NET NOTES

CLEVELAND – Aside from a virus here and a slight sprain there, the Nets have been relatively healthy. Relatively.

Well, now sixth-man guard Lucious Harris is out for an indefinite period because of a fractured bone on the right side of his face that may require surgery.

Harris, who suffered the injury Sunday in Memphis when he caught an elbow from Grizzlies guard Will Solomon, flew back to New Jersey and missed last night’s game against the Cavs.

The Nets put no time frame on Harris’ absence, but it seems safe to guess in terms of weeks rather than days.

For purists, Harris suffered a broken zygomatic bone, the flat bone between the eye and ear. Team president Rod Thorn and coach Byron Scott want to get the prognosis from doctors before deciding whether to sign a player.

“We might want to sign someone,” said Thorn.

A possibility: Derrick Dial who spent the start of the season with the Nets.

“That is a tough hole. That is a hard one to fix,” said Scott. “Lucious has been so good all season long. He has been one of our main contributors to our success.”

Scott showed several of his options in the first half last night, using both Anthony Johnson and Brandon Armstrong before halftime.

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The game featured a matchup of two of the East’s premier point guards, Jason Kidd and Andre Miller of the Cavs.

Miller, who had 14 assists and 23 points last night, is threatening Kidd’s three-year run as assist champ. Only three other guards – Oscar Robertson, Bob Cousy and John Stockton – have led the league in assists three straight years.

“The assist title is good, but for me it comes down to winning,” said Kidd, who had 10 assists, 10 rebounds and 30 points last night. “I’ve had the assist title, but I’ll take winning over the assist title anytime.”

In Miller, Kidd said he sees a little of himself. “He’s very unselfish. He thinks about his teammates first. He doesn’t mind taking the shot when it’s on the line and he plays hard every night. Those are the things I see in him that are similar to me.”