Nets at Timberwolves
The Brooklyn Nets are experiencing more success than expected during
their nine-game road trip and look to post another victory when they
visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday. Brooklyn is 3-3 on the
trip after notching a 121-120 overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets on
Friday and still has visits to Toronto and Philadelphia remaining on the excursion.
The Nets had only four road wins all season prior to the trip and they nabbed a dramatic victory Friday when center Brook Lopez tipped in the winning points with 0.4 seconds to play. "We never gave up," Lopez told reporters. "We went a little cold there towards the end of the fourth and in overtime, but we kept fighting. There was no quit in us." Minnesota fell to Milwaukee 116-101 on Friday for its sixth loss in eight games and has allowed 100 or more points in 13 consecutive games. Shooting guard Andrew Wiggins is averaging 14 points over the last three games - all losses - after averaging 23 points over the previous 10 contests.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE NETS (18-44): Lopez's tip-in got him his third straight 20-point outing and 12th in 18 games as he continues to be the lone Brooklyn player performing at a high level. One player who has stepped up recently is shooting guard Bojan Bogdanovic, who is averaging 17.2 points over the last five games. Bogdanovic moved into the starting lineup when the Nets bought out the contract of veteran Joe Johnson and will get a long look down the stretch with Brooklyn long out of playoff contention.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (19-43): The shaky defense - Minnesota is allowing an average of 112.3 points during the 13-game stretch - as well as turnover issues are plaguing a team that has already clinched its 11th consecutive losing campaign. The Timberwolves committed 26 miscues against Milwaukee, leading to 41 points, and even a rookie like center Karl-Anthony Towns knows that's not the way you win basketball games. "That's something that obviously we've got to fix," Towns told reporters. "You can't beat teams like this, especially a team that was a playoff team last year, and looking to be a playoff team this year, with those kinds of mistakes happening over and over and over again."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Timberwolves have won nine of the past 13 meetings, including a 100-85 road victory Dec. 20.
2. Brooklyn made 13 3-pointers against the Nuggets - its second highest total of the season.
3. Minnesota G Zach LaVine had scored 20 or more points in three of the past four games.