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Carter drops 41 as Nets blow out Pistons
Vince Carter had his best game since joining the New Jersey Nets, scoring 41 points and leading a second-half surge in a 107-85 victory Saturday that snapped the Detroit Pistons' five-game winning streak.
Carter's points were a season high, surpassing the 33 he scored Jan. 19 in a victory over Milwaukee that came 33 days after the Nets acquired him from Toronto. New Jersey has gone 13-13 since the Carter trade.
Jason Kidd added 12 points and 14 assists, surpassing Kenny Anderson as the franchise leader in career assists with 2,364. Kidd also surpassed Bob Cousy (6,955) for 12th place on the NBA's all-time assists list.
Kidd passed Anderson with his final assist on a 19-foot jumper by Jason Collins that gave New Jersey a 99-73 lead with 5:02 remaining. He left to a standing ovation moments later.
Jabari Smith shot 7-for-7 and added 14 points for New Jersey, while Jacque Vaughn scored 12.
Tayshaun Prince had 17 points and Antonio McDyess 15 for the Pistons, who couldn't stop the Nets once Carter got going.
Carter seized the momentum after he appeared to get swiped in the face by Ben Wallace as he drove for a layup midway through the third quarter. No foul was called, although Carter was whistled for a personal after he slammed into Wallace in retaliation.
He followed with two free throws, a 5-foot runner, a 3-pointer, a layup and a steal before Kidd scored four straight points. Carter ended the third quarter by making a pair of foul shots and a 7-foot runner, then opened the fourth with a putback and a finger roll for an 83-65 lead.
There would be no comeback from the Pistons, who lost for the first time since Jan. 24 and wrapped up a contentious eight-day stretch in which their coach Larry Brown, after acknowledging his interest in perhaps becoming coach of the New York Knicks, backed off and said he plans to stay in Detroit.
"It's no different than any other time with me," Brown said. "I feel bad about it, but hopefully that's over. That's my goal. Like I said, I'm in a terrific place and I want to be here, and our team's getting better — that's the nice thing."
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