Vince Carter scored 18 of his 29 points in the second half on Monday night to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 90-77 win over the Houston Rockets.
Jason Kidd had 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, his sixth triple-double of the season. Kidd has 73 career triple-doubles and needs five to tie Wilt Chamberlain for third all-time. Cliff Robinson added 15 points for the Nets, who've won all 28 games they've led after three quarters.
Yao Ming scored 36 points for the Rockets, playing their third straight game without Tracy McGrady, who's out up to five weeks with another back injury.
PHOTO: AP
Yao, who was averaging 27.5 points and 13 rebounds in 10 games since the All-Star break, went 9-of-17 from the field, most of them quick turnaround hook shots. He also went 18-for-20 from the free throw line.
The rest of the team, though, shot 17-of-59 from the field.
Bucks 88, Hawks 87
At Milwaukee, the Bucks snapped their longest home losing streak in six years at five games when Bobby Simmons scored 18 points and Michael Redd added 16.
Milwaukee still looked lethargic, blowing a 17-point lead in the second half before coming from behind to win. Milwaukee had won six in a row at home after a victory Valentine's Day against Seattle, but since went sour -- losing eight of the last 12 overall to fall below .500 in the Eastern Conference.
Josh Smith finished with a career-high 25 points for the Hawks, who at 20-41 were assured their seventh straight season without a winning record after having seven straight winning campaigns in the 1990s.
Nuggets 108, Knicks 96
At New York, Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points, 12 in the third quarter when the game turned into a rout. Andre Miller added 16 points and former Knicks center Marcus Camby had 10 points and 18 rebounds for the Nuggets, who pulled away in the second half and improved to 3-1 on their season-high seven-game road trip.
Stephon Marbury scored 25 points for the Knicks, who have lost two straight and have the NBA's worst record. Channing Frye added 16.
Denver played the second half without Kenyon Martin, who has been troubled by knee and leg problems for much of the season and recently missed four games. He appeared to be near tears while holding his left leg during a first-half timeout.
Pacers 97, Magic 83
At Indianapolis, Danny Granger came off the bench to score 21 points, leading five Indiana players in double figures. Granger also grabbed 12 rebounds.
Anthony Johnson also scored 21 points, Peja Stojakovic and David Harrison had 14 each and Jamaal Tinsley 12.
Pacers guard Fred Jones returned for the first time since tearing a ligament in his left thumb against the Knicks on March 7.
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