Pacers Put Nets in Early Hole

Anthony Johnson was nothing more than Jason Kidd’s backup when he played for New Jersey in 2002. On Sunday he backed up his new reputation -- as one of the Indiana Pacers’ most dependable players.

Johnson made two free throws with nine-tenths of a second left and played tough defense on Kidd, and the Pacers beat the Nets, 90-88, to take Game 1 of their first-round Eastern Conference series at East Rutherford, N.J.

“Anthony Johnson is a guy you can count on,” Pacer Coach Rick Carlisle said of the guard who finished with 12 points and six assists.

Jermaine O’Neal scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who became the first road team to win this postseason.

The Pacers forced Vince Carter into 12-for-33 shooting and Kidd into two-for-11 shooting. Carter had 31 points and Kidd finished with five.

“I had a double negative tonight,” Carter said. “I couldn’t hit a jump shot or make a layup.”

Carter’s follow dunk, however, tied the score at 88-88 with 32 seconds left, and the Pacers worked the clock down before Austin Croshere missed a jumper. He retrieved it and passed to Johnson, who drove into the lane and was fouled by Nenad Krstic. The Nets weren’t so sure.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t come up with the rebound and you like for players to decide the game, but you have to give Anthony credit for making the two free throws,” Net Coach Lawrence Frank said. “I haven’t seen a replay yet, but the foul on Krstic seemed like a really hard call.”

After Johnson made both free throws, Richard Jefferson’s jumper from the corner was short.

Dallas 103, Memphis 93 -- Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points at Dallas to help the Mavericks open the playoffs with an impressive victory. Last season, they lost the first two games at home to Houston.

After Memphis got within 75-74 in the third quarter, Dallas put it away with a 21-8 run. Pau Gasol scored 24 for Memphis, which fell to 0-9 in the postseason after being swept by San Antonio and Phoenix the last two years.

Detroit 92, Milwaukee 74 -- Rasheed Wallace scored 17 of his 22 points in the first half and Richard Hamilton scored 21 to lead the host Pistons in Game 1.

The Bucks’ leading scorer, Michael Redd, was held to 11 points on four-for-15 shooting after averaging 25.4 during the regular season and 30 in four games against the Pistons. Reserve Charlie Bell led Milwaukee with 13 points.

After Milwaukee pulled within four by scoring the first eight points of the second half, Detroit responded with an 11-0 run and was never threatened again.

The only bad news for the Pistons was when Hamilton rolled his left ankle early in the fourth quarter. He first appeared to be OK but limped off the court later in pain. X-rays were negative, the team said.