It’s a Happy Return for the Nets’ Kidd

Jason Kidd couldn’t have scripted a better ending, except perhaps for a flashier assist on the game-winning basket.

Making his season debut, Kidd was credited with an assist on Richard Jefferson’s jumper from the lane with 7.1 seconds left that gave the New Jersey Nets an 88-86 victory over the visiting Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

After sitting out the season’s first 16 games recovering from left knee surgery, Kidd had 10 points, six rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes with the Nets restricting his playing time.

Jefferson had 26 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for New Jersey, sitting in last place in the Atlantic Division after winning only four of its first 16 games without Kidd.

“It was a whole different feeling when he was out there,” Net forward Eric Williams said of Kidd. “We got the ball up and down the floor, and the game just looked a whole lot better.”

Vince Carter had 22 points for Toronto, but he missed a layup just before the final buzzer.

Detroit 101, Dallas 85 -- Chauncey Billups had 24 points to lead the Pistons at Dallas.

Dirk Nowitzki came in as the NBA’s leading scorer but missed 16 of 24 shots en route to 27 points, 15 of them coming from the line for Dallas, which lost at home for the fourth time after losing only five home games last season.

Miami 100, Utah 80 -- Shaquille O’Neal got his 10,000th rebound and Damon Jones scored 21 points on a career-best seven three-pointers to help the Heat hand the host Jazz its fifth loss in a row. Dwayne Wade led Miami with 23 points and O’Neal had 21 points and 13 rebounds, becoming the 31st player to surpass 10,000.

San Antonio 91, Chicago 75 -- Tony Parker had 17 points at Chicago to lead the Spurs to their eighth straight victory. San Antonio improved to an NBA-best 16-3.

Denver 115, Orlando 102 -- Andre Miller had 29 points, Carmelo Anthony had 28 and Kenyon Martin had 23 in the Nuggets’ victory at Denver.

Atlanta 96, Philadelphia 92 -- Josh Smith scored the tie-breaking basket off an offensive rebound with 17.6 seconds left, then blocked Aaron McKie’s shot to preserve the lead at Atlanta as the Hawks ended a nine-game losing streak.

Antoine Walker had 22 points for the Hawks. Allen Iverson had a season-high 36 for the 76ers.

Golden State 110, Boston 106 -- Troy Murphy had a career-high 30 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Warriors at Oakland.