NETS GAMENIGHT: #Timberwolves @ #Nets

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (36-35) @ BROOKLYN NETS (38-33)

Barclays Center 6:00

TV: YES  RADIO: WFAN 660/101.9FM

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NETS STARTERS
The starting lineup will be  Deron Williams playing alongside  Shaun Livingston in the backcourt with  Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce up front and the man in the middle Mason Plumlee.

The Nets ended their short two-game overtime losing streak with a wire-to-wire victory over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night 108-97.  The win was their 12th straight at Barclays Center and they now have won 19 of their last 21 at home.

Brooklyn will be looking for some revenge against the Timberwolves for a beating they took late in November when they were in disarray 111-81 in Minnesota.

Andrei Kirilenko will not play again with a sprained ankle.

Kevin Garnett will miss a 16th straight game due to back spasms.

TIMBERWOLVES STARTERS

The Timberwolves starting lineup will be Ricky Rubio and Kevin Martin in the backcourt with Carey Brewer, Kevin Love and  Nikola Pekovic playing in the frontcourt.

The Wolves are coming off a destruction of the Lakers Friday night where they scored 143 points in a 143-107 victory.

Love had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his second career triple-double to lead the Wolves and he had 17 points but had 16 rebounds  with six offensive rebounds in their last meeting with the Nets.

Pekovic has returned from injury after missing the previous six games due to a sore right ankle so the paint will be where this game is won.

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GAME NOTES:

A win would Be the team’s 13th straight home win, tying the team record of 13 games, done twice during the 2002 season.

Brooklyn will clinch a playoff berth if coupled with a Knicks loss at Golden State.

The Nets are looking for their 12th  victory in March, matching their most victories in the month of March in the Nets’ NBA history.

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[quote_simple]WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Defense Wins

The Nets changed their season when they decided to play defense every night and their 28-12 record since Jan 1. tells that story.

Brooklyn hasn’t given up 100 points in 11 consecutive home games, holding opponents to 91.6 points and 43.4 percent shooting in that span.

The Nets defense has not quite been the same since the second half of the Dallas game a week ago so if they want to make sure this home winning streak continues it needs to get back to playing stingy defense and protect the paint.

If anyone looks at the Nets season they will see one thing – DEFENSE WINS.

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[box]INJURY REPORT

NETS

Andrei Kirilenko – OUT (sprained left ankle)

Kevin Garnett – OUT (back spasms)

Brook Lopez  – OUT (ankle)

TIMBERWOLVES

AJ Price – OUT (appendectomy)

Ronny Turiaf – OUT (right knee)

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Coach Kidd – “No one cares who scores, it’s all about Brooklyn.”

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