BOSTON - Vince Carter scored 23 points, 16 in the fourth quarter, and Jason Kidd added 19 as the New Jersey Nets snapped a six-game losing streak with a 106-103 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

Paul Pierce's jumper from the corner gave the Celtics a two-point lead with 1:41 remaining, but Richard Jefferson sank a 3-pointer 22 seconds later to give the Nets the lead for good at 104-103.

Carter added a pair of free throws with 17 seconds remaining after Pierce missed a long 3-pointer.

Wally Szczerbiak had a chance to tie it with 3 seconds to go, but curiously drove baseline and lost the ball out of bounds as time expired. A frustrated Pierce looked at Szczerbiak holding up three fingers to indicate how many points were needed to tie the game. Szczerbiak walked over to Celtics coach Doc Rivers and apologized as Pierce walked off the court annoyed.

Pierce scored 31 and Szczerbiak added 25 for Boston.