SAN ANTONIO, Texas, 17 June 2003 — Choking away a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and losing the National Basketball Association finals to San Antonio was bad enough.

Now the New Jersey Nets are looking at losing star guard Jason Kidd to the Spurs as well.

San Antonio captured the best-of-seven championship series four games to two with an 88-77 triumph over the Nets here on Sunday, scoring 19 points in a row in the final period when New Jersey appeared on the verge of leveling the finals.

“It was our game to win. We just gave it up,” Nets forward Kenyon Martin said after a horrid 3-for-23 shooting night. “It’s a rough thing to have happen.”

It might also be the last straw for Kidd, who led the Nets to last year’s finals only to watch the Los Angeles Lakers sweep to the title.

“I play this game to win,” Kidd said. “This is my second time coming up short of winning that championship trophy. So I’ve got to find a team, or stay with the Nets, that has a better chance of winning that championship trophy.”

He need not look past the other side of the court to the Spurs, celebrating a title as he dejectedly walked off the court. Kidd is set to become a free agent and several clubs, including San Antonio, want to sign him.

“Everybody knows how important he is. He’s the engine to this team. He makes us go,” Nets coach Byron Scott said of Kidd.

“He is a basketball player but he’s also a business person. He’s going to explore his options, see what’s best for him and his family. Hopefully when he comes to his conclusion, it will be New Jersey.”

The Spurs might deal 21-year-old French guard Tony Parker if they can sign Kidd, whose latest loss revived bad memories of last year’s runner-up effort.

“They both hurt. You hate losing,” Kidd said. “Last year was more of an embarrassing situation, getting swept in the finals. This year we tried to win a game and compete to win a championship. We felt we could do that. Unfortunately we came up short.”

The Nets are halfway to matching American football’s Buffalo Bills in North American sports infamy. The Bills lost the Super Bowl four years in a row and have never won the title.

“I would love to come back year after year, but I don’t want to fall in the category of the bridesmaid,” Kidd said. “Hopefully the bridesmaid thing will come to an end if I do return as a Net.”

Watching and waiting with the greatest interest will be Kidd’s New Jersey teammates, who would be in full rebuilding mode if playmaker Kidd departs.

“Is it the end of an era here? I don’t think so,” Nets guard Lucious Harris said.