The Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin got running in the first quarter, so the New Jersey Nets didn't have to wait until the fourth to win the game.

Dominant at both ends, Kidd scored a career playoff-high 34 points and Martin had 19 as the New Jersey Nets finally hit their uptempo stride and moved within one victory of an Eastern Conference finals sweep by beating the Detroit Pistons 97-85 Thursday night.

Martin scored 14 points in the first quarter, when New Jersey took the lead for good.

Kidd scored 15 of New Jersey's 19 points and had two steals during a 9 1/2-minute stretch starting late in the second quarter, leading his team to a 32-4 advantage in fast-break points.

Kidd made 11 of 21 shots, 11 of 13 free throws and had 12 rebounds and six assists.

He shot free throws to chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" in the fourth quarter.

The Nets sputtered before winning the first two games of the series by two points apiece with fourth-quarter rallies, with the scores in the 70s and 80s.

Regardless of the method, the defending conference champions have won nine straight playoff games and can close out their second straight sweep Saturday when they host Game 4.

Richard Hamilton scored 21 points - but only six in the second half - to lead the Pistons, who now must attempt to become the first team in NBA history to come back from 3-0 down to win a series.

Desperate to find a winning formula, coach Rick Carlisle benched struggling starters Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince for much of the second half, but there was no solution for 18 turnovers, a 50-39 rebounding deficit and a Nets defense that seemed to have its hands everywhere.

Only a few pingpong balls kept the night from being a total loss for the Pistons, who won the No. 2 overall pick in the draft lottery held just before tipoff. The pick comes from a 1997 trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, who would have kept the selection had it been No. 1.

The Pistons again tried to be more aggressive on offense, and it worked for all of six minutes.

Hamilton and Billups each hit a pair of jumpers as Detroit took a 13-6 lead, but then Martin - along with the Nets' fast break - turned the tide quickly.

Martin had 14 points in the first quarter on 5-for-6 shooting, and he also drew three fouls in less than a minute - two on Robinson and one on Mehmet Okur.