By Tom Canavan
Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Jason Kidd is performing a magic show for the New Jersey Nets in more ways than one. For his latest act, he turned lumbering Todd MacCulloch into a big-time scorer.
Kidd had 16 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds as the red-hot Nets beat the Seattle SuperSonics 106-94 Thursday night. According to coach Byron Scott, Kidd is playing like Magic Johnson.
“I’ve been making that comparison for a long time,” Scott said after Kidd led the Nets to their fourth win in five games. “Jason Kidd is the second coming of him, only a shorter version.
“He’s a guy who can carry you on his back,” Scott added. “He uplifts his teammates just like Magic.”
The 29-point performance by the second-year center was a career best, and it came on 11-of-14 shooting from the field. Most of the shots were gimmes in the paint. MacCulloch also had 10 rebounds.
“Jason Kidd knows exactly where you are, and you’re always rewarded,” MacCulloch said “It’s a very unselfish team. The only way I am effective is if I get the ball from these guys.”
That’s what Kidd strives to do.
“I enjoy having the ball,” Kidd said. “I want it to ride on my shoulders to create a play or a shot for one of my teammates or to step up and knock down a shot.”
Keith Van Horn added 20 points and 12 rebounds, Kenyon Martin had 13 points and the Nets’ second-stringers played a big part in a 17-4 fourth-quarter spurt that decided the game.
Vin Baker had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Gary Payton added 19 points and Rashard Lewis had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the SuperSonics, who have lost two straight and four of six this season.
“We’re playing well,” Baker insisted. “It’s tough to play San Antonio, Utah, Sacramento and then go on the road against Miami, Orlando and a good New Jersey team. We have to fight through it. We’re right there.”
Seattle, which used a 10-4 spurt in the final four minutes of the third quarter to tie the game at 75, scored the first six points of the fourth quarter.
With Kidd, Van Horn and MacCulloch on the bench, the Nets started their run by getting two free throws from Derrick Dial, a jumper by Lucious Harris, a rebound jam by Martin, a three-point play from rookie center Jason Collins and a tip-in by Richard Jefferson for an 86-83 lead with 6:58 to play.
The starters returned shortly after that and finished off the win. MacCulloch, whose previous high was 21 points last season against Chicago, hit a three-point play, two free throws and found Kidd coming down the lane for basket. Kidd iced the game with a 3-point field goal and a jumper on which he lost his shoe.
“We didn’t expect 29 points out of him, he played well,” Baker said of MacCulloch. “But Jason makes it so much easier for those guys, they get so many easy baskets.”
Seattle shot 8-of-26 from the field in the final quarter, or 31 percent.
The Nets outscored Seattle 58-34 in the paint and 21-7 on the fast break.
Copyright ©2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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