NBA

HORNETS DEFEAT NETS WITH LATE COMEBACK

This was going to be one to tell the grandkids about, a victory to propel the Nets on their playoff push. There were so many heroes as the Nets transformed a 13-point third quarter deficit into a four-point late fourth quarter lead. Just under 90 seconds separated the Nets from a stirring upset of the Hornets. What could possibly go wrong?

“We let one slip away from us,” said Vince Carter.

“It hurts because we wasted such a valiant effort,” said Devin Harris.

So instead of heading to Milwaukee with a three-game winning streak, the Nets have the bitter taste of wasted opportunity. Execution escaped the Nets in the last 86 seconds when they committed two critical turnovers, missed three shots, surrendered a huge Hornets offensive rebound and were forced to suffer a 99-96 defeat at the Meadowlands last night.

“We got the game where we wanted it,” said coach Lawrence Frank.

But getting it there and bringing it home are different animals. So the Nets (26-33), who played without reserve point guard Keyon Dooling, fell 1½ games behind the eighth-place Bucks and a half game behind the Bulls in the quest for the final playoff spot in the East.

Harris (26 points, season-high 14 assists), and Carter (26 points) arose in the third after the Nets trailed, 60-47. The Hornets (36-22), with huge games from David West (32 points, 11 rebounds – with 14 and 5 in the fourth quarter), Tyson Chandler (12 boards), Rasual Butler (22 points) and All-Everything point guard Chris Paul (14 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 steals), were rolling, but the Nets crammed 24 points into last 5:55 to trail, 76-75.

After the bench (Sean Williams, Jarvis Hayes, Bobby Simmons and Chris-Douglas Roberts) supplied energy, the Nets looked golden when Brook Lopez (8 points, 12 rebounds) flushed a Harris miss at 2:00 for a 94-90 lead. It looked even better when Paul misfired at 1:43 and achy-thumbed Hayes rebounded. But Simmons missed a jumper and Butler bagged a triple. But the Nets had the ball.

Not for long. Harris was stripped by Paul trying to split the defense. Paul nailed a 19-footer for a 95-94 Hornet lead.

“Chris hit it from behind,” Harris said. The Nets still had life. Down one, coming out of a timeout. But Lopez and Harris botched a handoff. Killer turnover two; steal, Paul.

“I just read it wrong. I thought he got beat. [Paul] got a good reach around. It was a real bad handoff on my part,” Lopez said.

But that miscue resulted in a Paul miss – only Chandler, boxed out by Carter, got a back-tap to Butler who was fouled and hit two free throws at :09.6.

“I tried to push him out away from the basket. Unfortunately the ball bounced away from the basket,” said Carter.

Still, the Nets had life. Down three at :09.6. But Carter swung a pass to Harris, who thought Carter would shoot. Harris fumbled, recovered and hurled a three. Simmons rebounded, was fouled, made both. Two more free throws came for the Hornets, by James Posey, and then Harris flung a prayer at :00.3.

It was well off. And a win to look back on became a defeat to brood over.

*

The Nets waived Stromile Swift last night, which means they will likely pursue Luther Head, who was waived by the Rockets on Saturday. . . . Eduardo Najera still out with a lower abdominal strain, is scheduled to see a doctor today.

fred.kerber@nypost.com

Hornets 99 Nets 96