NET NOTES

DENVER – Last night might have been just another game in another town against another team. Only thing is, this team longs to bring Kenyon Martin to this town as a free agent.

“It’s good someone else wants me, but I’m still a Net. I’m focused on winning the game right here,” said Martin, the Eastern Conference player of the month for February, who will be a no-secret object of the Nuggets’ affection this summer as a restricted free agent.

“It’s still a road trip and it’s still business,” he added. “I didn’t come here thinking, ‘Well, maybe I could live here next year.’ I’ve been here before. It’s not the first time.”

Martin, who refused a maximum extension last summer, indicated that his first preference is to stay in New Jersey.

With Martin’s restricted status, the Nets will be allowed to – and likely will – match any offer he receives. So the wining and dining probably won’t matter.

“The unfortunate thing [for Denver] is New Jersey has the last say,” said Jason Kidd. “If they were to spend their money and fly him around, maybe that’s a tax deduction, but at the end of the day New Jersey has, like, the power of attorney. He’s an All-Star and deserves whatever he gets. . . . New Jersey has the right of first refusal to see if they want him or not. I would bet they want him.”

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The Nets, along with Toronto and Milwaukee, have expressed interest in point guard Brevin Knight, recently waived by the Wizards.

Nuggets rookie Carmelo Anthony on continually lifting his game: “It’s getting used to teams. Playing teams once, [then] knowing what type of defenses they’re going to send around. And it’s just being confident.”

The Syracuse product claimed the hardest part of life in the NBA is the back-to-backs. “Some games you give it your all on the first night, then the second night you’re drained.”

Denver’s Marcus Camby (groin) was out last night.