WATCH: How did the “Jail Blazers” come to life?

Just over two decades ago, the Portland Trail Blazers were a quarter away from reaching the NBA Finals.

They were about to knock off Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s Los Angeles Lakers, who were on the cusp of their dynasty and superstardom.

Unfortunately for the Blazers, they could not hold on to that lead and lost that infamous Game 7. But there was hope that the Blazers would get another shot and keep the core together that made it to the Western Conference Finals.

However, the team never found that magic again and would be bounced in the playoffs by the Lakers again in 2001 and 2002. Then, things began to spiral out of control with off the court issues and turned into one of the darkest periods in Blazers history and the team was dubbed the “Jail Blazers.”

Our friends at Secret Base have chronicled the “Jail Blazers” in the newest episode of “Collapse,” a series that documents teams that reached great heights in sport but saw all of their accomplishments vanish as fast as they were achieved.