Brooklyn Nets player grades: Kevin Durant leads Nets past the Timberwolves

Kevin Durant hit a dagger against the Timberwolves on his way to 30 points.

The Brooklyn Nets were able to seal the deal against the Minnesota Timberwolves to win their second consecutive game somehow, even when things seemed like they weren’t going the Nets’ way.

Brooklyn only shot 26% from three and gave up the ball 17 times. Allowing 16 offensive rebounds didn’t help their chances of getting out of this one with a win either. Still, in what was a tight game down the stretch, the Nets stepped up and embraced the pressure to close out the game.

Kevin Durant (30 PTS, 10 REBS, 6 ASTS) knocked down the dagger with 11.1 remaining to put his team up five. In the scrappy affair, the Nets got to the free-throw line to shoot 41 times, which wasn’t surprising considering the Timberwolves are at the top of the league when it comes to fouling opponents.

Patty Mills (23 PTS, 4 3PM) was at the front line in the fourth quarter as well, making key plays to get the victory. His running mate in the backcourt in the form of James Harden (20 PTS, 9 ASTS, 7 REBS) flirted with a triple-double in the process too while even passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for 11th on the NBA’s all-time free-throws made list. In the game, he went 12-of-15 from the stripe.

Overall, Brooklyn put on a classy performance defensively. It was the least they could have done considering they did not show their usual selves offensively. In the end, the black and white held Minnesota to 39% accuracy from the field and 31% from downtown.

Nets head coach Steve Nash and his squad will be back at it again on Saturday to take on the Chicago Bulls at Barclays Center.