Paolo Banchero stole this game — and Egor Dëmin’s glory.
The Nets watched in shock as Banchero beat the buzzer — and a replay — on a last-ditch heave. It consigned them to a heartbreaking 104-103 overtime loss before 16,916 stunned fans at Barclays Center on Wednesday night.
Michael Porter Jr. had a career night in the midst of a career year, with 34 points and a career-high-tying eight 3-pointers. And Dëmin led the Nets back from an 18-point deficit, with all 18 of his points in the fourth quarter or OT, including a 3-pointer with four seconds left to force the extra stanza and banking in a go-ahead dagger with 5.3 seconds left in overtime.
The Nets appeared destined for a dramatic victory. But Banchero turned destiny around with his buzzer-beater.
The Magic star finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.
The Nets fell behind by as many as 18, and trailed 87-73 after a Banchero bucket with 5:58 left in the fourth. But they closed regulation on a 20-6 run.
Dëmin’s first basket of the night pulled the Nets within 91-88 with 1:46 to play, and after Ziaire Williams — who got a rare start for Terance Mann — stole the ball, Noah Clowney cut the deficit to just one with a minute to play.
Following a Dëmin rebound off a Desmond Bane miss, Clowney hit what he thought was a tough shot through contact; but it got waved off for offensive basket interference against Day’Ron Sharpe.
The play was reviewed and upheld, and after the Nets fell asleep on defense, Tristan Da Silva got free for a dunk with 16.8 seconds left.
But Sharpe made amends. After a rare miss by Porter, Sharpe did what he does best — snatched an offensive rebound — and kicked back out to a relocating Dëmin. And the lottery pick drilled a clutch 3-pointer to knot the score at 93-all with 4.9 seconds left in regulation. Porter’s defense on Banchero forced a last-second miss and earned them an overtime.
Dëmin’s 3-pointer put the Nets ahead 100-99 with 1:07 left in the extra stanza, but Banchero found Wendell Carter for a dunk that put Orlando back out in front with 16.2 seconds left. Dëmin banked in a go-ahead bucket they thought was the winner.
Until Banchero snatched Dëmin’s moment.
The Nets (11-23) stayed fifth in the lottery standings, two games behind fourth-place Washington after the Wizards’ loss to the 76ers.
Brooklyn is half a game ahead of Utah (pending their game vs. the Thunder), and half a game ahead of seventh-place Charlotte (who blew a lead in a loss to the Raptors).
The Nets committed to both Tyrese Martin and Jalen Wilson before Wednesday’s salary guarantee deadline, league sources told the Post.
Both players had non-guaranteed contracts, so Brooklyn had until 5 p.m. to put either or both on waivers to avoid locking in their full season salaries.
The Nets committed to both Tyrese Martin and Jalen Wilson before Wednesday’s salary guarantee deadline, league sources told The Post.
Both players had non-guaranteed contracts, so Brooklyn had until 5 p.m. to put either or both on waivers to avoid locking in their full-season salaries.
