EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) A day after taunting at practice nearly escalated into a fight, Alonzo Mourning insists all is well.

``Every day we always joke around and trash talk,'' Mourning said after the Nets practiced Friday. ``That's part of the league. It really was nothing. I didn't hear him say anything. We have to have camaraderie and be able to joke around and say things to each other. But nothing happened.''

Mourning and Kenyon Martin _ two stars on a team that went to the NBA Finals the last two seasons _ didn't speak to each other Friday and no apologies were offered during a three-hour practice for Saturday's home game against Toronto.

Nets coach Byron Scott saw no need to address the situation with the players.

``This is not like Kobe-Shaq,'' Scott said, referring to the much-publicized feud between the two Los Angeles Lakers stars.

Point guard Jason Kidd was kept out of Friday's practice with a sore left knee. His status will be a game-time decision Saturday, Scott said.

A day earlier, Mourning had threatened to go after Martin when some taunting got too personal. Martin and teammate Richard Jefferson had been joking about Mourning's inability to run conditioning drills near the end of practice.

Mourning then apparently said something about Martin's recovery from a sprained ankle. Martin responded with a comment about Mourning's life-threatening kidney disease that forced Mourning to miss most of two of the last three seasons.

Mourning became incensed and went after Martin, shouting, ``You talk about my kidney? I'll put you on your back.''

Teammates Rodney Rogers and Aaron Williams grabbed Mourning and held him back.

On Friday, during a lighthearted dunking drill in the closing minutes of practice, Mourning and Martin were on the same side of the floor. While the two players were spotted smiling and enjoying the drill, they didn't speak to each other and their eyes never met.

``These are just two guys who are frustrated by the way the team is playing and they went after each other a little,'' Scott said.

``But the whole team is doing that, not just Kenyon and 'Zo. Any family member knows that you have arguments when you live with someone every day. Every day you spend with a family member isn't always rosy. That's what happened here. It's over.''

Scott seemed to think what happened could actually help the Nets (5-6).

``It shows where we are and it shows me how much this team cares,'' he said. ``We're moving forward and we hope to bring that same kind of intensity into the games. Things like this have happened before, but you guys (the media) weren't here, so it wasn't reported.''

Martin declined to speak with reporters after practice.

Mourning said he thinks the episode might have been fueled by the Nets' lackluster performance this season.

``We're better than our record shows,'' said Mourning, who has been averaging just 7.4 and 2.3 rebounds in 18.1 minutes coming off the bench. ``We have too much talent, a ton of talent to be in this position. We all have to get better, but Alonzo Mourning has to play better to help this team. We're just upset with our play, disappointed and concerned. We just have to get back on the winning track.''