EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Jason Kidd feared for the safety of his wife and 3-year-old son because of drunken fans who taunted them during the Eastern Conference finals in Boston.

Kidd was booed every time he touched the ball during Monday's Game 4, which the Nets won 94-92 to even the Eastern Conference finals.

Kidd said Tuesday he had no problem with the boos, or the chant of "wife-beater'' that was directed at him. But he said his wife, Joumana, and son, T.J., received worse treatment from some intoxicated fans.

"It bothers me. I can't protect them. I'm worried about them at the same time I'm worried about trying to win a ballgame,'' Kidd said. "You can't do that to somebody's family, put them in jeopardy for their safety. They came there to enjoy the game just like (Celtics fans) did.

Kidd's wife and son have become quite a high-profile family in New Jersey as the Nets have advanced through the playoffs. One newspaper runs a "T.J. Watch'' after every game, describing details of the photogenic 3-year-old's behavior from quarter to quarter.

Kidd's son has accompanied to him to the podium at postgame news conferences, and photographers have captured the youngster's mimicking of his father's body language.

Some newspapers ran side-by-side photos Tuesday of Kidd and his son holding up two fingers on each hand -- the gesture Kidd made at the end of Game 4 to signify that the series was tied 2-2.

Kidd did not go into specific detail about why he feared for his family's safety, but his wife told one New York columnist that some of the Boston fans had said things to her and T.J. that were more cruel than anything that was chanted.

"Some people have to remember that they have kids, too, and they wouldn't want me to be disrespectful to them,'' Kidd said. "To us, it's about respect. Being classy.''

The Nets have felt slighted by the Celtics in many ways over the course of the series, and Kidd's fury at the way his family was treated was the latest plot twist.

Coach Byron Scott felt the derogatory chant directed at Kidd was a low blow, and Kidd's wife said fans at Game 3 had "wife-beater'' painted on their backs and were jumping up and down in front of her and T.J.

Kidd was charged with striking his wife in January 2001, when he was playing for Phoenix. The charges were dropped when Kidd underwent anger counseling and paid a fine, but the episode harmed his reputation and helped lead to his departure from the Suns.

Kidd also took issue with Boston fans throwing beer at the fiancee of one of the Nets' broadcasters, and with reports of revelry outside the FleetCenter getting out of hand.

"They didn't win the finals or the Stanley Cup. Somewhere you have to draw a line,'' Kidd said. "The biggest thing is you have to win with class and you have to lose with class. Hopefully somebody will learn that.''

Kidd also denied yelling "they choked,'' or any derivation thereof, as he danced across the court with two fingers extended on each hand at the end of Game 4. He did, however, admit to using profane language.

New Jersey has used any perceived slight as bulletin board material during this series, drawing further upon the lack-of-respect issue that has been one of the themes to their season.

Kenyon Martin said the Nets took umbrage with the antics of Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker at the end of Game 3, when the Celtics completed their comeback from a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

"If we win the series, then I'll act like that. They won one game and they're jumping all over the table like they won a championship. They ain't won nothing,'' Martin said.

Game 5 is Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, with the series returning to Boston for Game 6 at 7 p.m. Friday -- when Kidd will learn what the Boston crowd thinks of his latest comments.

"When you go into a town where nobody likes you, people are going to say things to try to get into your head,'' Pierce said Tuesday. "But you've got to understand, that's playoff basketball.''

Kidd's teammate, Richard Jefferson, noted the Celtics have stopped claiming they are the superior team, just as Pierce hasn't repeated his boast from before the series that the Nets had no one who could stop him.

The only person to stop Pierce in Game 4 might have been Scott, who called a timeout in an effort to rattle Pierce before he attempted two free throws with 1.1 seconds remaining and Boston trailing by two.

After the timeout, Pierce missed the first free throw.

Tuesday's headlines in Boston could have read: "Paging Dr. Heimlich'' -- except that one of the New York tabloids already used that phrase after the Nets blew a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 3.

"We choked when we lost in the fourth quarter, and that's what the headline said,'' Jefferson said. "Paul Pierce missed a free throw. He choked.

"You might think it's a dirty word, but you're telling the truth. There's been a lot of words said throughout this series.''