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Carter, Jefferson help Nets end four-game skid

Dec 30, 2006 - 7:51 AM MIAMI (Ticker) -- Vince Carter made sure the New Jersey Nets ended their slide.

Carter had 23 points and nine assists and Richard Jefferson scored 22 points as the Nets cruised to a 91-81 victory over the undermanned Miami Heat.

Jason Kidd collected 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for New Jersey, which ended its four-game losing streak and a two-game slide in the series.

"It was a good win and I think that guys that have been struggling played good basketball, and I hope that continues," Carter said.

New Jersey trailed, 43-39, after two quarters before taking the lead for good in the third.

Kidd's 3-pointer with 4:20 remaining capped an impressive 28-6 burst, which gave the Nets a commanding 67-49 advantage. The trio of Carter, Kidd and Jefferson combined for 24 points during the surge.

"It was definitely a defensive-oriented quarter," Carter said. "We created our offense off of easy baskets, and once we picked up our intensity and made them take only one shot, we were able to push and move the ball well."

"We just had a horrible, horrible third quarter," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "It started with them hitting seven out of eight shots and us turning the ball over five or six consecutive times. It just got away from us. We just didn't match the intensity that we had in the first half, which is what we need to even come close."

The Nets outscored the Heat, 32-18, in the third quarter.

"We just turned the ball over," Miami forward Antoine Walker said. "We didn't give ourselves a chance. They just took over the game. We got down big and it's tough to get come back against a team like that because they are going to run the pick-and-roll to death. They were starving for a win as well."

Miami was without All-Star Dwyane Wade, who was inactive with a sprained right wrist, and forward James Posey, who served a one-game suspension for a flagrant foul in Thursday's loss at Chicago. The team already was without injured superstar Shaquille O'Neal.

"Obviously, Miami was undermanned, but it was good for us to get a win," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "They were missing two of the top five players in the league, but you never know how a game is going to be determined because they put on a jersey and want to win just like we do. We can't worry about who they have or don't have."

Dorell Wright had career highs of 21 points, six blocks and four steals and Jason Williams chipped in 17 points for the Heat, who shot 44 percent (32-of-72) from the field and committed 17 turnovers.

"(Wright) was great. He's getting better and better," Riley said. "In fact, I thought he was incredible. He was blocking shots. He is gaining confidence. If there is a silver lining in this whole thing, it's his development and his maturity as a player."