When: December 20, 2015; 1:00 PM EST
Where: Barclays Center; Brooklyn, NY
TV: YES Network
Radio: CBS 880 AM
Following a disappointing 2-4 homestand that concluded with a three-game losing streak, the Brooklyn Nets hoped a quick trip out of town on Friday night to Indianapolis would result in their first win in over a week. The Nets played well against the Pacers for around 40 or so minutes, but fell apart down the stretch — heard that one before? — en route to a 104-97 defeat, their fourth-straight.
Now, the Nets return home for a day to host the Minnesota Timberwolves and star sophomore Andrew Wiggins and rookie Karl-Anthony Towns (a New Jersey native) — who are the last two No. 1 overall picks in the NBA Draft. Also returning to Barclays for the first time since he was traded to Minnesota last February is future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, who was picked up by the Timberwolves in exchange for Thaddeus Young at last season’s trade deadline. Garnett was a Net for almost two years, after his involvement in the mega-trade between the Nets and the Celtics.
Minnesota, which was rocked before this season by the sudden death of president and head coach Flip Saunders, has struggled as a team led by two 20-year-olds would be expected to but has shown, in some big wins, the worlds of promise its talented group of young players holds. Between Wiggins, Towns, Ricky Rubio, Zach LaVine, Gorgui Dieng and even Shabazz Muhammad, the Timberwolves have high-ceiling guys everywhere, which complement veterans like Garnett, Tayshaun Prince and Kevin Martin well.
Probable lineups
MIN- Ricky Rubio (PG), Andrew Wiggins (SG), Tayshaun Prince (SF), Kevin Garnett (PF), Karl-Anthony Towns (C)
BKN- Jarrett Jack (PG), Bojan Bogdanovic (SG), Joe Johnson (SF), Thaddeus Young (PF), Brook Lopez (C)
Final thoughts
As we have seen this season, the Nets have trouble with most teams they face, regardless of whether their record is good or not or whether they’re mostly young or mostly old. Minnesota doesn’t have a great record and is really young, athletic and explosive, so the older, slower Nets will have to make sure the Timberwolves don’t get out in transition off forced turnovers and defensive rebounds. The good news for Brooklyn is that Minnesota is the worst shooting team in the NBA (even worse than the Nets!) so the Timberwolves need to score at the rim if they’re going to score at all.
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