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Kidd, Nets aim to eliminate Raptors

May 1, 2007 - 3:14 PM New Jersey at Toronto 7:00 pm EDT Eastern Conference first round Nets lead, 3-1

TORONTO (Ticker) - Despite battling a knee injury, New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd has the Toronto Raptors on the brink of elimination. But Raptors coach Sam Mitchell doesn't believe the superstar guard's health ever was in doubt.

Kidd and the Nets look to close out Mitchell and the Raptors when the teams face off in Game Five of their Eastern Conference first-round matchup Tuesday.

Kidd finished two rebounds shy of his second straight triple-double as the Nets rolled to a 102-81 victory over the Raptors on Sunday for a 3-1 lead. In Game Three, the 6-4 guard became the third player in club history post a triple-double in a playoff game.

But Kidd's health was in doubt prior to that game. He injured his left knee early in Game Two while attempting to draw an offensive foul. The All-Star point guard missed practice Thursday with a strained knee and was a game-time decision on Friday.

Mitchell had made comments strongly suggesting Kidd is overstating the injury, perhaps to inspire Toronto. Kidd was unfazed.

"The comments really didn't bother me, because we're not sitting here making up anything," Kidd said. "We're doing treatments, we're doing everything we can to prepare for the game. You can ask Timmy (trainer Tim Walsh), you can ask our doctor. The knee has swelled up, and we're doing everything we can to get me on the court."

If necessary, Game Six would be in New Jersey on Friday.

If the Nets are able to win the series Tuesday, they will move on the Eastern Conference semifinals for the fifth time in six years against the second-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, who swept the undermanned Washington Wizards.