There were plots and subplots everywhere: Kenyon Martin against Karl Malone, Jason Kidd against John Stockton, the Nets against the road. There were brilliant plays and monstrous mistakes.

There were ludicrous calls and non-calls. There was an apparent victory that disappeared with the clock showing only fractions of a second in regulation as the game's most important rebound got away.

When it was all said and done for the Nets, there was only a defeat, in overtime no less, 106-103, to the Jazz who despite the social security checks for their most prominent players, seem to find a way to keep on going.