Jefferson Keeps Nets on a Roll

The way the New Jersey Nets are playing, Jason Kidd’s prediction of 60 victories this season might be too low.

Richard Jefferson matched his career high with 22 points and the undefeated Nets forced the Minnesota Timberwolves into a team-record 29 turnovers in a 106-82 victory Monday night at East Rutherford, N.J.

“They’re good,” said Kevin Garnett, who led Minnesota with 23 points and 10 rebounds. “I’m not going to sit here and [knock] them. I’m not going to take that away from them. They were the better team tonight.”

In winning their fourth in a row and moving within a victory of their best start, the Nets were far better than Minnesota on both ends of the court.

Not only did New Jersey win, Kidd only had to play 30 minutes, scoring 10 points and handing out 12 assists.

Jefferson, who was eight for 13 from the field, and the Net defense went a long way in allowing Kidd to rest the entire fourth quarter.

“I knew what I was capable of doing,” said Jefferson, who became a starter after Keith Van Horn was traded in the off-season. “My teammates and coaches knew what I was capable of doing. That’s why they put me in that position. I’m not doing anything amazing.”

That’s debatable. Jefferson made a several highlight-reel plays, the best being a windmill dunk over 7-foot center Rasho Nesterovic after a second-quarter baseline drive.

“I don’t give him too much credit, but when I go home and relax I’ll go ‘Phew!’ ” veteran Net guard Lucious Harris said. “You keep giving him credit, you don’t know how big his head will be.”

Toronto 109, Chicago 105 -- Lindsey Hunter made a jumper with 1.2 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Raptors at Toronto.

Hunter and Voshon Lenard each scored 23 points.

The Raptors played without All-Stars Vince Carter (strained left quadriceps tendon) and Antonio Davis (strained left ribcage).

Alvin Williams had a team-high 25 points for the Raptors, who have won 15 in a row against Chicago.

Milwaukee 97, New York 88 -- Sam Cassell scored seven consecutive points for the Bucks after New York rallied from a 16-point deficit in front of the first non-sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden in nearly a decade.

A crowd of 18,100 -- more than 1,600 short of capacity -- watched the Knicks drop to 0-4. New York’s sellout streak ended at 433 games.

Cassell scored 22 points -- half of them in the last 12 minutes.

San Antonio 103, Memphis 101 -- Tim Duncan made a 12-footer for San Antonio as time expired in overtime at Memphis, Tenn.

Officials reviewed the final play and said Duncan made the shot with eighth-tenths of a second remaining, capping a comeback for the Spurs, who outscored the Grizzlies, 7-0, in the final 1:03.

Duncan, who finished with 29 points and 14 rebounds, scored nine points in the overtime.

San Antonio has won 20 in a row against the Grizzlies.

Dallas 107, Golden State 100 -- Steve Nash scored 30 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points at Dallas, helping the Mavericks extend their winning streak against the Warriors to 14 games.

Jason Richardson scored 39 points for the Warriors, one short of his career high.

Nick Van Exel scored five consecutive points down the stretch with the game in the balance, and Michael Finley had 17 points to help the Mavericks (3-0) to their best start since they won their first three games in 1997-98.

Detroit 84, Phoenix 82 -- Richard Hamilton scored 22 points and the Pistons held off the Suns at Phoenix after nearly blowing a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter.

The Suns closed with a 25-7 run and had a chance to tie the score at the finish, but Stephon Marbury’s driving 11-footer bounced off the rim with 1.4 seconds to play. Marbury had 15 points and 10 assists.