The Brooklyn Nets managed to hold onto a slim lead against a Minnesota Timberwolves team that not only pushed them to an extra period, but also won it in overtime. Head coach Kenny Atkinson called the loss “unacceptable,” noting his team was happy to even see overtime and not lose in regulation.
“Just an unacceptable performance by us,” said Atkinson, according to Corey Hersch of SNY. “We were lucky to get to overtime, to be honest. Even at halftime, I thought that. We're just not playing at a high level. We're not playing up to Nets standards and it's hard to figure out why.”
The Nets only led by one at halftime, extending that lead to six points by the end of the third quarter and to nine with less than three minutes into the fourth, but the Wolves managed to tie the game in regulation and best the Nets 19-12 in the overtime period.
“I just think generally we're not playing well,” said a disappointed Atkinson, as the Nets have lost their last three games. “When the lead happens or when it doesn't, really doesn't matter. I think they deserved the win. They had guys come in and contribute and we were lucky to even take it to overtime.”
Brooklyn has now dropped games against the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, and the Timberwolves, all aligning with subpar shooting efforts from fill-in starter Spencer Dinwiddie, who has been shouldering the scoring load for the Nets.
Dinwiddie had a team-high 36 points on Monday, but needed a season-high 31 shot attempts to get there. The 6-foot-5 guard has been rock-solid filling in for the injured Kyrie Irving, but a lot of the scoring responsibilities have fallen on him in December.
The Colorado product had taken 20 shots only twice before December, but has now done so six out of the last seven games after lackluster nights from Taurean Prince and Garrett Temple.
The Nets direly miss Caris LeVert back in the lineup and could use additional production from the foul-prone Jarrett Allen, who has now scored six points or less in three of the last four games.
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