Cam Johnson (far right) can’t bear to watch as Anfernee Simons (far left) celebrates his winning shot against the Nets in Portland Wednesday. AP Photo by Craig Mitchelldyer
Portland’s Anfernee Simons sliced between a pair of defenders, soared over the paint and flushed any hopes the Brooklyn Nets had of ending a three-game losing streak and starting their West Coast swing on a positive note.
Simons’ 7-foot floater with 0.2 ticks left on the clock lifted the previously slumping Trail Blazers to a 105-103 victory over the free-falling Nets Wednesday night in front of 17,021 fans at the Moda Center.
“It’s never just one play that sums up the game,” frustrated Nets coach Jacque Vaughn insisted. “It’s an accumulation of plays.”
Nearly halfway through this campaign, it’s an accumulation of losses that’s haunting these Nets, be it in Brooklyn, Paris or Portland.
Brooklyn (16-24), which has dropped nine of its last 10 contests and 14 of 17, appeared poised to snap out of its month-long malaise when Spencer Dinwiddie drained a 25-footer and a pair of free throws to keep the Nets ahead, 101-97, with 1:48 to play.
But the Blazers (11-29) were eager to snap their own four-game slide, which began just after they bested Brooklyn, 134-127, in overtime at Barclays Center 10 days ago.
Malcolm Brogdon hit two from the charity stripe and Simons connected from 16 feet out to knot the game at 101-101.
Jerami Grant, who had 14 of his game-high 30 points in the final 12 minutes, put back an offensive rebound on Portland’s next trip before Cam Johnson’s driving layup locked things up again for Brooklyn.
Simons calmly settled matters thereafter, leaving Dinwiddie and Mikal Bridges to watch his game-winning shot slip through the twine.
“I’m glad I was able to get it going at the right time and come up with a win,” said Simons, who burned the Nets for 38 points on Jan. 7 in Brooklyn.
“We were gonna double Grant or Simons,” Vaughn revealed. “Give…
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