When: 6:00 PM EST; Sunday, March 30th, 2014
Where: Barclays Center; Brooklyn, NY
TV: YES Network/NBA TV
I wasn’t able to see/write about it, but the Nets’ win at Barclays over the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night was exactly what the doctor ordered. With their 12th straight home win, the Nets snapped a two-game losing streak composed of road losses against the Pelicans and Bobcats, both major disappointments for Brooklyn.
Granted, though, the Nets have been hamstrung by injuries recently, as Kevin Garnett (back spasms), Andrei Kirilenko (ankle), and Marcus Thornton have all missed some time recently. Thornton returned on Friday but KG (16th straight missed game) and AK (4th straight) are still out, which makes the Nets’ already-hard task of guarding both Kevin Love and Nikola Pekovic of Minnesota nearly impossible now.
Brooklyn is a small team as is, so taking on a notably big team in the Timberwolves presents a very difficult challenge, even if Rick Adelman’s squad is out of playoff contention in the West. Minnesota, led by Love and Pekovic, who are having monstrous incredible seasons statistically, destroyed the Nets in these teams’ December meeting in Minneapolis, winning by a score of 111-81. Hopefully for the Nets, tonight’s game will end up a lot better than that one did.
Probable Lineups
MIN- Ricky Rubio (PG), Kevin Martin (SG), Corey Brewer (SF), Kevin Love (PF), Nikola Pekovic (C)
BKN- Deron Williams (PG), Shaun Livingston (SG), Joe Johnson (SF), Paul Pierce (PF), Mason Plumlee (C)
Final Thoughts
I really don’t have a good feeling about this one. The Nets are missing two of their better frontcourt defenders in Garnett and Kirilenko, who would at least be able to help out defensively against Minnesota’s bigs. Now, without those two, the task falls to Andray Blatche, Mason Plumlee, and even Jason Collins, who will definitely have their hands full with Love and Pekovic.
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