EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – One of the luckiest bounces of Vince Carter’s career – five or six bounces, actually – couldn’t keep the Nets from falling behind 3-0 to the Miami Heat.

Carter forced double overtime with a shot that danced all around the backboard and rim before dropping through, but there was no more magic for the Nets after that in a 108-105 double-overtime loss to the Heat last night.

Now, the problem confronting New Jersey is one that no NBA team has ever solved – overcoming a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series.

Miami can complete a sweep Sunday, and it’s highly unlikely that game will come close to matching the drama of this one.

Shaquille O’Neal had his best game of the series with 25 points, Udonis Haslem had the final go-ahead basket among his 14 points and 19 rebounds, Dwyane Wade had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Eddie Jones added 20 points for the Heat

Carter scored 36, Richard Jefferson had 23, and Jason Kidd had a triple double of 16 points, 13 assists, and 16 rebounds for the Nets, whose best chance to win came at the end of regulation when Kidd had an open shot from 3-point range. It was Kidd’s eighth career triple-double in the playoffs.

But he couldn’t connect, and Carter’s crazy bounce only ended up prolonging the Nets’ plight for another five minutes.

Haslem’s put back made it 104-102 with 1:26 left, and a missed 3-pointer by Clifford Robinson and a blown layup by Jefferson helped seal the Nets’ fate.

The Nets were hurt by their 3-for-13 shooting from 3-point range and nine missed free throws in 27 attempts.

Miami went 10-for-22 on 3-pointers to help overcome 16 missed foul shots in 38 attempts.

Carter’s 21-footer from the corner at the end of the first overtime rolled around the iron, bounced high off the glass, came down and bounced four more times on the rim before dropping through to tie the game at 99.

The play came after Eddie Jones, normally a solid foul shooter, missed two free throws with 11.5 seconds remaining to leave the Nets just two points behind.

In double overtime, Haslem went to the line with 20.6 seconds left and made the first of two free throws to make it 105-102. After he missed the second, Alonzo Mourning outfought Jason Collins for the rebound to allow the Heat the keep possession with a three point lead.

The inbounds pass went to Wade, and the Heat sealed the victory from the line.

It was their sixth victory over New Jersey in as many tries this season, but this was the first time the Nets kept one of the games close.

Nets coach Lawrence Frank opted to stick with the same starting lineup from the first two games, keeping Jefferson in a reserve role. Jefferson gave the Nets an immediate boost after checking in midway through the first quarter, scoring 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting to help turn a 15-10 deficit into a 28-18 lead.

O’Neal finally made his first field goal with 6:18 left in the second quarter, and he scored 12 points over the rest of the half. The main reason, however, for the Heat’s 49-45 halftime lead was Keyon Dooling’s 13 points in the period on 6-for-7 shooting, including a running jumper just before the halftime buzzer.

Damon Jones made a pair of 3-pointers early in the third quarter to stretch Miami’s lead, and his 3-pointer with 46 seconds left in the quarter gave the Heat its largest lead, 74-64.

The Nets opened the fourth quarter with an 8-2 run to take a 77-76 lead, and no more than four points separated the teams the rest of the way.

Mourning, who began the season with New Jersey before being involved in the Carter trade, heard boos and derisive chants from the sellout crowd.