Carter carries Nets over Celtics

Clifford Robinson added 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench for the Nets, who ended a two-game losing streak. Richard Jefferson donated 12 points, seven assists and six boards in the win.

Paul Pierce scored 22 points while grabbing six rebounds for the Celtics, losers in four of their last five games. Ryan Gomes added 17 points and 14 boards in defeat.

New Jersey trailed at halftime, but exploded in the third quarter and outscored Boston 30-20 in the frame to take a 55-53 lead into the fourth.

The Nets scored 10 of the first 16 points of the third to get within four and later used seven straight points from Jason Kidd to grab a lead at 52-51 with just over two minutes left in the stanza.

In the fourth, the Nets went on a 7-0 run over a 2 1/2 minute span to grab a 68-63 lead. Robinson’s jumper capped the burst with 5:38 to go.

Boston later cut it to one, 70-69, after two free throws from Pierce, but Jefferson converted four free throws to make it a five-point contest.

A three-pointer from Robinson gave the Nets a 78-71 lead with 43 seconds go play, but Pierce answered with a three of his own for a 78-74 game with 34 seconds remaining.

Boston could not get any closer though as the Nets pulled out the win.

Boston held an 18-14 lead after the first, helped along by a 9-0 run in the frame. The second quarter was a low scoring affair as the Celtics outscored the Nets 15-11 in the stanza to hold a 33-25 lead heading into the half.

New Jersey shot just 23.7 percent in the first half, Boston 34.2 percent.

Kidd finished with 10 points for the Atlantic Division-champion Nets.

Game Notes

Overall, the Nets shot just 39.2 percent from the floor. Boston shot 38.2 percent...The Celtics hit on just 8.3 percent (1-for-12) of their three-point attempts...Nenad Krstic scored 10 points with 11 rebounds...Tony Allen scored 11 points with seven rebounds in the loss.