HOUSTON, March 13 (Ticker) -- Yao Ming had another huge effort, but it was fellow All-Stars Vince Carter and Jason Kidd who led the New Jersey Nets to a big win.

Yao's 36 points and nine rebounds were offset by a 29-point effort by Carter and Kidd's sixth triple-double of the season as the Nets posted a 90-77 victory over the shorthanded Houston Rockets.

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Criticized for much of his career for not playing like the dominant force many thought he would be, Yao has been on a tear of late, recording 11 straight 20-point games and his fifth 30-point effort in his last six contests.

However, it was Carter and Clifford Robinson, who added 15 points off the bench, that combined for 11 points during a 20-7 charge in the second quarter that gave New Jersey the lead for good, 42-35, with 5:14 remaining in the session.

"I wanted to be agressive and be a playmaker, or whatever it took," said Carter, who finished with seven assists and six rebounds. "Our guys were hitting their shots. It was a fun game."

Robinson hit four of his six shots in the second quarter as he and Carter worked the pick-and-roll to perfection with Kidd on the bench.

"I keep telling everyone, I've never been the type of guy who can take two shots and I'm going to hit them," Robinson said. "I need to get some looks."

"Cliff really gave us a big lift off the bench," said Nets head coach Lawrence Frank, whose bench outscored Houston's, 31-7. "He and Vince really took over the game with their pick-and-roll plays."

Robinson's 3-pointer with 7:42 left in the third period gave the Nets a 59-45 bulge. It was one of 11 3-pointers for New Jersey.

"We're not playing good enough to get this win," Yao said. "We gave them too many open 3's, penetrations and offensive boards."

The Rockets did respond with a 7-0 burst over the next two minutes.

Carter answered by drilling three shots from the arc in the final 4:18 of the third quarter a 68-55 advantage heading into the final 12 minutes.

"We wanted to be aggressive," Carter said. "We moved the ball around and made the baskets. Things opened up."

The Rockets were still within 82-73 after a basket by Rafer Alston with 2:39 left. But Carter blocked Keith Bogans' shot and fed Kidd for a 3-pointer on the other end to seal the victory.

It was another bitter loss for Houston, which opened the game 6-for-10 from the field but shot just 20-for-66 (30 percent) thereafter. Yao was 9-for-17, but without fellow All-Star Tracy McGrady (back) and starter David Wesley (cracked rib) in the backcourt, it wasn't enough.

"What we need to do is find a way, whatever way it is, to find a way to win," Yao said.

"Yao once again tonight was hitting, doing his deal for us, like he has been since the All-Star break," Alston said. "We've got to give him a little more help and support on the offensive end and the defensive end."

However, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy noted that even Yao wasn't at his best against the stingy Nets.

"I didn't think Yao was particularly as good tonight as he has been," Van Gundy said. "There's obviously a huge burden on his shoulders right now, but we're capable of making (shots) and we didn't tonight."

Kidd, who collected 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, helped the Nets maintain a comfortable margin throughout the final session. He angered the departing crowd in the final moment by dishing the ball to Richard Jefferson, who scored the meaningless basket to give Kidd his 73rd career triple-double.

With a smile, Kidd said he new he was just one assist shy of the triple-double. "It's a play me and (Jefferson) drew up," Kidd said. "Coach is going to use it one day."