Martin nets 25 as the Nets go home with 2-0 lead

Auburn Hills, Michigan (Agence France-Presse): Kenyon Martin scored 16 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and Richard Jefferson made three clutch free throws in the final 80 seconds as New Jersey rallied for an 88-86 victory on Tuesday over Detroit and a commanding lead in the National Basketball Association semifinals.

"We are not a glamor team," said Nets coach Byron Scott. "We hang our hat on our defense just like they do. It is going to be a dog fight."

The second-seeded Nets have won the first two games of the series on the home court of the top-seeded Pistons by a combined four points and host the next two games on Thursday and Saturday.

They are two wins away from a return trip to the NBA Finals.

"To go home with a 2-0 lead and have a chance to win the next two at home, we feel pretty good about ourselves," Scott said.

New Jersey has won eight straight playoff games, the third-longest streak in NBA history. Five of those have come on the road, where it is 6-1 in the postseason.

Martin was relatively quiet through the first three quarters but took charge in the final period.

"My team needed me and I just let it all hang out on the court," said Martin.

He scored 10 straight New Jersey points early in the quarter, had a pair of baskets to cut the deficit to 79-76 midway through the period and threw in a jump hook that pulled the Nets into an 83-83 tie with 3:14 remaining.

"Kenyon was fantastic," said Scott. "It didn't matter who they put on him. Our three big guns were pretty potent in the fourth quarter."

Chauncey Billups and Jason Kidd - both of whom figured in the finish - traded baskets before Jefferson was foulpd trying a fast-break reverse dunk with 1:18 left.

He made 1-of-2 free throws to give New Jersey its first lead of the period.

Detroit's Corliss Williamson split a pair from the line to tie it 11 seconds later, but Jefferson got Williamson in the air with a headfake and drew another foul.

He calmly sank both shots, making it 88-86 with 48 seconds to play.

Williamson and Kidd each missed shots, leaving the Pistons one last chance with 1.8 seconds left.

Billups took the inbounds pass above the circle and faked a shot. getting Kidd into the air. But Kidd landed without making much contact with Billups, who leaned into Kidd trying to draw a foul while misfiring badly on his shot at the horn.

"We wanted to come here and get both of them and we did that," said Martin. "Nou we have to go home and do the same thing."

Pistons coach Kirk Carlisle thought the game had gotten away from him team long before the last shot.

"It shouldn't come down to a last play when you've got a lead in the fourth like we did," Carlisle said.