NET NOTES

SAN ANTONIO – After everybody short of the Papacy criticized him for not doubling Tim Duncan more in Game 1, Byron Scott admitted a change was coming and played it close to the vest.

Had he decided what to do?

“Yeah,” he said.

Would he care to expand on that?

“Nope,”he replied.

And his first move of change was placing Jason Collins, two-year veteran, on Duncan, two-year MVP. And Collins was sensation.

“I just battled him. He’s a great player and you’ve just got to be physical with him. You can’t let him go where he wants to go on the floor. Move your feet and keep your body in between him and the basket.

“That’s easier said than done but you go out there and just battle,” said Collins (6 points, 4 rebounds), who forced Duncan into an 0-of-3 shooting and one turnover (charge) to close the first quarter. “I go out there on the court and I’m a competitor. Going up against Shaq in the Finals and going up against Duncan their two great players. You take that as a challenge.”

Collins playing and the later use of Dikembe Mutombo meant Aaron Williams was the odd man out. He never left the bench. And he never complained about what was his second DNP, coach’s decision in three years.

“We got a win that is the bottom line. I thought Deke played great. Hopefully he can keep playing like that. He came to win and that was important,” said Williams.

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Nets director of scouting Ed Stefanski has interviewed with Portland ownership about the GM job with the Blazers and will do so soon with the Wizards, league sources said. Stefanski declined comment.

One basket that can’t go unnoticed came from Lucious Harris with 6:49 left against the clock.

“A big shot with momentum slipping out of our hands,” said Jason Kidd.