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Nets top Pistons 94-79 to knot series
Jason Kidd's series-long slump ended, and the New Jersey Nets evened things up with the Detroit Pistons in yet another lopsided game. Kidd had 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his seventh career postseason triple-double, scoring nine straight third-quarter points when the Nets broke the game open for a 94-79 victory in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal Tuesday night.
Kidd was shooting an abysmal 23 percent in the first three games of the series, all of which were decided by double-digit margins. He shot 8-for-15 in Game 4 and got plenty of support from Kenyon Martin, Richard Jefferson, Kerry Kittles and Lucious Harris.
The home team has won every game in this series, which is tied 2-2 and resumes Friday night at Detroit. The Pistons dominated the first two games with their defense, but the Nets showed in Games 3 and 4 that they can look to more players than Detroit can for offense.
New Jersey's defense was not too shabby, either, with Martin showing the most aggression while outplaying opposing power forward Rasheed Wallace, who aggravated a foot injury in the first half.
Detroit was a one-man show on offense, getting 30 points from Richard Hamilton and no more than eight from anyone else. Kittles shut down point guard Chauncey Billups (2-for-7, six points) for the second straight game, while the Nets' centers were able to contain Ben Wallace, holding him to 15 rebounds following his 24-rebound performance in Game 3.
Martin had 16 points and 15 rebounds, Jefferson scored 19, Kittles added 14 and Harris 11.
Kittles scored the Nets' first six points of the second half on jump shots, and Kidd scored the next nine beginning with a 3-pointer. That put New Jersey ahead 64-49, and the rout was on.
Martin fired up the crowd with his defense against Mehmet Okur, coming up with a steal leading to a breakaway layup and three-point play for Kidd, then blocking Corliss Williamson's shot and then making a free throw to give New Jersey its first 20-point lead, 76-56.
The fans chanted Martin's name toward the end of the third quarter, and he exited to a standing ovation and another chant after fouling out with 3:18 left and the Nets ahead by 16.
New Jersey had the two biggest offensive bursts of the first half, making five of its first six shots while Detroit was going 1-for-7. After Detroit pulled within two midway through the second quarter, the Nets had three steals in a span of 40 seconds as part of a 9-0 run for a 33-22 lead.
Rasheed Wallace, who has been bothered by plantar fascia in his left foot, came up limping and grimacing after scoring his first basket with 5:20 left in the half. But he played through the pain stayed in the game, helping the Pistons stay within seven at halftime. |
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