In this season of parity, the Jets demonstrated today how close they came to being a playoff-caliber team.

"So to come here and beat a playoff-caliber team, it feels good."

"To playing winning basketball again and being part of a playoff-caliber team?"

In 1984, after coming back from 3-12, that team put a chip on its shoulder and said we're going to make ourselves a playoff-caliber team.

This victory gives them more hope for a playoff-caliber team next year.

It has also interrupted the Nets' plans to assert themselves as a playoff-caliber team, even before the season begins.

When the season began, the Nets fancied themselves a playoff-caliber team.

Are you looking for a veteran guy at No. 2 because you already have a playoff-caliber team?

"If we got started today, I think we'd have a playoff-caliber team, 1 through 25," Phillips said.

I think the other guys feel that way, but they know they're facing playoff-caliber teams.