Carter, Nets Rout Raptors

The Nets made quick work of the Raptors again.

Now they head back to Toronto looking to put a quick end to the first-round series.

Vince Carter scored 27 points, Richard Jefferson added 23, and the Nets took a 3-1 lead over the Atlantic Division champions yesterday night with a 102–81 victory — their second-biggest ever in a playoff game.

Jason Kidd added 17 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds for New Jersey, which can advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a victory in Game 5 on Tuesday night. If the Raptors win that one, Game 6 would be back in New Jersey on Friday.

Toronto's first postseason since 2002 is shaping up as a short one. Teams taking 3-1 leads in series have won 158 and lost only eight.

Andrea Bargnani scored 16 points for the Raptors, who led for all of 15 seconds in the two games at the Meadowlands. Toronto has lost eight straight road playoff games since beating Philadelphia on May 6, 2001, in Game 1 of Eastern Conference semifinals.

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BULLS 92, HEAT 79 Ben Gordon scored 24 points, Luol Deng had 22 points and 11 rebounds and the Chicago Bulls beat the defending champion Miami Heat 92–79 yesterday to complete a sweep and win a postseason series for the first time since the Michael Jordan era.

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SUNS 113, LAKERS 100 Steve Nash had 23 assists - one shy of the NBA playoff record - to go with 17 points, Amare Stoudemire had 27 points and a career playoff-high 21 rebounds, and Phoenix took a 3-1 lead over the Lakers in their firstround series.