I don’t think NBA games should happen at noon on the day after Thanksgiving.
The Nets and the Timberwolves met on Friday, and it was clear from the start that is was going to be a sloppy game on both ends. Minnesota prevailed 112-102. Each team won two quarters, but Brooklyn lost the third quarter by 12, which was the big difference maker.
The player of the game for Brooklyn: Spencer Dinwiddie, who put up 18 points and eight assists. Joe Harris deserves mention too for an 18-point, six-rebound, four-assist performance.
Meanwhile, tough one for D’Angelo Russell, who finished with five points on 2-for-10 shooting. And for Jarrett Allen, who had just four rebounds and fouled out in the fourth quarter. I blame Thanksgiving. Thanks, Thanksgiving!
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 21 points despite foul trouble making him a non-factor in the first half. How did he wind up with 21? A 17-point third. I missed part of that quarter (well, kind of…I was listening to the game, just not actually looking at it while it happened) so I couldn’t see how KAT looked so good, but I sure could hear Ian Eagle talking about it.
Derrick Rose led Minnesota with 25 points. He took the second-most shots on the team. That isn’t a recipe for success most nights, but this game was not at night, so the rules of basketball don’t apply. (Or something like that, right?)
Below are my notes from the game if you want to read about things in a live blog style.
FIRST QUARTER NOTES
- Both teams getting off to a very slow start here. #ThanksgivingIsUndefeated
- Good, early timeout by Kenny Atkinson to be like “HEY GUYS THERE IS BASKETBALL HAPPENING RIGHT NOW”
- Jarrett Allen did not get out on KAT, which is the real reason for the timeout.
- Brooklyn defense as a whole feeling really sloppy.
- Also, not sure when the last time I saw so many loose balls and lost dribbles in a game.
- Taj Gibson having a really good start here.
- Second foul on KAT early here. Could be a game changer, maybe.
- Allen Crabbe block! And then a catch-and-shoot three on the other end!
- And another three on the next possession!
- Could Allen Crabbe be getting back to being the best version of Allen Crabbe?
- Spencer Dinwiddie with an off-balance three. 10-0 run for the Nets.
- Not a great start for DeMarre Carroll.
- Shabazz Napier was such an underrated acquisition.
- 26-22 Nets after one quarter.
SECOND QUARTER NOTES
- More good Napier minutes.
- Not good: a 9-0 run by Minnesota.
- Shot clock issues because the shot clock also ate too much for Thanksgiving.
- DeMarre Carroll has shaken off that slow start.
- Here is KAT again.
- The Nets on a run now. 8-0. It’s just a game of runs here.
- Jarrett Allen is playing volleyball out here instead of rebounding.
- Another foul on KAT!
- Allen bit pretty bad on a Saric fake, but then Joe Harris hits a three off a fake on the other end, so :shrug emoji:
- Lots of Gorgui Dieng for Minnesota due to the KAT foul trouble.
- The Nets are shooting well. They’re out-rebounding Minnesota. They’ve got KAT on the bench…but the lead is just three. Nine turnovers so far is a big reason why.
- Another 8-0 run. Minnesota.
- Jarrett Allen dunked with his eyes closed.
- Then he air-balled a three.
- 54-49 Minnesota at the half. 15-4 run to end the half. #YIKES
THIRD QUARTER NOTES
- I went to get lunch with the game on my phone, so these notes were done about 10 minutes after what happened.
- Liked Joe Harris’s start to the quarter!
- Didn’t like that KAT got involved for Minnesota.
- Also didn’t like how much Russell is struggling with his shot.
- Faried coming in was an interesting move. You have a deep bench, so you have room to experiment with different lineups if things aren’t working.
- Yeah, this is…not a great quarter. Am back live now &…yeah…
FOURTH QUARTER NOTES
- Carroll doing a good job getting to the line here early in the quarter!
- Well…Wolves are back on a little run here.
- Napier has 12.
- SOME THREES HERE.
- Man, KAT having 17 in the third was such a problem.
- …
- Every time it looks like the Nets are closing it, Wolves push the lead back higher again.
- More struggles for Russell as he checks back in.
- It is a 10 point game again!
- Foul trouble for KAT and Gibson could be big here late. Both have five fouls. KAT stays in.
- Jarrett Allen finishes the alley-oop & this is a game again!
- Allen fouls out. KAT has not fouled out.
- Towns, ummm, should have picked up first sixth with three minutes left…
- RHJ BLOCKED KAT
- smh letting Derrick Rose score at the basket
- and a Joe Harris turnover. This looks like a game where you get it close, but never get it all the way over the hump.
- Yeah, RoCo jams it in. Eight point game.
- oh yeah, Andrew Wiggins. 110-102 game with under a minute.
- It’s foul the opponents and hope you can close the gap time.
- Joe Harris commits a five-second violation on the inbounds.