight was no different. He didn't want to lose this game.'' The game featured 14 lead changes and 18 ties, and the key for the Nets again was fourth-quarter defense. New Jersey held Charlotte to one field goal in the final 7:37. ``The fourth quarter seems to be our time,'' said Nets center Todd MacCulloch, who had a big put-back basket after Kidd's steal. ``When it comes down to six minutes left, five minutes left, we're going to do a good job defensively.'' The game changed in the Nets' favor after Baron Davis fouled out going up against MacCulloch for a rebound with 5:36 to play. ``I don't think I fouled him,'' said Davis, who finished with 13 points. ``The call was made and it turned the game around.'' Charlotte's next field goal was a 3-pointer by David Wesley with 20 seconds to play. Two free throws by Jamaal Magloire gave the Hornets an 89-86 with 5:18 to play. Kenyon Martin then made one of two free throws to cut the lead to two points and Kidd set up Kerry Kittles for a go-ahead 3-pointer with 4:39 to go. The next play might have sealed the outcome. After Wesley brought up the ball and passed to his left, Kidd reached out, got a hand on the pass and stole the ball. MacCulloch scored on a put-back, and the Nets were ahead 92-89. New Jersey scored seven of the next nine points, with Keith Van Horn hitting a long 3-pointer with 2:31 to play and dancing at center court with his hands in the air. ``I thought at that point we had it,'' said Van Horn, who finished with 16 points. ``In tight games like that you see shots that dramatically change the way the game goes, and I felt that was one of them.'' Kittles finished with 18 points and Martin had 14, including a slam that started the final celebration. ``There are so many nights when something like this felt like it was on the other side of the mountain. I'm going to enjoy this for a long, long time,'' Nets guard Lucious Harris said. Magloire had 14 points and Wesley scored 13 for Charlotte. The Hornets played the entire series without Jamal Mashburn, who was sidelined with a viral ailment. NOTES: For the first time since 1983-84, the NBA will have a team in the championship round that didn't make the playoffs the year before. The Nets and Celtics missed the playoffs last year. ... There were 77 fouls and one technical, resulting in 81 free throws. ... The Hornets are 0-7 when facing elimination. ... After the game, 300 to 400 fans lined up to buy tickets for the conference final.