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Nets looking for second straight win with Carter back

Nov 23, 2007 - 4:31 PM New Jersey (5-7) at Seattle (2-10) 10:30 pm EST

SEATTLE (Ticker) - The New Jersey Nets have noticed a difference with Vince Carter in the lineup.

With their superstar back on the floor, the Nets try to win their second straight on Friday when they face the Seattle SuperSonics.

Carter, who missed five games after spraining his right ankle against the Boston Celtics on November 10, scored 13 points off the bench to help New Jersey to a 106-101 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. The win halted a six-game losing streak.

Now healthy, Carter can improve upon his performance in his first seven games as the 30-year-old swingman is averaging 16.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Carter ended the 2005-06 campaign averaging 25.4 points, 4.9 boards and 4.3 assists.

The Sonics are searching for their first win at home and enter the contest after losing their last two games by a combined 33 points.

Kevin Durant managed just 11 points as Seattle surrendered a season-high in points during its last game - a 125-108 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.

Durant was just 2-of-8 from the floor against the Grizzlies. The No. 2 overall pick in June's NBA Draft is shooting just 32 percent from the field in his last eight games after hitting on 45.3 percent of his shots in his first four games of the season.