New Jersey Nets Routs Minnesota Timberwolves

After a humiliating 108-88 home-loss against the Washington Wizards, the New Jersey Nets bounced back by crushing the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 113-84.

Seven players scored in double figures for the Nets, led by Vince Carter with 18 points. Devin Harris and Yi Jinlian added 18 points apiece while newbie center Brook Lopez chipped in 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Randy Foye led the Wolves with 20 points while Sebastian Telfair, Rashad McCants and Craig Smith each had 12. Al Jefferson posted 17 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks.

New Jersey scored 30 or more points in the first, third and fourth quarters and was in control the entire game. The Nets also dominated the Wolves in the rainbow territory where they converted 14 out of 28 shots.

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Spurs Still Winless for the Season

-photo credit: yahoosports.com/nba

Dirk Nowitzki led the visiting Dallas Mavericks with 30 points and defeated the San Antonio Spurs 98-81 at their home floor.

Dallas sizzled in the game as they shot 53 percent from the floor compared to San Antonio’s 42 percent. Behind Nowitzki’s 30 point marker, Jason Terry chipped in 29 points. Josh Howard contributed 14 points and 12 rebounds while Jason Kidd finished with 9 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds.

The Spurs are off to their worst opening since they opened the 1973-74 ABA season 0-4.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 19 points while Tim Duncan finished with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Roger Mason and rookie George Hill added 11 points apiece. Super-sub Manu Ginobili is still absent and won’t be back until December.

The Spurs (0-3) will visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 5 and the Mavs (2-2) heads to Denver to face the Nuggets on November 7.

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Wolves Roll Past the Slumping Heat

The slumping Miami Heat reached a new low when the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves defeated them 101-91. The Heat played without Shaquille O’Neal for the sixth straight game and despite a great effort from Dwayne Wade, the Miami club posted their eighth consecutive loss.

Rashad McCants led the way with 27 points for the Wolves. Al Jefferson contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds while Marko Jaric added 17 points and 8 assists.

 

Wade, playing on injured shoulder, fought back with 25 points. He had little help from his teammates. Udonis Haslem and Daequan Cook were the only other Heat players to score in double figures. Each of them had 15 points in the game.

The Heat is hampered by several injuries and they are not looking so well. With their current standings, it’s hard to imagine they were the NBA champions two seasons ago. They lost Alonzo Mourning to a career ending injury last year and O’Neal is bothered by a nagging hip problem. Jason Williams and Dorell Wright have been out of action for long stretches this season because of injuries too. Wade is playing on an injured shoulder and it’s not looking too good for him. His surgically repaired shoulder was in fact heavily damaged then previously reported. He sustained nerve damages on his shoulder and the feeling of soreness is giving him troubles now.

The young Wolves outrebounded the Heat 40-31 and shot almost 50 percent from the field. They snapped an 8-game skid after and embarrassing 101-78 loss to the Dallas Mavericks last weekend.

The Miami Heat sinks deeper with their 8-27 record and the Minnesota Timberwolves improves to 5-29.

 

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