New Jersey outlasts Boston for early lead in East semis

The Nets' experience in close games was valuable against the Celtics.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- The New Jersey Nets seem to find ways to win in the playoffs even when they don't play their best.
Kenyon Martin scored 21 points and Boston's Paul Pierce put a damper on a 34-point performance by missing a wide-open 3-pointer in the closing seconds that would have tied it, as New Jersey won Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals 97-93 Monday night.
"This is one of the games that earlier in the season we probably would have lost," Nets coach Byron Scott said.
"But I think winning some of those close games in the last series got us ready for this series."
Finding a way
The Nets, who had a roller-coaster season, have been a different team since they opened defense of their Eastern Conference title.
They beat the Milwaukee Bucks in six games and found a way to beat Boston despite a number of problems.
Martin picked up three fouls early, New Jersey turned the ball over 18 times and had a second-half stretch where it shot 1-of-15.
Still, they beat Boston for the seventh time in eight games dating to last year's conference finals.
"It was back and forth," said Jason Kidd, who added 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Nets. "It's going to be like that the whole series. You've got two talented teams who will try to force their will and style on one another. It's just a matter of who has the ball last."
Pierce had it with the Nets ahead 96-93 with just under 10 seconds to play.
He used a pick at the top of the circle and had an open look when Kidd and Richard Jefferson seemed to back off.
"I thought I got a great look," said Pierce, who hit 1-of-4 3-pointers on a night the Celtics were 9-for-28 from long range.
"It felt good coming out of my hands. It was a little short. What more can you ask for? Down three, you get a good look at the end of the game, and maybe you get it into overtime."
Martin got the rebound and hit a free throw with 5.9 seconds to play. The power forward made four free throws in the final 45 seconds.
"This is a tough loss for us in a hard-fought game," Celtics coach Jim O'Brien said. "I felt that we were in position to win the basketball game and we just didn't get it done down the stretch."
Rough ending
Neither team did a great job down the stretch. Boston was 7-of-22 from the field in the fourth quarter and had three turnovers. New Jersey was only 5-of-14 from the field with six turnovers.
The difference was at the foul line, where New Jersey was 14-of-16, including 8-of-10 in the final 3:16. Pierce was 15-of-20 in the first three quarters, but the Celtics were just 3-of-4 down the stretch and Pierce never got to the line.
"It wasn't pretty, but we don't care," Scott said.
Game 2 is Wednesday night at the Meadowlands.