2 fast 2 furious. (NBA Playoffs Insider).

Oakland native Jason Kidd and Santa Clara alum Steve Nash have spent many summer days driving against one another in pickup games around the Bay Area. Their styles are different--Kidd charges full speed ahead for the Nets, and the Mavericks' Nash jitterbugs his way past defenders before pulling up for a jumper--but they have another thing in common besides geographical roots and their teams long playoff runs: They direct the NBA's two best fast breaks.

The approach

Nets: New Jersey runs a classic fast break. Kidd speeds up the middle of the floor while Richard Jefferson, Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles fill the lanes the instant a defensive rebound is secured, if not before. Jefferson and Martin excel at converting alley-oops from Kidd into highlight dunks. Kittles is as comfortable pulling up for a 3-pointer as he is going in for a layup.

Mavericks: Unlike the Nets, Dallas employs an abundance of ballhandlers. Michael Finley, Dirk Nowitzki and Nick Van Exel all can lead the break. The Mavs are as likely to pull up for a jumper as go all the way to the basket. They are a unique team when center Raef LaFrentz is playing because that makes five players who can shoot 3-pointers.

In the driver's seat

Nets: Kiddgets up the court faster while dribbling than all but a few players do while running without the ball. He is strong ...