The Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Jason Kidd's series-long slump came to an end, Kenyon Martin was slap-happy with energy and the New Jersey Nets evened things up with the Detroit Pistons in yet another lopsided game.

Kidd had 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his seventh career postseason triple-double, scoring nine straight third-quarter points when the Nets broke the game open for a 94-79 victory in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal Tuesday night.

Kidd was shooting an abysmal 23 percent in the first three games of the series, all of which were decided by double-digit margins. He shot 8-for-15 in Game 4 and got plenty of support from Martin, Richard Jefferson, Kerry Kittles and Lucious Harris.

"I called it. He hadn't had a triple-double in the series. He was due for one," Jefferson said. "J-Kidd is not going to shy away from a challenge. Sooner or later, those shots are going to fall."

The home team has won every game in this series, which is tied 2-2 and resumes Friday at Detroit.

The Pistons dominated the first two games with their defense, but the Nets showed in Games 3 and 4 that they can look to more players than Detroit can for offense.

New Jersey's defense was not too shabby, either, with Martin showing the most aggression while outplaying opposing power forward Rasheed Wallace, who aggravated a foot injury in the first half. Also, Chauncey Billups strained his back in the first quarter and had his second straight poor game.

"If Chauncey was healthy and Rasheed was healthy it wouldn't have mattered tonight," Pistons coach Larry Brown said. "They were great. To me, that's the right way to play - the way they're playing," Brown said.

Detroit was a one-man show on offense, getting 30 points from Richard Hamilton and no more than eight from anyone else. Billups, defended by Kittles, shot 2-for-7 for six points, while the Nets' centers were able to contain Ben Wallace, holding him to 15 rebounds following his 24-rebound performance in Game 3.

DETROIT (79)-Prince 3-10 2-2 8, R.Wallace 1-5 4-4 6, B.Wallace 1-5 4-8 6, R.Hamilton 11-20 6-8 30, Billups 2-7 2-2 6, James 1-6 4-5 6, Okur 2-5 4-4 8, Hunter 1-1 0-0 2, Ham 1-1 0-0 2, Williamson 1-4 3-4 5, Campbell 0-0 0-0 0, Milicic 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-65 29-37 79.

NEW JERSEY (94)-Jefferson 6-15 6-8 19, Martin 6-13 4-6 16, Collins 1-4 0-0 2, Kittles 6-11 0-2 14, Kidd 8-15 5-7 22, Williams 0-2 2-2 2, Harris 5-8 1-1 11, Rogers 3-8 2-2 8, Scalabrine 0-2 0-0 0, Armstrong 0-1 0-0 0, Slay 0-0 0-0 0, Planinic 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 35-80 20-28 94.

Detroit	18	22	16	23-79
New Jersey	21	26	30	17-94

3-Point Goals-Detroit 2-11 (R.Hamilton 2-3, Williamson 0-1, R.Wallace 0-1, James 0-1, Billups 0-2, Prince 0-3), New Jersey 4-15 (Kittles 2-6, Kidd 1-3, Jefferson 1-3, Rogers 0-1, Harris 0-2). Fouled out-Martin. Rebounds-Detroit 42 (B.Wallace 15), New Jersey 60 (Martin 15). Assists-Detroit 16 (Billups 5), New Jersey 24 (Kidd 11). Total fouls-Detroit 26, New Jersey 33. Technicals-Williamson, R.Hamilton, Rogers. A-19,860 (19,860).

PACERS: Indiana point guard Jamaal Tinsley practiced through pain Tuesday, a day after having tests on his left ankle. Tinsley said X-rays were negative, and he expects to start Game 4 against at Miami tonight. "It's just real sore right now," he said after practice.

HORNETS: Byron Scott is among the leading candidates to replace Tim Floyd as New Orleans coach.

"He has the credentials," owner George Shinn said. "I don't want to say something that might discourage somebody else, but his record speaks for itself."

Shinn made the comments at New Orleans' charity hospital, where he spent part of his 63rd birthday giving presents to women who gave birth that day.

Shinn said he wasn't sure when Scott would visit New Orleans but ruled out this week. He didn't mention the names of other candidates but assured there would be more.

The Hornets fired Floyd last Friday, three days after Miami eliminated them in the first-round of the NBA playoffs.

Scott was fired earlier this season by the New Jersey Nets. He had taken the Nets to two consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals, and his team was in first place in the Atlantic Division when he was fired.

NBA playoffs

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

(Best-of-7 series)

Sunday

L.A. Lakers 105, San Antonio 81 Spurs lead series 2-1

New Jersey 82, Detroit 64

Monday

Miami 94, Indiana 87, Pacers lead series 2-1

Minnesota 114, Sacramento 113, OT, Timberwolves lead series 2-1

Tuesday

New Jersey 94, Detroit 79,series tied 2-2

San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, late

Today

Indiana at Miami, 8 p.m.

Minnesota at Sacramento, 10:30 p.m.