After two lopsided losses in New Jersey in which Toronto looked nervous and overwhelmed, Raptor center Rasho Nesterovic, who won a championship with the Spurs, said his team might not have been mentally prepared for the challenge of playoff basketball.

"We just didn't play like we should," Nesterovic said at practice Monday. "If you're not ready, teams are going to jump on you early. That's what they did from the beginning.

"We were kind of thinking that we were ready, but we probably weren't."

Joey Graham came into the playoffs as the starting small forward for the Raptors, but was replaced by Andrea Bargnani.

Graham, might not even be good enough to stay in the NBA when his contract expires after next season, suggests the Toronto Star.

The Raptors are talking about their return to the playoffs as a learning experience -- and the Nets sure are teaching them a lesson.

Vince Carter scored 27 points, Richard Jefferson added 23, and the Nets took a 3-1 lead over the Atlantic Division champions Sunday night with a 102-81 victory -- their second-biggest ever in a playoff game.

Although Raptors coach Sam Mitchell wouldn't say so, all evidence points to rookie Andrea Bargnani getting his first start since January and only his third of the season, replacing a lifeless Joey Graham in the lineup as the Raptors try to even the series at 2-2.

Bargnani was wearing a black top along with the other starters during the pre-game shoot-around this morning, and when he asked if he was starting he said, "Yeah?.We have to do something because the last game here was very bad."

Bargnani has struggled during the series, shooting just 27.8 per cent in the three games while searching for his timing after missing the last month of the season following an appendectomy.

There may be some question about who's starting at point guard, however, as T.J. Ford didn't participate in the shoot-around because of what Mitchell said was an upset stomach.

With Joey Graham no longer part of the equation, Sam Mitchell has to come up with a solution for the Raptors' struggles at small forward.

He's not about to divulge just how he'll do that but the bold move, the move that's right out of left field, may involve one of the more struggling Raptors.

The logical assumption would be that Mitchell will turn to Morris Peterson to fill Graham's spot, but he could throw everyone a curve and call on rookie Andrea Bargnani.

"I'm going to do something but I'm not going to tell you guys right now since I don't have to," Mitchell said yesterday.

Mitchell benched Graham for the second half of Friday's game because he was playing so poorly.

Sam Mitchell's throwaway line referring to Jason Kidd's "so-called" knee injury was treated as a disrespectful shot at the future hall of famer in some parts yesterday.

What was meant as a compliment ? the Raptors no more expected Kidd to miss Game 3 than they expected the New Jersey Nets to lie down and play dead ? turned into something of a cause c?l?bre here yesterday.

"They don't have to see me go through what I have to go through to get ready," Kidd said. "Timmy (Nets athletic trainer Tim Walsh) sees what I have to do to get ready. Between the two of us he gets me ready.

"I have confidence in him and the doctor to say that I have nothing to be concerned about. Everybody will have their opinion if I'm hurt or not."

Sam Mitchell wondered last night whether Jason Kidd pulled off the "Charade-of-the-Year."

After Jason Kidd sliced up his Raptors with 19 assists, 16 rebounds and 16 points as the Nets captured Game 3 in a 102-89 Meadowlands rout, Mitchell described the Nets point guard's left-knee strain this way: "Supposedly, with this so-called injury he had."

Mitchell's players were baffled afterward that Kidd was classified "a game-time decision" after missing Thursday's practice and visiting doctors in Manhattan.

"No, he didn't look like he had an injury," said Chris Bosh, who looked hurt himself with an invisible 11-point, 3-of-10 outing, clogged by Kidd helping on the double-team. "I know how that is sometimes."

The young Raptors are fast learning playoff gamesmanship. Kidd already had his triple-double sealed midway through the third quarter, running their glorious fastbreak.

"You couldn't tell he had a strained right knee tonight," said a frustrated Mo Peterson, who committed a flagrant foul in the third quarter, bashing a driving Richard Jefferson in the neck. "To do what he did was almost unbelievable. That's what I'm saying, man, 16 and 19, and saying you have a bad wheel, I don't know."

Jason Kidd had a playoff career-high 19 assists in his 10th postseason triple-double, Carter scored 37 points, and the New Jersey Nets beat the Toronto Raptors 102-89 on Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Jason Kidd is expected to play when the New Jersey Nets host the Toronto Raptors for Game 3 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff match-up.  He is nursing a sore knee.

"It's the playoffs. Jason Kidd is going to play. We hadn't even told our team," said Raptors' head coach Sam Mitchell. "We have basketball game to play and Jason Kidd is going to play."

There was some doubts about Kidd's' readiness for Friday night's game after he reported some swelling on his left knee Wednesday and missed the Nets practice to see a doctor in Manhattan.

Jason Kidd was having a sore left knee examined by team physicians in New York and did not practice with the Nets on Thursday.

The point guard was at the Nets facility for a tape session before being sent to the doctor, New Jersey coach Lawrence Frank said.

Team officials said there was slight swelling in Kidd's left knee.

Frank said the trip to the doctor was precautionary more than anything. "He just bumped it. We wanted to take precaution so we'll see where it?s at," said the coach. "He just had some discomfort. We?ll leave it to the doctors. I don?t want to fuel speculation. This is all we know."

He is a game-time decision for Game 3, but teammates expect him to play.