Anfernee Simons drove through the lane to sink a floater with 0.2 seconds left to give the host Portland Trail Blazers a 105-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
Jerami Grant registered 30 points and eight rebounds and Simons scored 20 points as Portland snapped a four-game losing streak. Duop Reath added 17 points and Malcolm Brogdon had 16 as the Trail Blazers won for just the second time in nine games, with both wins coming against the Nets.
Mikal Bridges scored 21 points and Spencer Dinwiddie added 19 points and seven assists for Brooklyn, which has lost four straight games and nine of its last 10. Cameron Johnson and Lonnie Walker IV had 13 points apiece and Nic Claxton added 12 points, 12 rebounds and three steals for the Nets.
The Trail Blazers were without big man Deandre Ayton for the 12th straight game. He was expected to return from a knee injury and play against the Nets, but he was unable to make it to Moda Center due to icy roads in his neighborhood.
Portland took a 103-101 lead on Grant’s tip-in with 9.7 seconds remaining. Johnson drove for a tying layup with 5.2 seconds left.
Simons then hit the decisive basket with Brooklyn having only enough time left to attempt a tip-in. Royce O’Neale lofted an in-bound pass toward the basket, but it hit the rim and the Nets didn’t get off a final shot.
Portland shot 48.8 percent from the field, including 9 of 27 from 3-point range.
The Nets connected on 47.9 percent of their shots and made 15 of 38 from behind the arc.
A dunk by Claxton gave Brooklyn a 96-95 edge with 3:26 remaining. Dinwiddie knocked down a 3-pointer to make it a four-point margin with 2:29 left.
The Nets again led by four after Dinwiddie made two free throws with 1:48 left, but Portland received baskets from Brogdon and Simons to tie the score at 101 with 53.7 seconds left.
Brogdon’s layup as time expired in the third quarter pulled Portland within nine and was the start of a 16-4 surge. The Trail Blazers took an 88-87 lead on Grant’s trey with 6:56 remaining to cap the run.
Bridges scored 15 points in the first half as the Nets led 52-51 at the break. Grant scored 14 in the half for Portland.
–Field Level Media
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