40-point games are becoming an everyday thing for Vince Carter. Last night, he managed to put another one up by the end of the 3rd quarter. After that, things got a little chippy.
Carter had long been stewing about last year's season-ending injury at the hands of the Spurs' Bruce Bowen, and tempers flared last night. Carter and Bowen headbutted in the 3rd quarter, leading to a double technical. Later, VC charged Bowen after a play in which jerseys were grabbed, elbows flew, and the two tangled legs. Replays showed the double trip to be incidental contact, but Carter was ejected due to the prior technical.
The incident turned the game around for the Spurs, who had trailed by double digits for most of the game. They scored 69 points in the second half to walk away with an unlikely 101-91 victory. Carter led all Nets with 43 points, while Spurs guard (and Eva Longoria boyfriend) Tony Parker had 27.
In other NBA news: Karl "Elbows" Malone and Knicks-killer Reggie Miller each announce their retirement.
Photo via New York Times/Chang W. Lee
