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Nets look for consistency at home vs. Timberwolves

Dec 5, 2008 - 11:26 AM Minnesota (4-13) at New Jersey (9-8) 7:30 p.m. EST

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Following a difficult trip to the West Coast, the New Jersey Nets opened up an apparently easier, home-laden portion of the schedule with a dud.

The Nets will look to return to their winning ways when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

New Jersey bounced back from a blowout loss to the Lakers with three consecutive wins over Western Conference foes. It returned home to host the East's worst team, but the Nets made the Washington Wizards look like anything but hapless.

Devin Harris scored 18 points and Keyon Dooling added 14 off the bench, but Washington outscored New Jersey, 35-12, in the third quarter of a 108-88 loss that dropped the Nets' home mark to 3-5.

With eight of its next 11 games at the Izod Center, the Nets will need better play from Vince Carter if they hope to improve their home record. Carter made just 6-of-17 attempts from the field for 16 points against the Wizards.

Minnesota has dropped three straight games, allowing 100 or more more points in its last five games after keeping its previous five opponents under the century mark.

The Timberwolves held a 42-31 edge in rebounding, including 16-3 on the offensive glass, in their matchup with Orlando on Wednesday. But they shot 41 percent while allowing the Magic to shoot at a 57 percent clip in a 100-89 loss.

Kevin Love matched a season-high with 12 rebounds and scored 16 points to record his second double-double in his last three games.