Rodney

Buford

''It’s a matter of time. He says he has a hard time putting on the brakes. He can explode. He can jump up. He can run. He just has a hard time stopping,’' coach Lawrence Frank said.

Look for Buford in the first half of March.

Original estimates had Buford out until March with torn ligaments in his ankle. Asked if he could play tonight, he said, ''I don’t know. It’s still sore. I’m way ahead of schedule. They told me 4 1/2 weeks before I’d get on the bike and it’s been 3 1/2 weeks and I’m already practicing.’' When Buford is healthy, Frank will have to choose between him, current starter Jacque Vaughn, and Ron Mercer at the open swing position.

Mercer also had a nice game, finishing with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Mercer is the favorite to start at shooting guard for the Nets.

Buford, a reserve, is day-to-day. Travis Best suffered a sprained ankle in the same game.

Buford was really looking to showcase himself tonight, as he was the only pure shooter available. Once Vince Carter arrives on the scene, Buford will have no value.

He has no fantasy value.

The Nets had been using Richard Jefferson at shooting guard, but Jefferson went back to small forward today. We’ll see if that arrangement lasts after Buford’s awful showing.

With Ron Mercer out indefinitely, Buford could end up having some value as a reserve shooting guard.

Buford was 7-of-11 from the field and made his only three-point attempt. He’s not worth picking up, but this could earn him some additional playing time.