EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- These are the New Jersey Nets.

They sold Dr. J and let Larry Brown leave for college with five games until the promising playoffs. They lost Micheal Ray Richardson to rehab, Drazen Petrovic to the heavens and Rollie Massimino to an empty press conference podium. They drafted Jeff Turner, Pearl Washington, Rex Walters, Ed O'Bannon and Yinka Dare with high No. 1 picks. They paid Jayson Williams $90 million for his broken down body and life, Keith Van Horn $70 million for his soft act and John Calipari $15 million for a grade-school sideline stomp. They watched Chris Morris write "Trade Me" on his sneakers and Stephon Marbury write "All Alone" on his ankle tape and listened to Derrick Coleman declare, "Whoop-dee-Damn Do," on every sportscast from Lodi to Los Angeles.

	Keith Van Horn and the Nets are shooting for the second series win in the franchise's history.

These are the Nets. They play their games on the brink of the abyss, Exit 16W off the Jersey Turnpike, and the old owners seriously considered changing the Nets name to "Swamp Dragons," until even the furious fans rose and insisted that they please, please not make this franchise a bigger joke than it had become.

The New Jersey Nets haven't won a playoff series since 1984, a magnificent victory over the defending champion 76ers of Julius Erving and Moses Malone, the series they believed had ended the curse of Dr. J. It didn't. These are the Nets. They have won one playoff series in the quarter century NBA history of the franchise. Just the Sixers, just that deciding Game 5 victory at The Spectrum, just that long ago glory.

So, seriously, do you think the Nets can afford to lose this Eastern Conference quarterfinal series to the Indiana Pacers? Do you think they can win 52 games, the Atlantic Division and get the No. 1 seed just to get upset and say, well, we're building, we'll get 'em next year? Are you serious? The Nets can't count on next year because history tells you that it often never comes.

"You never know when you'll get back here. That's what I've told the guys," Jason Kidd said.

Nobody's smarter. Nobody's more perceptive. Kidd understands. If they lose now, there will be the issue of Kidd's contract hanging so heavy over this franchise. He has promised: He's going to opt out of his contract, consider the free-agent possibilities and look long and hard at making a move to play with Tim Duncan. This will happen in San Antonio or Orlando, but not New Jersey. So, the Nets have a mission beyond restoring credibility and generating goodwill to construct a new arena in Newark, N.J.: They have to make Kidd believe he can stay a Net and turn into a serious Eastern Conference contender.

What had to happen for the Nets to get here? Well, Rod Thorn had to be the NBA's Executive of the Year and Kidd the MVP. Maybe Rick Carlisle will win Coach of the Year, but nobody has done a better job than Byron Scott considering all the ghosts, all the angst hanging over this franchise. What had to happen? Grant Hill, Vince Carter, Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan had to go down with injuries. The Knicks and Heat had to implode. So much had to go right to get the Nets the No. 1 seed, and so, yes, they have to take advantage of it. Out of all the teams in the Eastern Conference, the Nets alone must.

	So much had to go right to get the Nets the No. 1 seed, and so, yes, they have to take advantage of it. Out of all the teams in the Eastern Conference, the Nets alone must.

This isn't true for the Celtics, the Pistons, the teams that haven't been here for a long time. Those have history. They have tradition. They have good, deep fan bases. The Nets? They're still struggling to sellout playoff games, struggling to get the Metropolitan New York area to take them seriously -- to believe this isn't just Charlie Brown and Lucy all over again with the ball getting pulled back and the Nets falling flat on their back.

Twenty-five years after selling basketball's Babe Ruth, the Nets have a chance again. They have Kidd, and here he was, running the demons of Dr. J's trade and Drazen's death and Jayson's shattered leg and life out of Continental Arena, out of sight and mind for an easy Game 2 victory over the Pacers. Kidd tossed a lob to Aaron Williams, a touchdown throw to Kerry Kittles, a bounce pass through a forest of arms and legs for a Kenyon Martin dunk. He tossed a hard stare to the Pacers' Jamaal Tinsley, harsh words to Brad Miller and most of all, a lifeline to the Nets. Between Kidd breathing fire and balancing it with his sure, calm way, these Nets understand that they are still his team, his mission, his mandate.

They have a chance, but they have no choice: Eighteen years is a long, long time, and this it. They're the improbable No. 1 seed in the East, and these are the responsibilities for this franchise. One five-game series, one time. Sorry, but this isn't too much to ask.

Adrian Wojnarowski, a sports columnist for The Record (Northern N.J.), is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.