Backup forward Bostjan Nachbar scored 26 points and the Nets overcame a second-quarter drought that had their fans booing in a 101–86 victory over the injuryravaged Atlanta Hawks last night.

Vince Carter added 24 points and eight assists and Jason Kidd had 10 assists as the seemingly playoff-bound Nets won for the fourth time in five games and sent the Hawks to their seventh straight loss.

Mikki Moore added 14 points and nine rebounds for New Jersey, which used a 20–2 run at the end of the first half to take control and calm the crowd, which was annoyed with the effort and the sloppiness against the reeling Hawks.

Coupled with Orlando’s loss to Toronto, the Nets hold a 1 1 /2-game lead on the Magic for the no. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference with eight games to play, one more than Orlando.

Salim Stoudamire had 19 points and Zaza Pachulia 18 to lead Atlanta, which was playing its 14th straight game without All-Star guard Joe Johnson (calf ). Josh Smith added 15 points for the Hawks, who also will be without Josh Childress (13.0 points) for the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his foot. Shelden Williams had 14 rebounds.

Nachbar, who scored a careerhigh 29 points against Houston last month, hit 9 of 14 shots from the field, including a career-best seven 3-pointers.

Nachbar was the difference in the second quarter when the Nets blew an eight-point lead and saw the Hawks score 13 straight points to take a 37-32 lead on two free throws by Pachulia.