AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Vince Carter's career has been built on his flashy offensive skills.

But for one crucial moment last night, it was Carter's defensive ability that stole the show.

Carter scored 22 points, then had a game-saving steal as the New Jersey Nets won their eighth straight game, beating the Detroit Pistons, 79-74.

With 2.1 seconds to play and the Nets up 77-74, Carter deflected Ben Wallace's inbounds pass, then leaped over the baseline to save the ball and clinch the win.

"I used to block field goals in junior high, so I just pulled out that technique," Carter said with a grin. "In a situation like that, you always want to get a hand on the ball, but mainly you just want to disrupt the pass however you can."

The Nets didn't want to give the Pistons another chance, still remembering Chauncey Billups' halfcourt buzzer-beater that forced a memorable triple-overtime game in the 2004 playoffs.

"I know that Game 5 made a lasting impression on me," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. "Vince must have been a high-jump champion somewhere, because that was an amazing play."

The loss ruined Detroit's chance to go a calendar year without a regular-season home loss in regulation — the last one had been a 95-88 defeat to Dallas on March 28, 2005.

ELSEWHERE

Grizzlies: Nearly 12,000 people had to be evacuated from a Memphis Grizzlies game at the FedEx Forum after a small fire broke out in an elevator shaft, authorities said. It was quickly extinguished and fire officials were venting smoke and preparing to let people re-enter the arena nearly 20 minutes after the game against Charlotte was scheduled to begin. No one was reported injured. Memphis won its seventh straight, 102-95.

Trail Blazers: Owner Paul Allen, said the team could lose $100 million over the next three years and needs a public partnership to remain financially viable. Allen is the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft. Part of the problem, according to Allen, is that the team no longer sees any revenues from the Rose Garden. Team revenue has declined sharply, along with ticket sales, down by a third from five years ago.

Kings: Guard Bonzi Wells was ejected from the Sacramento Kings' game against Golden State for punching the ball into the locker-room tunnel in frustration. Wells was angered by a foul called against him with 3:51 left in the first quarter. The Kings lost, 90-83.