The Nets clawed out a thriller 124-123 overtime win over the Timberwolves Friday night. After trailing by eight at the half, Brooklyn outscored the Wolves by 17 points in the third to take control of the game. The Nets led by three with 1.3 seconds remaining, but Minnesota would not go away with Naz Reid draining a three at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.

Despite the gut-punch shot, the Nets would not waver with Spencer Dinwiddie leading Brooklyn to a last-second victory at Target Center.

3 key takeaways from Nets' comeback win over Timberwolves

3. Nets ramp up the defensive intensity in second half

Minnesota scored 68 points in the first half on 27-0f-47 (57.4 percent) shooting from the field and 7-of-13 (53.8 percent) from three. Despite a stacked roster of long, athletic wings, the new-look Nets struggled defensively in 11 games heading into Friday, ranking 18th in defensive rating during that span. Rudy Gobert did the majority of the Wolves' damage in the first half, scoring 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting.

As they did during a historic 28-point comeback in Boston last week, the Nets ramped up the defensive intensity in the second half, holding Minnesota to 17 points on 7-of-19 shooting in the third before allowing just 26 in the final period. With Nic Claxton in foul trouble, Brooklyn leaned into small-ball lineups with Royce O'Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith at the five, a move that proved effective in the third quarter and overtime.

2. Mikal Bridges' offensive outburst continues

Mikal Bridges continues to put the league on notice since stepping into a lead-scoring role with Brooklyn. The 26-year-old scored a game-high 34 points on 13-of-24 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 from three. The performance gives Bridges his fifth 30-point performance in seven games and his sixth since joining the Nets. The forward reached that total just twice in four and a half years with the Suns.

With Minnesota keying on Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie took the reins of the offense in the second half and overtime. However, the former was still prepared in the big spot, draining a clutch three off a kickout from Dinwiddie to break a tie with 1:18 remaining.

In 12 games with Brooklyn, Bridges is averaging 25.8 points on 51.4 percent shooting from the field and 49.2 percent from three. The former lottery pick became the first player in NBA history to average 25 points or more on 50/40/90 shooting splits over his first 10 games with a new team during that span.

1. Spencer Dinwiddie turns in huge second half

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Photo: Mikal Bridges in Nets jersey in action saying "It wasn't easy"

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Sean Marks. Nets logo. Donovan Mitchell

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Jordi Fernandez with fire in his eyes. Nets logo in the background

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It didn't look like Spencer Dinwiddie's night early on Friday. The guard shot 3-of-10 from the field with two turnovers in the 1st half, struggling to find his rhythm against Minnesota's drop coverage with Gobert protecting the rim. However, a hot shooting stretch from Bridges and others opened up the floor in the third and Dinwiddie took full advantage, exploding for 17 points in the second half.

With the Wolves face-guarding Bridges in overtime, the Nets leaned into Dinwiddie in isolation for nearly the entire period. The veteran answered the call, scoring or assisting on all 10 of Brooklyn's points in the extra frame. Dinwiddie finished a pair of crafty layups on Brooklyn's first two possessions before driving and kicking to Bridges and Finney-Smith for back-to-back threes in the final minutes.

The former Maverick has been tasked with a heavy offensive load with the new-look Nets extremely short on ball handlers. Dinwiddie turned in the best performance of his second stint with Brooklyn to put his team over the top Friday.