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Brooklyn Nets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves: Lineups, Preview & Prediction
The Brooklyn Nets (9-37) lost four in a row and pretty much cemented last place in the Eastern Conference. Last night, the Nets were defeated in Cleveland against the Cavs, 116-124, and although they didn’t play poorly, it wasn’t enough to beat the champions. Sean Kilpatrick led Brooklyn with 18 points, Bojan Bogdanovic added 17, while Isaiah Whitehead and Randy Foye scored 16 points each. Brook Lopez is the player to watch in this one after sitting out the Cleveland game, and he is facing Karl-Anthony Towns, so this match-up should be an entertaining one. Trevor Booker also didn’t play in Ohio due to an illness but is expected to get back into the starting lineup here.
The Minnesota Timberwolves (17-29) had recorded three consecutive wins before Indiana beat them last night, 109-103. Once again, the inability of the bench players to provide solid support to their starting teammates proved to be the main reason for defeat. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Wolves with a double-double of 33 points and ten rebounds, Zach LaVine had 23 points and five dimes, while Andrew Wiggins added 21 points and five boards. Towns’ match-up with Lopez will be the one to watch tonight, but Wiggins and LaVine will have favourable match-ups against Bogdanovic and Foye, and that could be vital for the Wolves’ chances to win this encounter.
Keys to the Game
Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn scored 16 threes in Cleveland, which is a quite nice achievement, and if they repeat with a similar display here, the Nets could get close to the victory. However, Minnesota is also a high-scoring team and Brooklyn will need to score at least 115 in order to secure a win in Minneapolis. Lopez is back, so that will certainly help the New York outfit, especially because the big guy can also be deadly from beyond the arc, unlike the majority of the NBA centres.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves have had the same problem all season long; their bench players are not contributing enough, and even though the trio of Towns, Wiggins, and LaVine is quite efficient, they cannot win every game by themselves, so unless they receive adequate support from their teammates, the Wolves will continue to struggle. However, the Nets are the weakest team in the league, so even if Minnesota’s bench don’t perform well here, they can still escape with a victory.
Brooklyn Nets Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Dinwiddie / SG – Foye / SF – Bogdanovic / PF – Booker / C – Lopez
Lopez, Bogdanovic, and Kilpatrick will likely lead the Nets in points, while Booker’s return should be a major boost for their defense.
Minnesota Timberwolves Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Rubio / SG – LaVine / SF – Wiggins / PF – Dieng / C – Towns
Undoubtedly, Towns, Wiggins, and LaVine will combine for some 60-plus points, which will probably be enough for a win.
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