NET NOTES

NEW ORLEANS – Keep telling yourself “It can always be worse.”

Now, as difficult as that may be to digest for the Nets these days, it really could be worse if Vince Carter’s right-hand injury turned out to be worse. Carter banged the hand in the first quarter Tuesday in San Antonio, proceeded to miss 14 of 18 shots, then learned X-rays were negative. Carter banged his right index finger by the main joint in the 90-74 loss.

“That means it’s not broke,” Carter said of the X-ray news. “Other than that, I don’t know.”

The Nets said Carter would play here last night against the Hornets. So there. It really could have been worse. Carter had his worst shooting effort as a Net but refused to blame the injury.

“I couldn’t put it in the hole. To me, it was really hard to grip the ball and pass the ball. It’s not an excuse. I missed some shots that were up close as well,” said Carter, who ended a run of 18 straight games scoring at least 21 points with 13 in San Antonio. “Hopefully, it’ll feel good enough to play [against the Hornets].”

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Jason Kidd was diplomatic discussing former Nets coach Byron Scott, who’s now leading New Orleans. “He’s doing a heck of a job with that group,” Kidd said.

“They’ve had similar problems [to the Nets]. Maybe not similar problems, but a slow start, injuries. And he’s trying to do everything he can.”

When the Hornets played the Nets at the Meadowlands on Dec. 10, Kidd went out of his way to make sure media types saw his friendly acknowledgement of Scott; he pointed to his former coach.

“You want me to point to him? I’ll shake his hand this time. So you guys can see it,” Kidd said about last night’s meeting.

Jabari Smith sat out last night with a left-knee injury suffered Tuesday. He’ll have an MRI exam today . . . Cliff Robinson, who missed Tuesday’s game with a sore lower back, was a game-time decision.

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The loss to Spurs ended a run of four straight defeats in which the Nets surrendered 100 or more points . . . The Nets have given up 100 or more points 20 times, losing 18 of those games . . . The last seven Nets’ defeats all have come by double-digits. The last sub-10-point defeat was a 104-103 overtime loss to Lakers. Since then, the Nets’ seven defeats have been by an average of 16.7 points.

“Well, we’re consistent,” Kidd said.