Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons, center, celebrates with guard Malcolm Brogdon, left, and forward Jabari Walker after making the go-ahead basket against the Brooklyn Nets in the final second of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Anfernee Simons started feeling better just in time.
Simons hit a winning floater with 0.2 seconds left and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 105-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
Questionable going into the game because of an illness, Simons finished with 20 points. Jerami Grant led the Blazers with 30 points and eight rebounds.
“I’m glad I was able to get it going at the right time and come up with a win,” Simons said.
Mikal Bridges scored 21 for the Nets but had to leave the game for a time in the second half after a collision. Spencer Dinwiddie added 19 points for Brooklyn, which lost its fourth straight.
Portland trailed by 11 but pulled in front 88-87 midway through fourth quarter on Grant’s 3-pointer.
It was close the rest of the way. Dinwiddie made a pair of foul shots with 1:48 left that gave the Nets a 101-97 lead. But then Simons hit a floater that tied it at 101 before Grant’s tip-in with 9.1 seconds to go gave Portland a 103-101 edge.
Cam Johnson’s layup tied the game again, and the Blazers called a timeout with 5.2 seconds left before Simons’ game-winner.
Portland coach Chauncey Billups said the plan was to get the ball into Simons’ hands at the end.
“It was a perfectly executed play,” Billups said. “The guys executed it just beautifully, they really did.”
Blazers center Deandre Ayton, who had missed the previous 11 games with right knee tendinitis, was set to make his return but because of icy conditions he was unable to get to the arena in time for the game.
Portland also remained without forward Shaedon Sharpe, sidelined for at least the…
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