The Brooklyn Nets didn’t start their new chapter as planned. They were defeated at home to Minnesota Timberwolves this Wednesday night after overtimes, in spite of Kyrie Irving’s 50-point game. The final result at the Barclays Center was 127-126.
Irving had a game-winning shot in his hands but failed to make it as he lost the balance in the decisive moment. He gave his best to make the debut in Nets’ uniform victorious, but unfortunately, Uncle Drew failed.
Irving, who is from Jersey, always dreamed of being part of the Nets’ franchise.
“I wasn’t trying to get too emotional or anything like that, but I’m just a Jersey kid playing for his home team. There’s nothing like it. This has been brewing since I was in fourth grade,” he said before the match.
It is probably the reason why one of the best point guards in the league looked disappointed and down when the game ended.
Apart from that last shot, he was magnificent on the floor. Irving made 17 of his 33 shots, had 7 threes, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, breaking four records while doing so. One of them was the most points scored in a debut for one NBA team. Still, that didn’t impress the Nets’ biggest star.
“The job wasn’t done,” Irving said after the game. “So that 50 just goes into just another few numbers that — it holds value, but not really when you don’t get a win.”
At the end of the regulations, he set up a position for Jarret Allen to score, but the Nets’ center was fouled and sent to the free-throw line. He would miss both of them, with 5.7 seconds to go. Yet Taurean Prince got the offensive rebound, but Karl-Anthony Towns rejected his attempt. In the end, the Timberwolves had a chance to win, but Andrew Wiggins missed his three-point try.
Minnesota had an 18-point lead during the second period but managed to lose it until the midpoint of the third. If it weren’t for Towns, who was equally as impressive as Irving, the guests would probably waste this match. KAT posted a superb double-double with 36 points and 14 boards, along with three assists, steals, and blocks each.
Andrew Wiggins helped him with 21 buckets and 8 boards, Robert Covington was solid with 15 points and 9 rebounds, while Jeff Teague had 14.
“This is a special group where very rarely this happens in the NBA,” Towns said. “Everyone in this locker room is here for one goal. That’s to win.”
For the Nets, Caris LeVert had 20 points with 5 boards and 4 dimes, Taurean Prince recorded a double-double with 15 and 10 boards, while Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie had 14 each.
DeAndre Jordan failed to meet the expectations with only 2 points and 3 rebounds in 17 minutes on the floor.
Irving will have a chance to reach the first win at the Barclays already this Friday when Brooklyn plays against the New York Knicks. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves travel to Charlotte to face the Hornets on the same night.
