23, the number of victories won by Wolves last season. The Minnesota franchise has already matched that total this season thanks to its victory over the Nets, which allows it to find a perfectly balanced record. Nets who bow after two straight wins, signing their worst defensive performance of the season.
This meeting indeed started on large offensive bases, with a duel from a distance between Kyrie Irving and D’Angelo Russell in a first quarter dominated by nothing by the locals (37-36). The latter made more of the difference in the second to offer themselves a ten-point lead at the break (72-62).
With a particularly skilful third quarter, the New Yorkers returned to three possessions before starting the final period (102-95). But despite the beautiful evenings of the players of complement, Patty Mills or Kessler Edwards, they never gave the impression of being able to go back in front of the score.
Rarely led in this match, the Wolves had no difficulty in concluding.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– The big finish of the “KAT”. Struggling for three quarters, Karl-Anthony Towns took advantage of LaMarcus Aldridge’s sixth foul, early in the fourth quarter, to lay down his law in the final minutes. Much bigger and bigger than James Johnson, the interior of Wolves scored 15 of his 23 points in this last period to allow his team to win without being scared.
– Anthony Edwards’ injury exit. Without doubt the only downside in the beautiful evening of Wolves. In the last minute of the game, with Steve Nash already sending in his substitutes unlike Chris Finch, the Wolves fullback took a screen from Day’Ron Sharpe. Apparently hit in the knee, Edwards started by stretching out in front of his bench before having to be helped to join his locker room, limping.
– Nets lost balls. The visitors had however taken a good option on victory by dominating the battle for the rebound (48 to 37). Despite this deficit, Wolves finished with almost the same volume of shots. The explanation? New Yorkers lost twice as many balls as their opponents. In the shadows, this handsome devil of Jarred Vanderbilt was still essential by stealing five balloons all by himself.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ D’Angelo Russell. Match full of control for the Wolves leader who signed his eighth double-double of the season. He thus confirms his month of January cleaner in “scoring”, with 20 points on average at 51% on shots, compared to the first complicated months in terms of efficiency.
✅ The pair Jaylen Nowell – Taurean Prince. Minimal waste for both men who had a very positive impact coming off their bench, including in the fourth quarter. Between them, they scored almost as much as the entire opposing bench.
✅ Kyrie Irving. Top scorer of the evening, he struggled to the end to keep his team in the game despite his difficulties in converting behind the arc. It was his second game finished with 30 points scored. Since his return, Brooklyn has posted a record of four wins and three losses.
⛔ James Harden. He who claimed to be clearly back after his big game in San Antonio two days earlier did not make an impression last night. He certainly signed his 27th double-double of the year but with a very small 4/13 on shots and losing another 6 balls. The point guard did not weigh in the last quarter, during which time he did not take a single shot.
THE FOLLOWING
Wolves (23-23) : trip to the Blazers, Tuesday.
Nets (29-17) : reception of the Lakers, Tuesday.
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