After widdling down the Minnesota Timberwolves lead to four points, the Brooklyn Nets‘ comeback proved to be futile.
- Minnesota Timberwolves 112 (8-11)
- Brooklyn Nets 102 (8-12)
- NBA, Final, Box Score
- Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
This was the phrase that was ushered by the older gentleman sitting behind me at the Brooklyn Nets matinee game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
As unintentionally hilarious as this quote was, it’s a fitting summary of this game.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Brooklyn Nets played an early game (12 p.m. ET to be exact) in their second matchup of the season.
The first half of the game was slow … like, Jared Dudley levels of slow. Neither team could get into a rhythm, as perhaps, the two teams were struggling to shrug off some extra pounds from stuffing, turkey, and hours of couch-bound football viewing.
This all changed when Minnesota’s All-Star Center, Karl-Anthony Towns, found his footing in the third quarter. After starting the game off slow and going 1-for-5 from the field with 2 points, Towns began to take advantage of the Nets lack of depth down low.
Final from BK. Back at it on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/1BvJXggqd6
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 23, 2018
Towns put on a modern-basketball clinic, scoring multiple layups and flat-footed three-pointers, as the Timberwolves’ lead ballooned from two points to ten. Towns scored 12 of his 21 total points in just five minutes of play.
To add insult to injury, the Timberwolves have gifted yet another vintage Derrick Rose performance. Rose bloomed in the fourth, throwing up one impossible shot after another.
It’s truly remarkable watching the Wolves’ point-guard play basketball; everything he’s lost in speed, he’s made up for with an expanded repertoire of finishing moves and mastery of angles while shooting. (Seriously, look at some of these bank-shots!)
By the end of the game, Rose finished with 25 points on an uber-efficient 11-of-15 shooting.
(As someone who was in attendance at this game, it should be noted that a large portion of the crowd was cheering significantly louder for the former MVP than they were for the home team.)
Things began to look up for Brooklyn’s scrappy group late in the fourth. Perhaps the players on the court were finally able to metabolize those Turkey Day meals, as the team increased their pace of play.
After looking sluggish during the first 40 minutes of play, the team saw success while swinging the ball around the perimeter, showcasing that patented ball-movement that makes this team special.
Spencer Dinwiddie stood out in particular for the Nets, finding Jarrett Allen twice with two similar and beautiful dishes.
Shrinking the deficit…
BKN 83-93 MIN
9:19 to go pic.twitter.com/Zalpg7Hc5L— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 23, 2018
FRO MY. pic.twitter.com/Pt97JzjKut
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 23, 2018
However, it was the three-point marksman, Joe Harris, who was the team’s MVP in Friday’s matchup. Harris finished with 18 points on the day and was the engine to the Nets furious fourth-quarter push. Harris did it all—he leaked out in transition for wide open threes. He provided a gorgeous no-look, wraparound pass to an open cutter in the fourth. My favorite plays, by far, were his huge two box-outs against the Timberwolves’ Taj Gibson (always a threat on the offensive boards).
With two minutes left in the game, the Nets comeback efforts were about to take hold, as Rondae-Hollis Jefferson swatted away a seemingly open layup by Karl-Anthony Towns. Down by four, Spencer Dinwiddie took control of the ball and isolated against Towns on the other side of the court.
After taking advantage of the mismatch earlier in the second quarter, Dinwiddie let the shot clock wind down and prepared his attack.
He launched a huge, hero-ball three as the clock expired …
Clank. The ball careened off front-rim, taking the wind out of the sails of this rallying young Nets team.
The Timberwolves would end up hanging onto their lead, winning the game by 10 points. The Nets were only able to muster up two measly points in the final two minutes of play.
As it stands, the Nets are 2-5 since losing Caris LeVert. Come back soon, Caris.
