Jason Kidd scored 29 points as the New Jersey Nets completed a sweep of the Eastern Conference semifinal with a 110-101 win in double overtime Monday.
They'll play in the Eastern Conference final for the second straight year against Detroit or Philadelphia. That series, tied 2-2, resumes Wednesday.
PHOTO: REUTERS
New Jersey swept a best-of-seven series for the first time after being swept in seven of them, including last year's NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. It was only the third time Boston was swept, and the first in a seven-game series in 20 years.
"To come and sweep the Boston Celtics is just history in itself," Kidd said. "They've had so many talented teams."
The Celtics had a chance to win in the first overtime, but Paul Pierce missed a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded with the score 97-97.
The Nets then held the ball before Kidd hit a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded -- a final farewell to the tasteless Boston fans who taunted with yells of "wife beater," for more than a year. The taunts were a reference to charges he struck his wife in 2001; the charges were dropped when Kidd underwent anger counseling and paid a fine.
Kidd added 10 rebounds and nine assists, while Martin finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
"Jason Kidd is a great player," Boston coach Jim O'Brien said. "He's the best passer I've ever seen in my life."
Added Eric Williams: "He's probably the best player going on right now. He takes all 12 of those guys and makes them like superstars."
For Boston, Pierce had 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Tony Delk scored 23, a career playoff high.
Antoine Walker had 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Celtics and went 8-for-15 from the field.
Richard Jefferson and Eric Williams traded baskets in the second overtime before Kerry Kittles' 3-pointer put the Nets ahead to stay, 102-99, with 3:56 remaining. Williams' basket was Boston's only one of the second overtime as the Nets outscored the Celtics 13-4.
Kenyon Martin's layup made it 104-99 before Jefferson hit a free throw. After Williams missed a 3-pointer, his two free throws made it 105-101 with 36 seconds to play.
Kidd was fouled and made both shots, and Williams missed a layup on the Celtics' final possession.
The Nets then held the ball before Kidd hit a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded -- a final farewell to the Boston fans who taunted him for more than a year.
Phil Jackson returns
Coach Phil Jackson rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, two days after undergoing a heart procedure, and will travel to San Antonio for Game 5 of their playoff series against the Spurs.
"He was here early this morning, met with the coaches, went over videotape," team spokesman John Black said. "He's in a great mood. Considering what he went through, he's in remarkable shape."
Jackson underwent an angioplasty Saturday to open his left anterior artery, which was over 90 percent blocked. He was released from Centinela Hospital Medical Center on Sunday morning but watched the Lakers' 99-95 victory over the Spurs on television at his home.
It was the first postseason game Jackson has missed in his 13-year career as an NBA head coach. His teams have won a record 25 straight playoff series and nine championships, equaling the record of former Boston coach Red Auerbach.
Assistant Jim Cleamons filled in for Jackson on Sunday. By winning, the three-time defending NBA champion Lakers tied the Spurs 2-2 in the best-of-seven series.
Jackson had experienced tightness and pain in his chest for about a week. He underwent some testing Friday but coached the team to a 110-95 victory that night.
Jackson guided the Chicago Bulls to six championships during the 1990s and the Lakers to titles in his three seasons as their coach.
Videoland will show Philadelphia at Detroit (Game 5) Live at 8am tomorrow. Star Sports will show San Antonio at LA Lakers (Game 6) live at 8am on Friday. ESPN will show Detroit at Philadelphia (Game 6) live at 7:30am on Saturday.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB