The Timberwolves finally did, prevailing 103-99 over the Nets in a meeting between two teams that had won just seven times between them in the season’s opening 57 days.
Al Jefferson carried the Wolves to the brink of victory with a 27-point performance that caused coach Kurt Rambis to declare “that’s the Al that I want to see.” Then Corey Brewer took them there after Jefferson fouled out in the final 29 seconds.
Brewer scored six of his 17 points in the final 40 seconds — including a crucial lefthanded finger roll with 39.4 seconds left — to help win a game Wolves forward Kevin Love afterward called the “Dirt Bowl Championship.”
The rest of the Wolves responded to Flynn’s early brilliance by holding a lead the rest of the way and taking a 103-99 victory in front of 10,204 fans who were loudest when the Nets mascot was launching T-shirts in the crowd.
“He was terrific,” Rambis said. “Jonny was certainly inspirational tonight the way he played for most of the ballgame. He was very aggressive, and I liked his decision-making.”
Minnesota went over a month without win after taking the Nets in Game 1. Entering Wednesday night’s game against the Nets, the Wolves had lost three of their last four – all of the blowout variety.
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