NET NOTES

Vince Carter has averaged 25.6 points as a Net and 29.6 over his last 11 games, including back-to back torch jobs of 41 and 43. Know what he finds most satisfying?

His assists and rebounds.

“It is,” Carter said when asked if team play and hustle were more appealing than scoring – something that’s always brought him praise. “I’ve been like that for a while, especially now. I’ve set the goal of just being a couple of feet behind J-Kidd [in assists], and I’m getting results.

“The rebounds, I’m just trying to fill up the stat sheet and do what I can for this team,” added Carter, who had a season-high 14 boards against Philly on Monday. “We’re missing bodies and we’re trying to bring some guys along and get them into it, so why not set the bar for the rest of the team? If we all step up another level, we’re a tough team to beat.”

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Brian Scalabrine had hoped to avoid or at least delay surgery. That’s wishful thinking. Now Scalabrine hopes the inevitable surgery is not season-ending.

“We just don’t know whether it’s going to be season-ending surgery or three weeks,” said Scalabrine, who has a new worry: loose cartilage that has caused swelling, further complicating the partially torn meniscus in his left knee.

“Surgery is looking more and more the direction we’re going to go,” said coach Lawrence Frank. “We’re at the finish line where that’s probably the direction we’re headed.”

If the doctors only remove loose cartilage, Scalabrine could be back in three weeks. But during that procedure, doctors will determine whether or not to operate on the meniscus, Frank said, “which would set back the timetable.”

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Kidd, Carter and Ron Mercer (just back from knee surgery) were excused from contact drills yesterday. Kidd played 49 minutes, Carter 48, on Monday. Mercer was huge in the 107-97 OT win over Philly, only his second game back. “There always seems to be one or two who play a little bit above the norm, and Ron was that guy,” Frank said.