EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Peja Stojakovic scored 22 points and Fred Jones added 22 off the bench to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Nets 101-91 yesterday, snapping a six-game road losing streak.

Jones scored seven points in a span of 2:30 in the fourth quarter for Indiana (28-25) after New Jersey had cut a 15-point third quarter deficit to five points midway through the final period.

Richard Jefferson scored 23 points to lead New Jersey, which played most of the game without leading scorer Vince Carter, who sustained a right hamstring injury late in the first quarter and did not return.

Jason Kidd added 19 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds for the Nets, narrowly missing his 72nd career triple-double. New Jersey had won five of its last six games overall and 14 of its last 15 at home.

Indiana held its biggest lead at 75-60 with a little over 4 minutes left in the third quarter, but the Pacers went cold after that and didn’t score for the rest of the period. The Nets scored 10 straight points to cut the deficit to 75-70 entering the fourth.

A 3-pointer and a driving scoop shot by Kidd made the score 85-80 with a little over 6 minutes left in the game, but Jones answered with a 3-pointer, Anthony Johnson (12 points) hit a jumper, and Jones scored on a drive to give Indiana a 92-80 advantage. The Nets couldn’t get closer than seven points the rest of the game.

After a close first quarter, the Pacers slowly pulled away in the second behind bench players Harrison, Granger, and Jones, who finished the half shooting 10-for-17 for 25 points. Stojakovic made two free throws with 2:23 left in the quarter to make it 51-40 Indiana, and baskets by Jones, Johnson and Stojakovic helped Indiana extend the lead to 57-44 at the half.

Without Carter, the Nets seemed out of sorts at times, though they shot 46% in the first half, slightly above their average of 45%. The difference came at the foul line, where the Pacers were 14-of-16 while New Jersey shot just six free throws, making five. For the game, Indiana was 25-for-33, compared to the Nets’ 17-for-20.

Now, the Nets have to hope Carter’s injury is not serious. It was described by the team as a sore hamstring that will be evaluated today. New Jersey plays at Atlanta tonight then travels to Minnesota for a game Wednesday.

“It just tightened up,” Carter said. “When I went up, I just felt a grab and I didn’t want it to tear. We’re hoping it’s just a cramp and I can play tomorrow.”

The last time the Nets went on the road with Carter fighting a gimpy back, they went 0-4 on a West Coast swing in late January.

Center Nenad Krstic, who was 11-for-11 from the field Friday night against the Knicks, missed his first three shots badly and finished with four points in 24 minutes.

Forward Clifford Robinson played in his 1,303rd career game, tying him with Elvin Hayes for ninth on the NBA’s career list. He scored 11 points, giving him 19,190 for his career and passing Gail Goodrich for 36th place on the NBA’s career list.