EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ? Richard Jefferson and the New Jersey Nets finally struck the right balance to end a nine-game losing streak.

Jefferson scored 23 points and Eric Williams had a season-high 22 to help the Nets to a 99-86 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday night.

“We’ve been close a couple of times,” Jefferson said. “This was the first time in a while that our defense and our offense were equal. Guys hit shots and made stops.”

The Nets, playing their first home game following an 0-4 Western trip, had four players in double figures. Alonzo Mourning scored 18 points with 11 rebounds, and Jason Collins scored 10.

The Nets could smile after a game for the first time since a 64-60 victory over the Portland Trailblazers on Nov. 9.

“It was nice to get a win,” Williams said. “It didn’t matter who we played. I just wanted to get that nasty taste out of my mouth.”

It was Emeka Okafor and the Bobcats who needed a breath freshener.

“It was like when your mother cooked something that didn’t taste right,” Okafor said. “One ingredient was missing. There was one ingredient missing, and I don’t know what it was.”

Okafor led Charlotte with 26 points and 12 rebounds, the rookie’s fifth consecutive double-double. Jason Hart added 15 for the Bobcats, who dropped to 0-6 on the road.

New Jersey's Alonzo Mourning, left, and Jason Collins celebrate late in the Nets' victory over Charlotte. The Nets defeated the Bobcats, 99-86, Tuesday night in East Rutherford, N.J.

The Nets led 50-46 at the half behind Jefferson’s 14 points. Okafor was the leading scorer in the half with 18 points on 9-of-15 shooting.

The Nets extended the lead with a solid third quarter in which they outscored the Bobcats 22-14. New Jersey opened a 12-point lead when Travis Best stole the ball from Okafor for a give-and-go breakaway with Jefferson. Best scored on the return feed with 3:10 remaining to give New Jersey a 66-54 advantage. New Jersey opened the fourth quarter with 7-2 run for a 79-64 lead that put the game out of reach.

Suns 115, Jazz 102

Salt Lake City — Steve Nash had 20 points and 14 assists to lead Phoenix to its eighth straight victory. Amare Stoudemire scored 29 points, Shawn Marion scored 21, and each pulled down nine rebounds for the Suns, who outscored the Jazz 33-22 in the fourth quarter. Quentin Richardson scored 18, and Joe Johnson added 15 as all five Suns starters scored in double figures.

Raptors 94, Heat 92

Miami — Jalen Rose scored 24 points, including the decisive free throws with 15.6 seconds left, to help Toronto snap a six-game road losing streak. Shaquille O’Neal led Miami with a season-high 34 points, shooting 12-for-15 from the field and 10-of-13 from the foul line.

Pistons 93, Rockets 72

Houston — Antonio McDyess had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Richard Hamilton also scored 19, helping Detroit snap a five-game road losing streak with a win over Houston. McDyess scored the Pistons’ first 12 points in the opening 41/2 minutes as Detroit jumped to an early lead and never trailed, sending Houston to its fourth consecutive loss.

Spurs 107, Mavericks 89

Dallas — Devin Brown sparked a fourth-quarter spurt with two three-point plays and two dunks, helping San Antonio beat Dallas to spoil the pseudo-coaching debut of Avery Johnson. Johnson, the hand-picked successor of Dallas coach Don Nelson, ran the game as if the job already were his. Nelson was there, too, but offered only suggestions.

Knicks 110, Hawks 109, OT

Atlanta — Jamal Crawford’s three-pointer with 3.4 seconds left in overtime lifted New York over Atlanta. The Hawks, leading by one point, had a foul to waste, and coach Mike Woodson was yelling that message from the sideline. But Crawford launched the game-winner from the top of the circle before Atlanta’s defenders could respond.

Nazr Mohammed fouled Antoine Walker with two seconds left, but Walker — who scored a season-high 36 points — missed the first free throw. Following a timeout, Walker made the second free throw despite trying intentionally to miss the shot. The Knicks inbounded and ran out the clock.

Blazers 100, Sonics 94

Portland, Ore. — Zach Randolph had 19 points, including a key jumper with 17.2 seconds left, and Portland stopped Seattle. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Sonics (13-3), who were off to their best start since they opened the 1993-94 season 16-1.

Kings 98, Grizzlies 93

Memphis, Tenn. — Peja Stojakovic had 29 points, and Chris Webber added 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead Sacramento over Memphis. The loss was the Grizzlies’ second straight at home and fourth straight overall, three of them coming since former coach Hubie Brown resigned unexpectedly.

Lakers 95, Bucks 90

Milwaukee — Brian Cook came off the bench to score a career-high 25 points, including five three-pointers, and Kobe Bryant added 20 points despite being held without a field goal for three quarters to lead Los Angeles past Milwaukee.

Cook also had a career-high 11 rebounds, and Lamar Odom added 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Lakers beat the Bucks for the second time in seven days and the eighth straight time overall.