PORTLAND, Ore. _ It was Allen Crabbe's homecoming celebration, returning to Portland for the first time since being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in July. But D'Angelo Russell stole the show, scoring 11 fourth-quarter points to lead the Nets to a 101-97 victory over the Trail Blazers Friday night at Moda Center. The win gave the Nets a 2-2 record on a five-game road trip that ends Saturday night in Utah.
The Nets were clinging to a 96-95 lead when Portland's Damien Lillard stumbled on a drive, lost control of the ball and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson grabbed it and called timeout with 41.1 seconds left. Coming out of the stoppage, Russell hit a jumper from the top of the key for a three-point lead.
After a Portland timeout, CJ McCollum quickly drove for a layup with 33 second to go, but Russell hit a layup and the point guard was fouled with 11.4 seconds left. He missed the free throw but got his own rebound and was fouled again. He missed the first but made the second for a 101-97 lead with 8.1 seconds to go, and that effectively was the ballgame.
Russell topped the Nets (5-7) with 21 points and nine assists, DeMarre Carroll had 16 points and eight rebounds and Crabbe finished with 12 points. Jusuf Nurkic led the Blazers (6-6) with 21 points, Lillard had 19, and McCollum totaled 17.
Asked if he had advised Crabbe, who admittedly was amped for his homecoming, to stay within himself, Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said, "Nah, he's a pro. I'm sure it's special for him coming back here. I hope they give him a great ovation."
Crabbe, who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Blazers, got a loud cheer of appreciation during introductions. He made himself right at home, scoring eight first-quarter points, including two threes, and saw another one rattle in and out after tying the score at 19. But the Blazers finished the period on a 9-2 run, a stretch in which the Nets struggled with 1 of 9 shooting and a turnover.
Portland moved out a to a 10-point lead in the second quarter, often relying on the 7-foot Nurkic against the undersized Nets, who got Hollis-Jefferson back off the injury list but lost backup center Tyler Zeller (illness).
The Nets responded with a 13-2 run to grab a brief 37-36 lead. Caris LeVert had three points and two assists in that stretch as the Nets' main ballhandler and added another assist moments later. But the Blazers again had a strong finish to the half with a 16-9 run for a 52-46 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, the Blazers again pushed their lead to 10 points, but once again, Crabbe kept the Nets in it by hitting a pair of jumpers that triggered a 17-0 Nets run fore a 72-65 lead. Crabbe saved one Nets possession with an offensive rebound and then had an assist on the corner three by Carroll that tied the score in that stretch.
Nurkic finally hit a layup for the Blazers' first points after a scoreless span of 5:30. Still, the Nets extended their run to 22-2 on a three-pointer by Quincy Acy and a Spencer Dinwiddie layup for a 77-67 lead. But McCollum hit a three to end the third quarter and start a 15-5 run that extended into the fourth when a three-pointer by Shabazz Napier tied the score at 82.
The Nets led again after a basket by LeVert, but the Blazers just kept going, pushing their lead to 89-84 when Lillard drained a three with 5:40 left to play. The Nets called timeout and responded with an 8-0 burst for a 92-89 lead, including four points from Russell in that stretch. That set up the frenetic finish.
