HOUSTON –- It was only one night ago that interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe and Devin Harris applauded the Nets’ effort in making a dramatic comeback only to lose by two at Oklahoma City. The Nets followed that game with effort-free basketball and lost 116-108 to the Rockets in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicated.

The Rockets dominated and controlled this game with their speed, hustle and one perpetually moving big man that just couldn’t be stopped. Well, maybe he could have if the Nets tried guarding him.

Luis Scola is a strong player, a winning player that any playoff team would love to have. He just works and works and works. Scola has a relentless attitude, which has made him a success in the NBA. But on this night, he didn’t have to

OKLAHOMA CITY – There were several times in this game when it appeared the Nets were done, especially with Courtney Lee hampered by a sprained right thumb.

The Nets shooting guard has been lights out lately. But Lee couldn’t hit a shot. He actually made two -– both layups, including one at the buzzer.

So when the Thunder were up 16 with two minutes left in the third and 15 with the fourth quarter nearing the midpoint, it looked like the Oklahoma City Thunder were on their way to another win and the Nets another loss.

That wound up happening, but the game was much closer than anyone would have guessed. The Nets lost 104-102, making that their third tough-luck loss on this four-game trip.

“The guys are learning that we’re not good enough to play without a

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

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Kiki Vandeweghe was asked to describe the Nets’ defense on the final two plays Sunday night and he used some coach-speak, saying “We were supposed to blue it.”

The Nets did, but spelled the other way -- they blew it.

Here was another game the Nets could have and should have won. They didn’t lose because of Randy Foye’s back-to-back baseline jumpers over Yi Jianlian in the final 45 ticks. The Nets fell, 89-85, Sunday night because of everything they did and didn’t do for much of the last three quarters of the game.

“I thought we played 40 minutes of pretty good basketball,” Vandeweghe said.

Forty minutes is good enough for college, not the NBA. The irony is in the pregame, Vandeweghe was talking about

BOSTON –- The way it was snowing back home, some people probably questioned why the Nets would bother making the flight here and waste fuel on another loss. But the Nets wound up with the perfect storm.

Rested from two days without practice –- one because of the snow -– and facing a team that is in somewhat of a slide, the Nets came into the building where they enjoyed some monumental victories the past decade and had their most impressive in this one. The 104-96 win over the Celtics on Saturday doesn’t compare to when the Nets hoisted the Eastern Conference championship trophy here in 2002 or when they won their final regular-season game in 2005 to make the postseason. But it was significant all the same.

After blowing an 18-point lead last week against Memphis,

This season hasn’t gone as anyone around the Nets imagined. We were writing what they were saying, which was they thought they could surprise people and be better than predicted. And they have surprised many people because they have been much worse than predicted.

The reasons are right in front of all of our faces: Injuries, coaching, fourth-quarter execution, getting away from the few things that work in a game and a lack of defense to name more than a few.

And there is little reason to believe the Nets will somehow avoid the worst record in NBA history -- 9-73 by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers. But if you’re looking for something consider this: They haven’t given up the fight. They came back from 21 down to make it a five-point game against the Blazers on Tuesday night.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- For a half, the Nets didn’t play like a team that should be trying to avoid the NBA’s worst record ever. Their second-half play made it seem unavoidable.

With Devin Harris running the offense beautifully and Brook Lopez dominating inside, the Nets clicked and led by 18 points in the first half. It tied their second-biggest lead of the season.

Naturally, it didn’t last.

The offense stalled. Lopez became the forgotten man and the 18-point lead was gone as quickly as you can say five-and-fifty-one.

Store this 104-94 defeat to Memphis under another game the Nets will rue if they end up matching the 1972-73 Sixers with nine wins or sit alone with eight victories or fewer.

That’s a growing list.

You can throw the prior two in there when they

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The day after the Nets made no moves at the trade deadline they lost for the 50th time this season. In other words, there’s no relief in sight.

What you see is what you get and what you saw Friday night was a bad team get beaten up by the Raptors with its franchise player Chris Bosh back in Toronto with an ankle injury.

This was a winnable game and one the Nets had to get if they really want to avoid the record for fewest wins or most losses -- how ever you choose to look at it -- in a season. But the Nets were predictable.

Just like they couldn’t capitalize against the Heat on Wednesday with Dwyane Wade in the locker room the last three quarters, the Nets could take advantage of the Raptors with their best player in another country.

So, loss No.

EAST RUTHERFORD – The Nets were busier the last two Februarys than this year, but they also were talking about moving Jason Kidd and Vince Carter.

Your phone will ring for those two players. They moved Kidd the week or so before the deadline in 2008. But when you’re trying to deal the likes Bobby Simmons, Josh Boone, Tony Battie and Trenton Hassell you’re not going to have teams beating down your door.

All are serviceable and professional players, but don’t have the star power those former Nets did and quite frankly don’t have the appeal.

The trade deadline hits at 3:00 p.m. today and there’s a good chance the Nets will stand pat. Something may happen after the deadline, in the form of a player being bought out for the right price. Otherwise nothing