NBA

Nets’ Wallace finds his confidence

The mental state of Gerald Wallace — and especially how he is feeling about his shooting stroke — has been a constant topic of discussion around the Nets in recent weeks as he has fought through a second-half slump.

But after scoring in double-figures in both Game 4 and Game 5 — including hitting a crucial 3-pointer then stealing a pass, taking the ball coast-to-coast and slamming it home on the next possession to seal the Nets’ 110-91 win in Game 5 — Wallace admitted he is done worrying about basketball and just trying to have fun.

“I’m more focused on Tiger Woods golf right now,” he said with a big smile after scoring 12 points in Game 5. “I’ve got to go home and play my homeboys and my brother. I lost my round last night.

“My thing is you go out on the basketball court, you have fun, and you go home and enjoy life.”

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Wallace is averaging 10 points per game while going 46 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3-point range during the five playoff games.

* P.J. Carlesimo also explained why he decided to show his team the footage of a Bulls beat reporter saying during the halftime show on the local New York broadcast of Saturday’s Game 4 loss that the Bulls privately were happy playing the Nets because they thought the Nets were “gutless” and “heartless.”

“Rather than do nothing, do something,” he said. “Does it help 15 guys? No. But maybe it helps a couple guys. Maybe it struck a chord with a couple of guys.”

* The NBA announced yesterday that if the Nets force a Game 7, it will be at 7, 7:30 or 8 p.m. Saturday in Brooklyn, depending on what happens in other series.

Regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s game, the Eastern Conference semifinal between the winner of this series and the defending champion Heat is scheduled to begin Monday night in Miami.