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Timberwolves-Nets Preview

Dec 23, 2009 - 5:15 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Minnesota (5-23) at New Jersey (2-26), 7:30 p.m. EDT

It took five weeks for the Nets to win a game this season, and more than a month for the Minnesota Timberwolves' next victory after topping New Jersey on opening night.

Not much has changed for the NBA's two worst teams.

The Nets have lost their past seven games by double digits, and Wednesday night seems to be as likely a time as any to end their skid as the Timberwolves come to town.

Minnesota (5-24) trailed New Jersey 87-71 with 6:51 left on Oct. 28, but Johnny Flynn scored 11 of his 18 points down the stretch to lead a 24-6 closing run en route to a 95-93 victory in his NBA debut.

That was the only time Flynn experienced a win until Nov. 29, but the Nets' drought was even more severe. New Jersey followed its opening-night collapse by losing its next 17 games, breaking the league record for futility to begin a season.

The Nets (2-26) won two of three from Dec. 4-8, but over the last two weeks they've played worse than they did in their 0-18 start. New Jersey lost by an average of 11.3 points during that stretch but has given up 110.0 points per game and scored 92.4 during its current seven-game slide.

The Nets led the Los Angeles Lakers 48-46 at halftime Saturday, but were outscored by 21 in the second half on their way to a 103-84 loss.

"It's a little taste of how we need to play," Devin Harris said of New Jersey's first half, when he scored 17 of his 21 points. "If we can have this type of effort against some of the other teams, I think we can be a little bit more successful. We would have a shot each and every other night."

The Timberwolves lost 15 straight by an average of 14.8 points after beating the Nets, but lately they've shown more positive signs than New Jersey. Minnesota has won at Denver, beaten Utah twice and throttled Sacramento 112-96 on Friday behind 20 points and 16 rebounds from Kevin Love.

Defense has let the Timberwolves down in their two latest losses, however. Minnesota allowed Boston to shoot 51.9 percent Sunday in a 122-104 loss, then watched a young and talented Atlanta team make 48.9 percent from the field Tuesday in a 112-87 defeat.

"They're kind of the example of a team that got its players young," Love said of the Hawks. "That's something I hope I can be a part of one day."

Love has been one of the Timberwolves' few bright spots lately, and with 15 points and 19 rebounds against the Hawks he posted his sixth straight double-double.

Love, who didn't make his season debut until Dec. 4 as he recovered from a fractured left hand, averaged 11.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in two meetings with New Jersey last season.

Brook Lopez (27 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks) dominated Al Jefferson (nine points, four boards) in the latter's first game since his season-ending ACL tear in February, but the Nets also got a big effort from Yi Jianlian.

Yi had 17 points and 12 rebounds on Oct. 28 versus Minnesota, but he hasn't played since Nov. 2 due to an MCL sprain. He's back practicing, however, and could return Wednesday.

The former No. 6 overall pick is averaging a career-high 16.3 points against Minnesota.

Chris Douglas-Roberts (16.4 points per game), however, will sit with a sprained right ankle.