When: 8:00 PM EST; Monday, March 16th, 2015
Where: Target Center; Minneapolis, MN
TV: YES
On Saturday, the Nets finally snapped their seemingly endless five-game losing streak on the road in Philadelphia in a relatively close win over the 76ers. Brooklyn played far from a perfect game that night but did enough in the second half to inch ahead and sneak out of Philly with a desperately needed win.
Tonight, they continue their road trip in Minneapolis, where Thaddeus Young will be making his return to where he played for the first half before getting traded to Brooklyn. Young, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the 76ers, was involved in the three-team deal that saw Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett end up with the Timberwolves and Kevin Love head to Cleveland. And which team does Brooklyn play next? Cleveland. Odd how this three-game stretch has basically encapsulated Thad’s NBA transaction history.
The player Brooklyn gave up in the Young trade, Kevin Garnett, will not play Monday night due to a sore knee and is just one of six other Wolves that is unable to give it a go. Net-killer Nikola Vucevic, Ricky Rubio, Gary Neal, Anthony Bennett, Shabazz Muhammad and Robbie Hummel are all also out. This leaves Minnesota with eight healthy players, including 2015 1st overall pick Andrew Wiggins and 2015 Slam Dunk champ Zach LaVine.
Probable Lineups
BKN- Deron Williams (PG), Markel Brown (SG), Joe Johnson (SF), Thaddeus Young (PF), Brook Lopez (C)
MIN- Zach LaVine (PG), Kevin Martin (SG), Andrew Wiggins (SF), Justin Hamilton (PF), Gorgui Dieng (C)
Final Thoughts
The Timberwolves may have a shell of a roster for this game and only have three bench players, but Wiggins is a star and can singlehandedly take over a game. If the Nets shot poorly, yet again, and Minnesota gets hot, don’t be stunned if this game is close. As we know with this team, Brooklyn never makes anything easy so prepare yourself for any result. By the way, if the Nets win and the Pacers (vs Raptors) and Hornets (vs Jazz) lose, Brooklyn will be two games out of the No. 8 spot.
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