Gary Payton played like it was his last game in New Jersey with the Bucks.
While Jason Kidd was scoring five points in the final 95 seconds of the Nets' 89-82 Game 5 victory, Milwaukee's All-Star point guard was not nearly as clutch or as accurate. Payton missed six of seven shots in the fourth quarter as the Bucks wasted an opportunity to take control of this first-round series.

Possibly the best thing the Milwaukee Bucks can do at this point is to rewind back to the spring of 2001, when they were taking on the Charlotte Hornets in an Eastern Conference semifinal series.

The Bucks had lost Game 5 of that series at the Bradley Center to fall behind, 3-2, and face an elimination game in Charlotte. The Hornets had the balloons up in the rafters ready for the post-game celebration, but the Bucks threw a damper on those plans by winning Game 6 and returning the series to Milwaukee.

The committee to contain Kenyon Martin met with its first success Tuesday night, but the Milwaukee Bucks are still one game from summer because they got mugged under the basket. Toughness is a full-time job.

Just when the Bucks were beginning to think they couldn't be pushed around anymore, New Jersey proved otherwise. And never mind that the Nets' biggest bully spent 19 minutes just watching.

Future free agents Gary Payton of the Milwaukee Bucks and Jason Kidd of the New Jersey Nets are doing all they can to reach the next round of the National Basketball Association playoffs.

But one of them will be sitting at home when the Bucks-Nets series is over later this week. The Eastern Conference first-round series is tied, 2-2, with Game 5 set for tonight in East Rutherford, N.J., and Game 6 scheduled for Thursday night at the Bradley Center.

The all-star point guards said Monday that playoff results wouldn't determine whether they stay with their current teams.

The Nets are tied 2-2 in a first-round series that can go either way, and there's a reason why the defending Eastern Conference champs are in a pickle.

The guy who was supposed to make a difference, Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean Jacque Wamutombo, is leading the Nets in nothing but syllables.

Gary Payton's main concern in signing with a new team this summer will be that team's ability to compete for a championship according to Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News.

"I want to win a championship. That's the No.1 priority for me," Payton said after he led the Bucks to an 88-85 victory over the Nets on Tuesday night to even the first-round series at a game apiece. "I want to get a ring."

It is believed his most likely destination could be San Antonio, who could offer him the money he is looking for and offer him the opportunity to win now. Otherwise, Payton may have to take the mid-level exception on a team that is closer to winning a title.

While going to a winning team is Payton's priority, he is unsure of where he wants to go or what he wants to do. He does know, though, that his family will play a big role in his decision.

"I have no idea what I'll do on July 1," he said. "My family is really going to make the choice. I've got a daughter who's 14 and a son who's 10 and I don't want to take them away from the things that they like. But they've been in the rain (in Seattle) a long time. So I'll give them an opportunity to go where they want to go. But the situation has got to be right for me."

Jason Kidd believes there is a non-basketball related factor that could be a deciding factor in Payton's decision.

"Besides winning a championship," Kidd said, "I think what's important with Gary is that he's a WestCoast guy."

Payton, who will turn 35 this year, and Kidd realize that time is running out to win that elusive championship.

"My window is closing," Kidd said.

"We're both getting up in age, so we need to get somewhere where we can have a chance to get a ring," Payton said. "Me and 'J' are tired of seeing other guys win. So we've both got to go with the best situation. We've got to look at which team is getting stronger."

So does this mean the Bucks will only have Desmond Mason to show for trading Ray Allen? Not necessarily.

"I've got a coach here I'm lovin'," he said, referring to George Karl. "If we can get this team rolling and go far in these playoffs, and if I can see where we can get stronger in the future, shoot, this place would be great for me."

Dikembe Mutombo?s first year with the Nets has been for the most part, an unpleasant experience.  Between learning their intricate offense, being out of action with an injury for more than two-thirds of the regular season and the recent death of his brother, Mutombo has had a difficult time finding his role with the Nets.  

However, the timing of his comments yesterday could not be any worse for the New Jersey Nets.  

The New York Daily News? Ohm Youngmisuk reports that Mutombo feels he has been treated differently than other Nets who have suffered injuries during the regular season.

Dikembe states,"Seeing so many guys that have been hurt on the team being out for a month or for two weeks and then come back and they have their jobs back and you ask yourself why am I not (treated) that way?"

The situation doesn?t get any better as Byron Scott was quoted in an interview aired Saturday during the Nets pre-game show on WOR 710 radio, that Dikembe would start game 1 vs. the Bucks.  

With the Nets looking more focused than ever after beating the Bucks in game 1 109-96, unanticipated tension seems to be thickening at the center position.

Tom Enlund of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Milwaukee Head coach George Karl may start Tim Thomas in game two of Bucks-Nets series.

"We'll go five-on-five a little bit more (in practice today) and we'll see what happens," Karl said. "I was happy for (Thomas). He had a great fourth quarter and I thought we moved in a good direction in the fourth quarter. We spaced the court better, found some things and Timmy was big in that quarter."

Thomas said it was difficult starting out on the bench.

"I was definitely concerned with that," Thomas said. "I felt as though I needed to be out there in Game 1. It's not my decision. The only thing I can do now is be ready when my number is called.

"We need to win basketball games. I feel as though I need to be out there. I feel I can help the team but he's the coach, I'm the player. Whatever the situation may be it's going to be. Right now I'm just focusing on winning basketball games."