NBA Game Summary - New Jersey at Cleveland

Cleveland, OH (Basketball News) - Vince Carter scored 27 points with eight assists, and the New Jersey Nets shot 57 percent in a 111-80 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers at Gund Arena.

Nenad Krstic added 18 points for the Nets, who have won nine of their last 12 to move within one game of Philadelphia for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

New Jersey made a season-high 13 three-pointers (13-of-23) and handed Cleveland its worst home loss of the season despite taking just four free throws the entire game.

Jason Kidd collected 13 points and a game-high 12 assists in the win, Jason Collins also scored 13, and Brian Scalabrine and Cliff Robinson had 12 points apiece to round out six Nets scorers in double figures.

LeBron James scored 24 points with nine rebounds, four assists and six turnovers for the Cavaliers, who have lost three of four.

Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas (eight points) and forward Drew Gooden (16 points) both left the game with injuries in the third quarter. Ilgauskas sustained a sprained ring finger on his right hand, and Gooden sat down with a sore shoulder.

The Cavaliers entered play tied with Indiana for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. They shot just 43 percent and never led after holding a brief 23-22 edge near the end of the first quarter.

Carter netted nine points in the opening period, and the Nets scored four straight points to lead 26-23 heading into the second.

New Jersey then closed the first half with a 19-7 run to go ahead 58-40 at intermission. Carter and Robinson hit two three-pointers apiece during the rally, and they combined to score 27 points in the first half.

Cleveland cut its deficit to 12 points early in the third quarter, but was unable to make a significant run to get close in the second half.

The Nets led by as many as 25 points twice in the third quarter. Their lead reached as high as 35 points at 111-76 with 1:39 left in the fourth.