The Nets requested that questions directed to Jason Kidd in a postgame press conference pertain only to New Jersey's 104-95 win last night in Game 2. But that did not stop reporters from inquiring about distractions that surfaced over the last couple of days concerning Kidd and his wife.

Clearly, Kidd dealt well with the distractions, considering he came close to recording a triple-double with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists.

''There is always going to be distractions,'' said Kidd. ''It is just a matter of the magnitude of how you handle distractions. My teammates were great. My coaching staff was great. The support I got from my wife was great. She is awesome. It was just a matter of going out there and playing and not worrying about the sideshow. We had a game to win.''

Kidd knows he will likely face more distractions from fans at the FleetCenter. Last year, fans chanted ''Wife beater'' when Kidd stepped to the line. Whatever happens, Kidd is prepared to play the role of a so-called ''villain'' in the Boston area.