Pierce Leads Nets to 13th Straight Home Win

By Nick Ziegler (@Ziggy26x)

March 31st, 2014

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Brooklyn Nets Post Game Recap

Final Score: Timberwolves 99 Nets 114

The Brooklyn Nets were once again able to win at the Barclays Center, as with their 114-99 victory over the Timberwolves they have made it 13 straight at the home. The win moves the Nets to (39-33), which is 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division.

Player of the Game: Paul Pierce

For the second straight game Nets Forward Paul Pierce had a great game, and got off to a hot start once again. Pierce lit it up in the first quarter scoring 16 points, helping the Nets get off to a good start. Pierce finished with a game-high 22 points on eight for 11 shooting, which included him, going five of eight from three-point range. The only downside for Pierce in the game was that he got into foul trouble in third quarter.

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Positives:

In the third quarter when the Nets got into foul trouble, Joe Johnson stepped up to help the Nets weather the storm from the Timberwolves. Johnson scored eight points in the third without Deron Williams and Pierce on the court. Johnson finished with 19 points on eight for 13 shooting, and he also became the 15th active player to reach 17,000 career points.

Brooklyn on defense did an excellent job against one of the better players in the league in Kevin Love, who is averaging a double-double on the season, but on Sunday the Nets held him in check. Love finished with just 14 points on five for 14 shooting, and maybe more impressive for the Nets is that they were able to keep in under 10 rebounds, as he finished with nine. As a team the Nets out-rebounded the Timberwolves by one, and even had more offensive rebounds than them.

The second unit for Brooklyn was very good in the win on Sunday, as it got big games from Andray Blatche and Alan Anderson. Blatche finished with 14 points, which led all bench scorers on seven for 11 shooting with six rebounds. Anderson was right behind Blatche with 13 points on five for 10 shooting, and Anderson also added five rebounds.

Negatives:

In what was a good win for the Nets there were few negatives, but Brooklyn was sloppy with the ball, as they turned it over 20 times. The high turnover amount played into the Timberwolves style of play. Corey Brewer and Kevin Martin were able to take advantage of opportunities in the open court, as they both played well in the loss. They each finished with 21 points, as for Brewer he did it on nine for 13 shooting, and for Martin he shot nine for 16 from the field.

Next up for the Nets will be a big test at home on Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets.

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Knicks Snap Losing Streak With Win Over Timberwolves

By Kenneth Teape (@teapester725)

Wednesday, March 5^th, 2014

New York Knicks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Post Game Recap

The Knicks were able to get a much needed victory and snap their seven-game losing streak Wednesday Night in Minnesota against the Timberwolves 118-106. It was a great team effort put forth by the team tonight as they got going right from the start, never trailing in the game and being engaged from the opening tip through the final whistle. The victory moves the Knicks record to 22-40 on the season and moves them to within six games of the Atlanta Hawks, who play at the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday, for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks will look to keep the positive play going Friday night against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden.

Player of the Game: Raymond Felton

 

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Felton had his best game in a long time and arguably this season as he scored 18 points to go along with eight assists, three rebounds, four steals and one block. Felton played with supreme confidence and energy tonight as he attacked the basket and created easy opportunities for himself and his teammates. Felton’s aggressiveness makes things immensely easier for the Knicks as easy baskets and open jump shots become more readily available. As Felton goes the Knicks go and if they are to make a final push for the playoffs to close the season Felton needs to continue playing close to what he did tonight.

-Positives

Mike Woodson looks to have finally hit the right buttons for the starting lineup. For the second consecutive game Felton, J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler started and for the second consecutive game the Knicks started the game on fire. Tonight they opened on a 9-0 run and scored a season-high tying 38 points in a quarter to start the game. The last two games the Knicks have been the team to get off to a fast start and put the opposition in an early hole, tonight they were just able to sustain the improved player.

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

No matter what the Timberwolves did to slow down Anthony it did not work tonight. Anthony didn’t have his jump shot clicking, going 3-10 from the three point line and he didn’t get to the foul line as much as he usually does, taking only four attempts and making two, yet he still poured in 33 points. Anthony had it going from the mid-range, knocking down 11-17 shots from inside the three point line. He also added five rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler had a strong night on both ends of the court. The two of them were handed the responsibility of slowing down double-double machine Kevin Love and they combined to do as well as anyone has this season. Love shot only 6-19 from the field for 19 points and managed to grab only eight rebounds. Offensively Stoudemire scored 18 points to go with eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and two blocks. Chandler added 15 points and 14 rebounds to go along with stellar defense against Love.

Overall, the defense tonight for the Knicks was solid. The perimeter defense was much improved, as Ricky Rubio was forced into six turnovers and Kevin Martin was able to knock down only three of his 10 attempts from the field. On the night the Timberwolves shot only 39-90 (43.4 percent) and 7-26 (26.9 percent) from the three point line.

The Knicks showed some real heart and resiliency tonight. The game was going much like Monday against the Pistons did; a great start that was ruined by progressively worse play every quarter after that. Tonight the Knicks had poor second and third quarters once again, but they never allowed the Timberwolves to take the lead, knocking down timely baskets to keep them at bay. They did not wilt under the pressure once the Timberwolves made their run, instead coming back with a run of their own to put the game away in the fourth quarter and take home the win.

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

-Negatives

The only real negative to the game tonight and what looks like the biggest problem they will face the remainder of the season is the bench production. Tonight the bench managed to score only 20 points, four of which came in garbage time from Jeremy Tyler. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 11, Pablo Prigioni scored three and Iman Shumpert added two. With performances like that from the bench the pressure will be squarely on the starting unit to carry the team offensively. The bench unit needs to find ways to impact the game in more ways than scoring.

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