Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 45 points to lead the New York Knicks past the Brooklyn Nets 100-97.
Kidd added 18 points and chipped in with six rebounds and contributed with a significant three-pointer in the dying moments. "I'm a competitor. I want to win," the veteran said.
Anthony had 15 of 24 attempts from the floor to help his team to tie the series at 1-1 after the Nets moved to Brooklyn.
"It is (a rivalry). I mean, after that first game, we might as well accept that," the Associated Press quoted Anthony as saying. "It is what it is.
"They're on our division, we see them four times a year. It is a rivalry. It's great for New York to have that in Brooklyn and in Manhattan. When we come here it's a battle. When they come there, it's going to be a battle. We expect that."
For the Nets, Andray Blatche top scored with 23 points, while also grabbing four rebounds; he made nine of 13 attempts from the field, but could not save his team from losing their fifth straight game. Blatche played in place of Brook Lopez, who was out because of a foot injury.
Deron Williams scored 18 points and had 10 assists, while Gerald Wallace had 17 points and four rebounds. Reggie Evans finished with five points and 18 rebounds.
The crowd was screaming and motivating the Knicks, especially their superstar Anthony.
"He's had some pretty good games under my tutelage but I just think tonight he wanted it so badly, man," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "He made shot after shot."
The Nets could not capitalize on the opportunities they had in the game.
"This was a winnable game," Nets coach Avery Johnson said, "but we just couldn't quite close it."
The Nets dominated the first quarter, scoring 30 points against the Knicks' 16.
Brooklyn were leading by 16 points with 4:49 left in the first half, but Anthony stopped their progress with an outstanding jumper, to go with a three-pointer and a layup with 1.8 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
The Nets saw their lead shrink to just four points as they entered the second half with the scores reading 53-49.
New York added the first five points of the third quarter to take a lead for the first time in the game. But the Nets again took a measure of control, behind the shooting of Williams and Blatche, with the scores at 79-74 in Brooklyn's favor as the third quarter came to an end.
Kidd tied the score at 91 courtesy a three with just 4.01 remaining in the game. Soon Anthony ensured his team's success with a couple of buckets, as Knicks held on for the win.
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