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T'Wolves host struggling Nets

Nov 22, 2013 - 3:32 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Minnesota Timberwolves will try to halt a two-game losing streak when they welcome the struggling Brooklyn Nets to the Target Center.

The Wolves fell at Washington on Tuesday, then came home and lost to the Los Angeles Clippers, 102-98 the very next night.

"They are just waiting for you, watching our game at some sports bar somewhere. But what are you going to do? It's how the league works," Wolves coach Rick Adelman said. "It's not something unique. I think the tough part is the back-to-backs and getting in late is playing on the road, playing at home then going on the road. We do that a lot and that gets weary after a while. It's nothing we can use as an excuse. You have to play through it."

After Friday's game, the Wolves hit the road for tough tilts with the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers.

Against the Clippers, the T'Wolves were ahead in the fourth quarter until Chris Paul took over. L.A. shot 49 percent from the floor compared to 37.8 percent for Minnesota.

Kevin Martin led the way for the Wolves with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Nikola Pekovic had 20 points and Corey Brewer added 17.

Kevin Love had an unusually rough night. He went 2-for-14 from the floor en route to 10 points. Love still pulled down 10 boards.

The Nets have been dreadful all season, but Wednesday's loss was bad. They fell in Charlotte to the Bobcats, 95-91 which halted a seven-game winning streak over the Bobcats.

Brooklyn has dropped three straight and six of its last seven. The Nets are 1-6 on the road this season.

"We have to stay together and keep fighting," Nets center Andray Blatche said. "We have to work harder."

Brook Lopez missed his third straight contest with a bad ankle and news got worse on Wednesday when Deron Williams reinjured his balky ankle. Charlotte's Kemba Walker stepped on Williams' ankle in the second quarter and never returned. Both Lopez and Williams are expected to miss the Timberwolves game.

Blatche led the Nets with 25 points, followed by 19 from Joe Johnson, 16 from Alan Anderson and 12 from Paul Pierce. Kevin Garnett only managed four points and is averaging 6.6 ppg this season.

The Wolves have taken six of the last eight meetings between the two teams. The Nets snapped an eight-game losing streak in Minnesota last season with a 91-83 victory.