PORTLAND — For a while last night, it looked like maybe the Nets were going to go against their history here.
For a while, it looked like they were headed for their most stirring victory of the season, over the sensationally deep and talented Blazers.
For a while, anyway.
Don’t forget that for a while it looked like Ed O’Bannon and Yinka Dare and Dennis Hopson were going to be good draft picks.
With an offense that revolved almost exclusively around Stephon Marbury’s abilities, the Nets vaulted ahead to a 13-point lead in the first half. But then the Blazers, so incredibly talented, so incredibly deep, started spreading the wealth and the obligations.
They used Arvydas Sabonis and Rasheed Wallace inside. They employed Steve Smith outside. They went with Damon Stoudamire for penetrations and perimeter bombs. And they unleashed Scottie Pippen on defense. And that’s without using their bench.
“No doubt, they have it at every position,” the Nets’ Kerry Kittles said after watching the Blazers receive significant contributions from top to bottom to emerge with a 101-87 victory at the Rose Garden — presenting the Nets a down start to their four-game road trip while dropping New Jersey’s career record here to a sorry 3-22.
“They played like a championship team. That’s all I’ve got to say,” said an obviously exasperated Marbury, who scored 21 points, but just three in the second half, when he again found himself in a situation where he was required to do much, maybe too, too much.
“He can’t do everything. It was like revisiting the early part of the season,” sighed coach Don Casey, who employed Marbury for 41 minutes on a night the Nets already were short-handed as Gheorghe Muresan was dressed but not ready to play and Scott Burrell came up with a sore left knee.
Still, despite all the talent staring across at them, the Nets (17-24) had that gaudy 13-point lead early — until the Blazers, who got 21 points (14 in the first quarter) and 13 rebounds from Sabonis, unleashed a 14-0 run that bridged the second and third quarters.
The Nets, though, refused to die, and with Lucious Harris (11 points) hurling up back-to-back 3-pointers, the Nets jumped ahead again, 74-73, with 10:43 left.
Then it all came apart. The Blazers ripped off 10 straight points, featuring back-to-back trifectas from ex-Knick Greg Anthony, on the way to a 17-2 streak that left the Nets for dead at 90-76.
“We just didn’t show any poise when they made their move,” said Kendall Gill (14 points, 4-of-14 shooting).
“We were down 10 with four minutes left and we looked like the game was over,” said an aggravated Keith Van Horn (17 points).
Yeah, look at the Blazers. They came back from 13 down. And they did it with Sabonis unstoppable inside leading a 44-31 rebounding edge. And they did it with Pippen passing for 10 assists and coming up with three steals.
The fans, though, adored Bonzi Wells, who stuck a 3-pointer at the buzzer, pushing the Blazers over 100 points — which entitled the crowd of 19,980 to free fast food.
“Maybe we’ll stop off and get our own,” said a weary Casey, who saw his gang turn over the ball 18 times, leading to 23 Blazer points.