Kenyon Martin scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half and the New Jersey Nets overcame a slow start to rally past the Houston Rockets 88-77 Saturday, giving Lawrence Frank a 3-0 record as interim coach. Frank is unbeaten since replacing Byron Scott on Jan. 26, and the Nets have won four in a row.

New Jersey Nets forward Aaron Williams, left, stops a shot from Houston Rockets center Yao Ming of China, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2004, in Houston. The Nets won 88-77. [AP]

The streaks appeared to be in jeopardy after the first half. The Rockets hit 69 percent from the field in the first quarter and led 46-37 at the break.

Martin started pulling the Nets back with 15 third-quarter points, including an alley-oop slam that gave the Nets their first lead of the game at 49-48.

Martin hit the Nets' final six points of the quarter for a 66-60 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The Nets took the lead for good at 72-71 on a pair of free throws by Martin with 7:20 to play.

Steve Francis broke out of a shooting slump with 10 first-quarter points to give the Rockets the early lead. Cuttino Mobley had 11 points in the second quarter for the Rockets.

Francis led the Rockets with 26 points and Cuttino Mobley added 13.

Jason Kidd finished with 21 points for New Jersey and Richard Jefferson had 17.

Houston's biggest lead of the first half was 38-26 in the second quarter on a 3-point basket by Mobley.

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