• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Nets look to get back on track vs. streaking 76ers

Mar 4, 2007 - 5:02 PM New Jersey (28-31) at Philadelphia (21-38) 6:00 pm EST

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - This was not the way the New Jersey Nets wanted to begin a crucial six-game road trip.

After a horrific collapse Saturday against the woeful Boston Celtics, the Nets begin their trek Sunday against the streaking Philadelphia 76ers.

The trip continues with matchups against every team from the powerful Southwest Division. It includes the "Texas Triangle" - games against Dallas on Tuesday, Houston on Friday and San Antonio on Saturday - and concludes with a back-to-back against Memphis and New Orleans.

This will be a telling time for New Jersey, which has not missed the playoffs since 2001 but is in danger of doing so this season. The Nets are eighth in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of the rival New York Knicks.

New Jersey won't make the playoffs with showings like the one against Boston. The Nets blew a seven-point lead with less than a minute left in regulation and eventually lost in overtime, 96-88.

Vince Carter had 25 points and 10 rebounds and Eddie House scored 14 for sloppy New Jersey, which committed 21 turnovers and squandered several opportunities to bury the worst team in the East.

They Nets hope they can get back on track when they face the 76ers, who tied a season high Friday with their third straight victory, a 117-112 overtime triumph over Memphis.

Andre Iguodala and Kyle Korver scored 27 points apiece and Joe Smith added 18 and 12 boards off the bench for Philadelphia, which has not won four in a row since December 9-14, 2005.

The teams have split two meetings this season, with each winning at home. In Philadelphia's 100-98 overtime win on February 5, Iguodala had 23 points, seven rebounds and 15 assists.