Vince Carter

Carter scores 38 points as Nets hold off Cavaliers 113 111

Apparently, LeBron James brings out the best in Vince Carter.

Carter broke out of a scoring slump with 38 points, outscoring James by one, to help the New Jersey Nets hold off the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-111 on Wednesday night.

Held to 12, 12 and 11 points in his previous three games, Carter surpassed those totals with 14 in the first quarter, then capped the evening with two free throws and a steal in the final 10 seconds to stop Cleveland's last rally.

Jason Kidd sensed Carter was primed for a big night practically before he broke a sweat.

``I said, `He's going to go for 50,' '' Kidd said. ``He came out aggressive and you could just see he was in tune tonight.''

The showdown between two of the NBA's premier scorers was reminiscent of the last time the teams played here, last April. Though Cleveland won that game 108-102 to snap New Jersey's 14-game winning streak, Carter scored 33 points, four less than James.

This time, Carter had help from the Nets' bench players, who shot a combined 10-for-20 and started a surge late in the third quarter that gave New Jersey an 89-73 lead with 10 minutes left in the game.

Bostjan Nachbar kicked it off with a drive and dunk down the middle of the lane followed by a three-pointer, and Carter capped it with a three-pointer.

``I guess the shooting gods were on my side tonight,'' said Carter, who had made 12 of his last 48 shots before a 10-for-18 performance. ``I knew I just had to keep playing, keep shooting and eventually it would go in.''

The Nets improved to 10-3 when scoring 100 points. They have won just once this season when they failed to reach 100.

They nearly didn't win this one. James and teammate Damon Jones, who scored 14 points off the bench, nearly brought Cleveland back in the fourth quarter. But they couldn't dig out of the hole they made for themselves by shooting a combined 11-for-45 in the second and third quarters after making 11-of-18 shots in the first 12 minutes.

The loss dropped Cleveland's road record to 3-8. The Cavaliers are 11-2 at home.

``We're getting very close to figuring it out,'' James said. ``Our last two road games have been pretty good, a lot better than in the past.

``We're starting to find easier ways to score baskets. If we play the defence we've played all season, we'll find a way to win.''

In contrast to Cleveland, New Jersey has struggled at home. Wednesday's win evened the Nets' home record at 8-8, a considerable downturn for a team that was 29-12 at Continental Airlines Arena a season ago.

``We want to start to become a better team, and to become a better team you have to play better each time out,'' coach Lawrence Frank said. ``We played better tonight than we did against Golden State, and now we have to play better on Friday against the Lakers.''

Notes: Kidd scored nine points to reach 13,000 for his career. NBA executive vice-president of operations Stu Jackson presented him with a commemorative ball in honour of his moving past Wilt Chamberlain last Monday for third place on the triple-double list . . . Jason Collins scored a season-high nine points for New Jersey . . . The Nets' planned move to Brooklyn for the 2009-2010 season cleared a major hurdle Wednesday when the state Public Authorities Control Board voted unanimously to allow the Atlantic Yards project. ``The organization has been committed to making this a metropolitan team, a regional team,'' Frank said. ``Obviously, we love the support in New Jersey, but the intent was to move to Brooklyn and this was a major step in that direction.'' . . . The Nets wore their red uniforms, which are normally their alternate road colours.

Vince Carter struggles with shooting, held to season low in loss to Raptors

This was a visit to Toronto that Vince Carter wants to forget.

Carter finished with a season-low 12 points and was booed with every touch of the ball as the Raptors beat the New Jersey Nets 90-78 on Friday.

Two days before the two-year anniversary of the trade that sent him to New Jersey, the seven-time all star made just four of 17 shots from the field and missed four of his eight free throw attempts.

``It's just one of those nights, you know,'' said Carter. ``I couldn't really get in that rhythm. More than anything I'm disappointed in my free throw shooting.''

No other Net took or missed as many shots as Carter, who had just one basket in each of the first and second quarters and missed his only shot from the floor in the fourth.

``We all have nights like that,'' said Nets coach Lawrence Frank. ``He's going to bounce back.''

Carter came into Toronto red-hot. He made a career-best nine three pointers in a victory over Memphis on Monday then followed that with six more from beyond the arc in a Wednesday night win over Milwaukee.

``He loves coming in here and playing but he's human,'' said New Jersey guard Jason Kidd. ``You can't always sit back and hope that he goes for thirty. He just had a bad game. He had some good looks. They just didn't roll in for him tonight.''

The Raptors kept Carter off-balance by guarding him with different players. Anthony Parker, Jorge Garbajosa and Rasho Nesterovic all took turns containing Carter, who entered the game as the league's seventh-leading scorer.

``The way he's been playing we wanted him to crowd him, have him see a lot of bodies,'' explained Toronto coach Sam Mitchell. ``We didn't want to give him any threes because he's been shooting them so well. Then you've got to worry about him driving to the basket.''

Friday's game was Carter's first game north of the border since he poured in 42 points, including a game-winning overtime three-pointer, in a 105-104 win on January 8.

Still bitter about that loss, and his acrimonious departure, Toronto fans booed lustily during the pre-game introductions and cheered every Carter turnover, foul or miss, including a second quarter air-ball.

At one point in the fourth, Carter stood alone in the back court as a derisive chant rang out around the arena.

A testy Carter insisted the hostile crowd didn't hurt his game.

``I could care less,'' he said. ``Everywhere you go you hear something. You know people are yelling. I've been playing ball too long for that to bother me.''

Asked whether he had any sympathy for his opponent, Parker was quick to respond.

``No,'' he said. ``It's not big surprise for me, the way things ended, that that's the reception he gets coming back.''

Carter hits nine three pointers to lead Nets past Grizzlies 105 92

Vince Carter was unstoppable, just what the New Jersey Nets needed to get back on track.

Carter put on a long-range show, setting a Nets' single-game record with nine three-pointers in a 105-92 victory over the struggling Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

``He could have shot with anything tonight,'' Grizzlies guard Chucky Atkins said. ``He was shooting with golf balls, that's how big the rim was for him.''

Carter finished with 37 points, hitting his first five three-pointers and 7-of-10 in the first half in tying the NBA season high for three-pointers. The final two came in the third quarter during a run of four three-pointers that helped New Jersey tie a franchise record with 15.

``When you're hitting them like that and your teammates are trying to find you, after a while you get tired,'' said Carter, who tossed up 20 three-pointers in helping the Nets break a three-game losing streak and win for the third time in 11 games. ``At least I'm in the record books for something.''

So is Jason Kidd.

The Nets point guard moved into sole possession of third place ahead of Wilt Chamberlain for career triple-doubles, registering his 79th with 12 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds.

``I think Wilt, his name alone talks history,'' Kidd said. ``It's huge.

``He changed the game of basketball. To be able to pass somebody who had an impact on the game, it's a great honour.''

Richard Jefferson added 16 points for New Jersey, which rebounded after heart-breaking losses to Phoenix and Boston in their last two games.

Atkins had 26 points to lead Memphis, which was never in the game after scoring a season-low 10 points in the first quarter and falling behind by 15 points. Damon Stoudamire added 14 points for the Grizzlies, who have lost three straight and 8 of 11.

Carter put the Grizzlies to sleep early.

The all-star guard, who was 14-of-30 from the field, outscored the Grizzlies 12-10 in the first quarter, hitting four three-pointers. His four baskets matched Memphis' total for the quarter. The Grizzlies were 4-of-17 from the field.

He tied his career high for three-pointers with No. 8 with 6:39 left in the third quarter. The ninth came 31 seconds later from the right wing, and it was followed quickly by three-pointers by Kidd and Jefferson.

``He's one of the best scorers in the NBA, probably one of the best in history,'' Jefferson said. ``Tonight he got hot and we were trying to get him the ball any chance we could.''

Carter and Kidd held the old Nets' single-game mark with seven three-pointers. Carter had eight in a game with Toronto.

``They were hitting on all cylinders,'' Grizzlies guard Dahntay Jones said. ``Jason Kidd was doing his job as the court general, and Vince and Richard Jefferson were hitting threes. They could have beaten anyone in the league. ``They had it going tonight and we didn't.''

Notes: Pau Gasol, who broke his foot at the world championship this summer, might make his Grizzlies debut this weekend, coach Mike Fratello said . . . Memphis' Lawrence Roberts had knee surgery Monday and will be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks . . . Nets F Jason Collins did not return for the second half after suffering a mild concussion blocking a Stromile Swift shot in the first quarter . . . Memphis F Mike Miller picked up three early fouls and did not score in the game.