NEW YORK – There was nothing fake about the New Jersey Nets’ sweep of the New York Knicks.

The defending Eastern Conference champions are in the second round of the NBA playoffs and are very much for real.

Kenyon Martin shook off the verbal jabs from injured New York forward Tim Thomas and scored 36 points – 13 in the fourth quarter – to lead New Jersey to its third straight sweep in the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 100-94 victory Sunday night.

Thomas, who missed his third straight game because of back spasms, sat on the bench in uniform but couldn’t provide any assistance. Earlier in the series, he referred to Martin as “fugazy” – a slang term for a fake.

Martin also grabbed 13 rebounds, and Jason Kidd had 20 points and seven assists for the Nets, who have won 14 consecutive postseason games against Eastern opponents, dating to last year when they reached the NBA Finals for the second straight season.

Stephon Marbury had 31 points, 14 in the fourth quarter, for the Knicks who built an 85-79 lead with 6:50 left but couldn’t hold on.

Lakers 92, Rockets 88

HOUSTON – On a day when the Houston Rockets nearly evened things up by shutting Los Angeles down, Karl Malone’s best game of the playoffs – and perhaps the entire season – helped move the Lakers within one victory of the second round.

With the intensity level taking a decided tick upward and the distaste between the coaches taking a foul-mouthed turn, the 40-year-old Malone had 30 points and 13 rebounds while playing with the energy of someone half his age.

The last of Malone’s three steals, along with his second offensive rebound, put the finishing touches on the Lakers’ 92-88 overtime victory Sunday for a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Game 5 will be Wednesday night, with the Rockets trying to stay alive after coming so close – just as they did in Game 1 – yet failing to win.

Houston held Los Ang