NBA Game Summary - Utah at New Jersey

East Rutherford, NJ (Basketball News) - Richard Jefferson just missed a triple- double as he netted 17 points with 12 assists and nine rebounds and the New Jersey Nets defeated the Utah Jazz, 91-83, at the Continental Airlines Arena.

Vince Carter chipped in a game-high 21 points for the Nets, who won for the third time in five games this season. Nenad Krstic contributed 18 points and six rebounds, while Jason Kidd scored 11 points while dishing out seven assists.

Andrei Kirilenko scored 18 points for the Jazz, who lost for only the second time this season. Keith McLeod and Kris Humphries each netted 11 points as Utah saw its two-game road winning streak stopped. Humphries also pulled down nine rebounds in the loss.

With Utah up 43-42 after the first half, the Nets pulled away as they outscored the Jazz 30-14 in the third frame. Carter’s three-point basket gave the home team a 52-48 advantage and New Jersey found itself with a 58-50 lead after Kidd converted from behind the arc with 5:30 to go in the third.

After a Kirilenko three-pointer made it a five point game, the Nets ran off 10 straight points for a 68-53 lead and Zoran Planinic’s last-second jumper gave New Jersey a 72-57 advantage heading into the fourth.

Utah would make it a 10 point game with 6:38 left to play after Devin Brown’s shot from behind the arc was good, making it a 79-69 game, but the Nets would not allow the Jazz to get back in the game. Jason Collins’ jumper with just over two minutes remaining put New Jersey up 88-78 and Jefferson capped the scoring with two free throws to give the Nets the win.

The two teams opened up the game with a closely contested first period. New Jersey held a 17-11 lead with 5:29 left in the opening frame, but Utah would battle back and Gordan Giricek’s layup with 2:57 to go tied it at 20. Later, Marc Jackson’s jumper would give New Jersey a 25-22 lead with just under one minute to play but Humphries’ basket cut it to 25-24 heading into the second frame.

In the second, Jackson’s lay-up and free throw gave the Nets a seven-point lead at 32-25 with 9:41 left in the quarter. Utah then went on a 6-0 run to make it a one point game before Jeff McInnis’ jumper put the Nets up 34-31. The two teams stayed close and Utah took a 37-36 advantage after a Matt Harpring layup with 3:27 left and the Jazz held a 43-42 lead going into the half.