It's difficult to determine which is more surprising -- seeing the Heat at the bottom of the Atlantic Division or New Jersey at the top.

The Nets, who had never been in first this late in a season since leaving the ABA, visit AmericanAirlines Arena tonight with the NBA's premier playmaker in Jason Kidd and its most skilled roster in more than a decade. The Nets are 13-7 after finishing 26-56 last season.

``Just making the playoffs isn't enough,'' guard Kerry Kittles said. ``We're not just looking to be the seventh or eighth seed.''

Kidd, acquired over the summer from Phoenix in a multiplayer deal that sent Stephon Marbury to the Suns, has revitalized a moribund franchise and could finish in the top four in MVP balloting if the Nets win the Atlantic Division.

Kidd ranks second in the NBA in assists at 10 per game, slightly behind Cleveland's Andre Miller (10.6).

``Jason has turned around our team,'' coach Byron Scott said. ``Our system is tailor-made for Jason because we want to run a lot and he has the ball in his hands 90 percent of the time and makes good decisions. It's amazing the way this guy can dominate the game. He doesn't have to score. You just don't see many guys in this league that are able to do that.''

Scott said Marbury became a negative influence on a losing team by the end of last season: ``I like guys like Jason that are very positive and uplift his teammates. Stephon did not do that. If he did say something to his teammates, nine out of 10 times, it was negative. That's not the type of leader we needed.''