Once again, the Nets were short-handed, missing Deron Williams, Brook Lopez, Andrei Kirilenko and Jason Terry, as they lined up against the offensively-gifted Minnesota Timberwolves. Entering the night at 3-8, this was a game the Nets needed.
In the end, though, it was a game that they probably would like to forget even happened. The Nets get out to a 2-0 lead, and that was that. They trailed the rest of the way, losing by 30 points, 111-81.
Nets got an early gift from the Timberwolves, as Ricky Rubio picked up his second foul less than three minutes into the game. This cause the 'Wolves to bring J.J. Barea in, who was giving up about seven inches to Shaun Livingston. The only problem is, aside from the size advantage at the point, there was nothing else working in the Nets' favor.
They were out-rebounded by four on the offensive glass, turned the ball over nine times, shot 21.1 percent form the floor and scored just 14 points in the first quarter. They found themselves down 30-14 after one, to a team that had no intentions of not running them off the floor. Kevin Love scored nine points and pulled down 11 rebounds in the first quarter. All nine of his points were second-change points.
White flag raised after just one quarter.
At halftime the Nets found themselves down by 20, 57-37, having shot 36.6 percent from the floor. They had five assists in the first half, to go with 13 turnovers. Paul Pierce was 2-of-9 from the floor, and Reggie Evans and Andray Blatche had four turnovers apiece. There was little effort from the Nets over the first 24 minutes.
Enter the third quarter, where Brooklyn has struggled mightily throughout the young season. Jason Kidd started Blatche at center in place of Evans, hoping to get an offensive spark. It didn't help much. Four minutes into the third, the Nets found themselves down by 27 points. The Timberwolves were out-hustling, out-playing, and whatever the third one is that they use on that show Survivor. (Out-lasting?).
Minnesota went on a 19-2 run after Kevin Garnett picked up a technical foul, took a 32-point lead and, well, you know how this story ends.
The fourth quarter was...12 minutes long.
Not sure how to write anything positive about this performance. The Nets shot 39.7 percent from the floor, they turned the ball over 20 times, and still managed to lose by 30 points, even as the Timberwolves cleared out the end of the bench for the entire fourth quarter.
Brooklyn is now 3-9 on the season, and next up is the Detroit Pistons, at home, on Sunday afternoon. It has to get better, right?
For more on the Timberwolves, see: Canis Hoopus
- Nets at Timberwolves - November 22, 2013 - Box Score - NBA.com
- Game Thread: Brooklyn Nets at Minnesota Timberwolves, 8:00 PM - NetsDaily
- 2nd Half Game Thread: Nets at Timberwolves - NetsDaily
- Love, Wolves beat KG for 1st time, 111-81 - Jon Krawcynski - AP
- Wolves Blowout Nets 111-81 - Canis Hoopus
- Hoop and Harm (Video) - NBA.com
- Beatin' the Buzzer (Video) - NBA.com
- Block Party (Video) - NBA.com
- Knockin' It Down (Video) - NBA.com
- Kidd discusses loss to Timberwolves (Video) - YES Network
- Pierce discusses Nets loss to T'Wolves (Video) - YES Network
- Garnett talks about Nets' rough loss (Video) - YES Network
- Kevin Garnett on his mentor when he entered the NBA (Video) - YES Network
- Rapid Reaction: Timberwolves 111, Nets 81 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Brooklyn Nets hit another rock bottom in Minnesota - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Reeling Nets suffer one of their most embarrassing defeats of the season - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
- Kevin Garnett is working to fit in, lift his game - Rod Boone - Newsday
- Garnett Has Impact, but Not the Right Kind, in a Rout - Pat Borzi - New York Times
- Net even close as Timberwolves humiliate Brooklyn - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
- Embarrassment: Timberwolves 111, Nets 81 (GAME GRADES) - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
- Embarrassment of riches simply an embarrassment - Devin Kharpertian - The Brooklyn Game
- Final Score: Timberwolves 111 Nets 81 - Brian Erni - SNY Nets
- Nets woeful in loss to Timberwolves - Greg Hrinya - Examiner.com
- Nets get embarrassed by Wolves; lose 111-81 - Ed Boulanger - Nets Take Over
- Nets Running Out of Excuses After Loss to Timberwolves - Jonah Mars - From Russia With Dunk
- Recap: Wolves beat Nets - Kent Youngblood - Minneapolis Star-Tribune
- Love, Wolves get the better of Brooklyn - Jerry Zgoda - Minneapolis Star-Tribune
- Wolves rout KG, Nets at Target Center - Kent Youngblood - Minneapolis Star-Tribune
- Garnett not interested in discussing future - Kent Youngblood - Minneapolis Star-Tribune