EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The way this season went, the Nets ended their Meadowlands run in fitting fashion.

They were booed in the beginning and end, had injuries to multiple players, and many fans left before the 105-95 loss to the Bobcats ended. There was a comeback from 16 down in the first half and the Nets wound up taking a lead, but struggled with their shot and on defense. And as the final seconds wound down, some fans rose and cheered while about seven people put paper bags over their heads and booed.

That was the Nets’ 69th loss of the season, 33rd at home and last in the building that opened in 1981.

I have plenty of memories of games at the Meadowlands, as a fan and writer.

The first is of my first game during the 1982-83 season. My father took me to see the 76ers because

The start of the NCAA Tournament means the season is mercifully coming to a close, and the Nets are now closer to the all-important NBA Draft Lottery.

Two months from now, when it’s known where the Nets will pick, everyone will have a better idea of how this offseason and their future will go. If they finish with the top pick, John Wall, it could change the type of coach and free agents they get. It also could lead to Devin Harris’ departure. If they wind up with the No. 2 pick and Ohio State’s Evan Turner, it could be a similar situation. If they wind up at No. 3 or 4, they’ll get a good player, but probably not the same coach or free agent.

The Nets can’t go wrong if they finish in the top two, although they want No. 1, naturally. The popular opinion is

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Vince Carter had one rousing dunk in his final game at IZOD Center, gave the fans who cheered him for four-plus seasons one last reason to buzz.

Some of the same fans may make the trip down the Turnpike or Route 21 when the Nets play their home games at the Prudential Center in Newark for the next two seasons.

But now that Carter said his farewell there is only one player left of consequence in Nets’ history to say goodbye to Meadowlands. Richard Jefferson comes in at the end of the month with the Spurs and chances are he will enjoy the same results as Carter, Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin, Jason Collins and Brian Scalabrine have this season.

On a subpar night for Carter and Dwight Howard -- they combined for 24 points -- the Magic had an easy 97-87 victory

The calendar turns to a New Year and a new decade at midnight. Before it does, here's a look at the some of the biggest stories in chronological order of the Nets' most successful yet most frustrating decade.

Stories of the decade

2000 Nets Win No. 1 pick: The franchise changed with this move. Rod Thorn may not have left the league office if not for the Nets winning the Lottery and a chance to draft Kenyon Martin. Former Georgetown guard Michael Jackson might have been the prez.

2001 Nets trade for Jason Kidd: The biggest moment in the Nets’ NBA history was when Thorn and GM Ed Stefanski acquired Kidd, who had worn out his welcome in Phoenix. The deal, that included Stephon Marbury going to the Suns, also put Thorn on the map as one of the league’s best executives. Kidd’s

The Nets showed some of the things they promised before the season began in last night's 104-95 win over the Knicks.

They played defense, scored in transition, had energy for 48 minutes, outworked and outhustled their opponent. It also helped that they had their starting five playing together for the first time since Oct. 30.

Maybe this is the start of something. It definitely was the end of a couple of things: their 10-game losing streak and their 2009 schedule. It was a crazy year and decade for them.

Top 10 Stories of the Year

0-18: The record-setting start could stand for a long time, but it was an imperfect storm – a bad offseason trade, rash of injuries, swine flu and two buzzer-beating losses - that led to the imperfect start.

Vince Carter traded: You knew it was

Thirteen games, 13 losses. Here are 13 reasons the Nets are in the position they are:

1. Bruce Ratner: Nice man, but his interests were in real estate opportunities and buildings, not building a championship team. He bought a contender and kept cutting payroll instead of letting Rod Thorn add quality pieces that could Nets over the top.

2. 2001 Draft-day Deal: This might be nitpicking because the Nets got Richard Jefferson and Jason Collins for Eddie Griffin, but the other player they chose from that trade was Brandon Armstrong when Gilbert Arenas was available.

3. Kidd’s input: The Nets always tried to make Jason Kidd happy, which isn’t a bad thing, but let management and coaches make the decisions. They traded Keith Van Horn and Todd MacCulloch for Dikembe Mutombo,

Too bad the Nets lost Wednesday night in Milwaukee, especially after the Knicks won in Indiana, or Saturday’s game could have been a battle for the basement. Instead, as we wrote in today's Record, it’s a battle to avoid further embarrassment.

It’s a bad time for area basketball -- has been for a few years now. Earlier this decade, the Nets were on top of the Tri-State area. Now they’re at the bottom of the NBA with 12 losses in 12 games, and they’re looking up at everyone, including the Knicks.

It’s early, but not since the 2000-01 season, the pre-Kidd era, have the Nets finished below the Knicks in the standings. The Nets may surpass them at some point this season -- the Knicks only have two more victories than the winless Nets and they've been healthy.