The Nets showed tremendous resolve in Miami on Friday night to come up with their fifth straight win and take the Atlantic Division lead all to themselves. New Jersey made just 4 of their 20 shots in the first quarter and trailed by 15 points with 2:15 left in the second, but they finished the half on a 11-1 run to cut the lead to five. A 19-2 run gave the Nets a 16 point lead early in the fourth. Miami responded and cut the lead down to four with less the four minutes to play, but Vince Carter's ability to get to the line down the stretch was the difference. Carter tied his career-high with 51 points on 13-25 from the field and 24-25 from the line. He caught fire in the third and Miami could do nothing but foul him for most of the second half. The Nets did a great job of smothering Dwyane Wade, holding him to 4 of 20 from the field. Marc Jackson and Scott Padgett gave them a lift off the bench, Jackson knocking down several mid-range jumpers and Padgett grabbing 10 boards and hitting a key three to cap the big run in the fourth.
- Boxscore - NBA.com
- Game Highlights (Video) - NBA.com
- Carter lights up Heat for 51 points as Nets win - Tim Reynolds - AP
- NetsDaily Key Stats - 2005-06
- Carter scores 51, leads Nets' comeback against Heat - NBA.com (Ticker)
- Carter Equals His Career High and Cuts O'Neal Down to Size - Liz Robbins - New York Times
- Carter is hot stuff - Dave D'Alessandro - Star-Ledger
- Vince burns Heat for 51 - Ohm Youngmisuk - New York Daily News
- Con-Vince-Ing - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Heat can't contain Nets, lose 95-88 - Cammy Clark - Miami Herald
- Complete flop - Chris Perkins - Palm Beach Post
- Carter drops 51 on Heat - Ira Winderman - South Florida Sun-Sentinel
- Man On Fire - Joe - JoeNetsfan
- Carter sizzles with 51 in win - Al Iannazzone - The Record
- Photo Gallery: Nets vs. Heat - Steve Mitchell - AP