Timberwolves at Nets
THE STORY: Two of the league's cellar dwellers meet Tuesday in New Jersey when the Nets entertain the Minnesota Timberwolves. Both teams have been playing out the string for a while now, with the Nets mired in 12th place in the Eastern Conference and the Timberwolves languishing in last place out West. Both teams could be without their top rebounding threats for this one.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, YES
ABOUT THE NETS (23-53): New Jersey's 2010-11 season will wind up being measurably better than the 12-win campaign they put together a year earlier, but that isn't saying much. The Nets enter Tuesday's action having dropped six straight and 10 of 11, including a 108-94 defeat to the Miami Heat on Sunday night. Deron Williams paced New Jersey with 18 points and 12 assists but didn't get much help as the Nets shot just 40 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from 3-point range. They were humbled on the boards by the undersized Heat, who outrebounded New Jersey by a 50-30 margin.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (17-60): The Nets' losing skid is nothing compared to the one the Timberwolves bring into New Jersey. Minnesota has dropped 10 in a row and is giving the Cleveland Cavaliers a serious run in the "race" for the worst record in the NBA. The Wolves fell behind early in their last game, trailing by 12 points at halftime and never recovering on the way to a 106-89 thumping at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Michael Beasley led the way with 20 points for the Timberwolves, who were without starting frontcourt mates Kevin Love (groin) and Darko Milicic (ankle).
WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Love, who had a streak of 53 consecutive double-doubles come to an end last month, has missed four of the last six games and averaged just 17 points and eight boards in the two games he did play. Brook Lopez has put together back-to-back 5-for-13 shooting performances and is averaging just 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in that span.
KEY STATISTIC: New Jersey has been outrebounded 93-65 in two games without starting power forward Kris Humphries, who is nursing ankle and heel injuries. Humphries averaged 14.5 points and 14.3 rebounds in March, and his presence on the boards has been sorely missed.
SEASON SERIES: It's the second and final meeting of the season between the teams. Love had 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way as Minnesota cruised to a 103-88 home win over New Jersey on New Year's Day.
KEY INJURIES: NEW JERSEY: F Kris Humphries (ankle, foot); F Damion James (foot); G Sundiata Gaines (hip). MINNESOTA: F Kevin Love (groin); C Darko Milicic (ankle).
LAST WORD: Love and Humphries are second and third, respectively, in league rebounding after the All-Star Break, with Love averaging 14.4 boards and Humphries 14.1. Orlando's Dwight Howard leads with an average of 15.2.