Nets guard Eddie House (knee) and forward/center Josh Boone (shoulder) will be cleared for duty and available against Philly on Saturday.

"That should be it, Saturday," said Boone, "unless something happens between now and then."

Said House, who did more contact drills yesterday, "That's the plan. I've been running on it pounding on it, changing directions, spin moves. But I need to actually play against somebody."

Kevin Bradbury, agent for Jay Williams, told Rick Bonnel of the Charlotte Observer that he will not play in the NBA this season.  

Williams was cut in October by the New Jersey Nets and will continue his rehabe efforts, hoping to regain his quickness and then give training camp another shot next October.

The Bobcats got any shot they wanted in the first half and held on to hand the Nets their sixth-straight loss, a 96-92 defeat Tuesday night at Continental Arena that left Nets coach Lawrence Frank disgusted, puzzled and in an overall sour mood.

"We just put up no resistance on the defensive end in the first half," Frank said. "I don't know what to say right now.

"I would think we want to be hungry for a win. I guess right now we haven't bought into what it's going to take for us to win. We do it for a half."

New Jersey Nets forward Clifford Robinson underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on Monday to remove torn cartilage from his left knee, Nets President Rod Thorn announced.  The surgery was performed by Dr. David Altchek and Dr. Riley Williams III at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.  There is no timetable for his return.

Robinson has appeared in seven games this season, with averages of 5.4 ppg and 2.4 rpg, and has missed the last four games due to the injury. Currently in his 18th NBA season, Robinson has played in 1,337 games, seventh in NBA history.  The Buffalo, New York native is the second-oldest active player and 14th all-time in minutes played.  He holds career averages of 14.5 ppg and 4.6 rpg.

Nets forward-center Clifford Robinson, among the NBA's career leaders in games and minutes played, will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Monday.

"He's not responding to treatment, he still has swelling," New Jersey coach Lawrence Frank said before the Nets faced the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. "Monday afternoon, we'll have answers for it."

"I'm disappointed. Nobody wants to be out, especially when the team can use you," said Robinson, who will have surgery when the team's returns home. "It's better to get it done now than to be limping around all year."

Cliff Robinson ran a bit yesterday. The results were not good. And that could lead the Nets veteran forward to arthroscopic surgery on his sprained left knee when this road trip concludes.

"I moved around on it and it stiffened right up," said Robinson, who noted doctors found a tear in the meniscus, but it's not clear if it is a new tear or an old one. "That could be causing the problem.

"Hopefully, I won't have to have surgery," said Robinson. "When we get back, they'll have another look at it and see. I don't want to have [the arthroscope] but if they have to, then you've got to do what you've got to do."

Nets forward Cliff Robinson may be down with a left knee injury, the New York Post is reporting.

Robinson said after last night's 86-68 loss to the Blazers that he tweaked his knee in the first half and will go for an MRI today. He did not recall exactly how he hurt the knee.

"I'm going to get an MRI tomorrow to make sure I didn't tear anything. But right now, I don't know," said Robinson. "I don't know what play. I think it was on a drive to the basket but I don't recall."

Nets forward Richard Jefferson, who sprained his left ankle against Utah, sat his third straight game. There was hope he'd return this week, but Monday in Seattle is more likely.

"I think there's a very good chance I'll be back on the road trip," Jefferson said last night.

Vince Carter was cutting to the basket looking for a lob from Jason Kidd when Shaquille O'Neal got in the way. Carter was ridden out of bounds and immediately grabbed his right hand, wincing in pain.

When asked how he cut his arm, Carter replied "the top of the camera."

"The cameraman sitting on the court. I hit it as I was going by, hit the top of his camera and cut the skin right out of it," said Carter.

Nets forward Richard Jefferson left Friday night's game against the Heat midway through the third quarter with a left ankle injury.

Jefferson suffered the injury when he went up for a jump shot near the top of the key and landed on the foot of Miami's Shaquille O'Neal.