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Harris' buzzer-beater propels Nets over Pacers

Dec 24, 2008 - 4:30 AM INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Vince Carter carried the New Jersey Nets for most of Tuesday's contest against the Indiana Pacers, but it was Devin Harris who delivered when it counted most.

Harris sank a jumper from just inside the 3-point line as time expired to lift New Jersey to a 108-107 triumph over Indiana.

"The play was supposed to come to me," Harris said. "We tried to get it in cleanly to Vince and he was supposed to swing it to me to go to work. Jarvis (Hayes) got and held it, then Vince got it and held it, and I said, OK Devin, you take it."

Carter scored 18 of his 38 points in the first quarter and Harris had 29 and 11 assists as the Nets improved to 9-4 on the road, including six wins in their last seven games away from home.

"I just wanted to set the tone," Carter said of his hot first quarter. "I wasn't worried about who else could do it. ... I just wanted to set the tone."

New Jersey saw a seven-point lead disappear over the last four minutes and, after a pair of free throws from Keyon Dooling gave the Nets the lead, Danny Granger nailed a jumper with 10 seconds left to put Indiana back in front, 107-106.

Harris, who scored a season-low 10 points in a drubbing at the hands of Houston on Monday, drained the long two to give the Nets the dramatic victory.

"That was just an unbelievable play by Devin," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "It was an interesting game. We go up seven and then we give up the threes and it's a ballgame again. We had our chances and we had a two-for-one situation and thank God we made the last one."

Carter's 3-pointer put the Nets in front, 104-97, but Travis Diener capped a quick 8-0 run with a jumper from the arc.

Indiana shot 51 percent (22-of-43) in the first half but were unable to build much of a lead due to a hot start by Carter.

"We're working hard and we've been putting ourselves in a position to win," Diener said. "Unfortunately, we've been falling short lately. You know their guards are going to get their points, but Carter got off to a fast start in the first. When you play a pair of guards like them (Harris and Carter), you know it's going to be a tough night."

The veteran shot 8-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-6 from behind the arc, for 23 points in the opening 24 minutes to keep New Jersey close.

Granger, who missed a pair of free throws 31 seconds earlier to snap a string of 45 consecutive makes from the line, led Indiana with 26 points.

"That was a tough loss. ... an understatement, I know," Indiana coach Jim O'Brien said. "They have an All-Star backcourt that scored 67 points. We played well enough to win and just didn't."

Brandon Rush collected 22 points and eight rebounds and Jeff Foster added 12 and 14 for the Pacers.