MILWAUKEE – Joe Smith and Mike James each scored 17 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 97-74 victory over the Nets last night.

Desmond Mason added 16 for the Bucks, who had lost three straight and eight of 11.

The Nets missed nine of their first 11 shots, which allowed the Bucks to take an early lead that was never seriously challenged.

“With all the new guys, we just have to figure out what to do,” Jason Kidd said. “It’s not one person’s fault. It’s the team. We have to help each other out.”

Jabari Smith had career highs with 19 points and six assists in a season high 36 minutes off the bench for the Nets, who came in scoring 86.5 points a game – 29th in the NBA.

Richard Jefferson added 16 points and 11 rebounds and Vince Carter, who had a season-high 31 points Tuesday, scored 15 on 6-for-14 shooting in his fifth start for New Jersey. Carter has averaged 24 points in his first five games with the Nets as he recovers from a strained Achilles’ tendon.

Mason’s 10 points in the third quarter kept the Bucks comfortably ahead.

Kidd’s 3-pointer pulled the Nets to 58-51 with 8:39 left in the quarter, but Mason hit three free throws in a 60-second span to help the Bucks pull away.

Milwaukee’s lead got up to 23 by the time Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson went to the bench with 6:07 left.

Also yesterday, the Nets re-signed forward Jerome Moiso to a 10-day contract after waiving forward Kaniel Dickens.