Brooklyn Nets remain undefeated in 2018 with win over Timberwolves

The Brooklyn Nets squeaked out a 98-97 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight. The Nets coming off a gritty, close win over the Magic on Monday night, have won back to back games. They have more wins this January than they did all January 2017, and are undefeated so far in 2018.

The Brooklyn Nets were far from perfect tonight, as they overcame 19 turnovers on route to the victory. They did so on the strength of 14-of-30 three pointers made and 51 percent shooting overall. Minnesota came into the game fourth in the NBA in offensive rating, and was held to a single three point make on 11 attempts.

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With Caris LeVert out due to a strained left groin, the Nets needed their other guards to step up. Spencer Dinwiddie was up to the task, with 26 points and nine assists, including the game winner. He had the last six points of the game for the Nets.

Joe Harris dropped 17 points and four rebounds on 80 percent shooting from three.

Two key Nets, Allen Crabbe and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, were in foul trouble all game. Crabbe was great defensively again however, with two steals and eight rebounds. On his birthday, Hollis-Jefferson had 10 points in the first half and played good solid on Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, but was scoreless from the perimeter. He came into the game shooting over 40 percent from three.

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The high man for the Timberwolves was Jimmy Butler, who had 30 points on 16-of-18 from the line. Butler shot eight more free throws than the Nets did as a team. He missed a potential buzzer beater to end the game, after hitting one last year to beat the Nets as a member of the Chicago Bulls.

The story for Brooklyn again tonight was the effort on the defensive end. The Nets are a perfect 10-0 now when holding the opponent to under 100 points.

Jahlil Okafor played for the first time since his Nets debut on December 15th in Toronto. He logged 11 minutes, with two points and two rebounds, and looked rusty. The more minutes he gets playing in the Nets system, the better he’ll be able to adjust.

With the win, Brooklyn pulled to within four games of the eighth seed in the East. The get a few days off before playing the Celtics for the second time in less than a week on Saturday at home. The Nets played the Celtics very tough on Sunday night in Boston, and will look to win their third straight.