With the Knicks needing a 3-pointer to tie, Houston drove in from the 3-point line and missed a 14-footer with 3 seconds remaining in a 92-89 loss to the Trail Blazers on Sunday night.

"It's one of those things that's going to be hard not to think about all night,'' Houston said.

Bonzi Wells had 22 points and six rebounds, Rasheed Wallace added 18 points and 12 rebounds and Antonio Daniels added 15 points while replacing Derek Anderson (sprained ankle) in the starting lineup for the second straight game.

The Blazers completed their second five-game road trip in four weeks and headed home with a record of 20-12, leaving them 3½ games behind first-place Sacramento in the Pacific Division.

"We let that game down in Chicago go (a 15-point loss on New Year's Eve), but we can't complain about this trip,'' Portland forward Ruben Patterson said.

Portland took control of the game with a 12-0 run midway through the third quarter, ending with a steal and dunk by Wells for a 67-55 lead.

The Blazers stifled the Knicks defensively, forcing Howard Eisley into a pair of 8-second violations and holding New York without a field goal for a 5{-minute stretch of the fourth quarter.

A 7-0 run during that defensive stand gave Portland an 85-76 lead with 5:20 remaining, and the Blazers were still ahead 90-83 after Patterson made two free throws with 1:41 left.

Houston and Latrell Sprewell hit 3-pointers to cut it to 90-89 with 18.7 seconds left, and Wells hit a pair from the line for a 92-89 lead with 17.5 seconds remaining.

The Knicks could not get an open shot before the ball went out of bounds with 6 seconds left.

Houston then popped out to the 3-point line and was wide open when he received the ensuing inbounds pass, but he inexplicably drove to his left and pulled up for a 14-footer that was short.

"What I didn't do is assess the situation before I even caught the ball,'' Houston said. "I really wasn't mentally prepared at that time.''

Houston also was kicking himself for not passing the ball to Sprewell at the 3-point line after he make his blunder and drove into the lane.

"I had different options, I just rushed it,'' he said.

Houston scored 29 and Sprewell had 16 for the Knicks, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.

Game Notes
Daniels, starting at point guard, did not have an assist. Prior to the game, he said he did not think the Blazers were showcasing him by moving him into the starting lineup. "If they are, they are. But no, that's not the way I took it.'' ... The Blazers have won seven of their last eight road games. ... Arvydas Sabonis left the game late in the fourth quarter due to back pain. He did not return. ... Houston missed a free throw in the third quarter, ending his streak at 38. ... A fan yelled to disgruntled Blazers G Damon Stoudamire: "You've got to get traded. You can stay at my house.'' Stoudamire replied: "I'd live in your dog house to get out of this.''