Takeaways from Timberwolves’ Summer League loss to Nets

In their fourth NBA Summer League contest, the Minnesota Timberwolves took on the Brooklyn Nets Thursday evening in Las Vegas, coming up short 102-83. Josh Minott shined once again for the Wolves, filling up the stat sheet in a tough but gritty loss.

Minott finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block in 27 minutes of action. He also canned three out of five three-point shots.

There were moments where Minott looked like the best player on the floor tonight. With just under six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, he got his own rebound twice in a row, battling hard for the finish and earning the old-fashioned three-point play. It’s safe to say he’s been making the most of his opportunities in Summer League.

Minott and Moore’s Chemistry

One of the most significant developments we can take from this game is the chemistry we’re seeing fellow rookies Josh Minott and Wendell Moore Jr. build. Right before the half, Minott stole a Nets inbound pass and found Moore for a layup to cut into the deficit. Later in the third, we saw Moore drive-and-kick to Minott, who knocked down a three from the right corner. Overall, the two made four shots and scored 10 combined points when they assisted one another.

Another notable performance came from George Conditt IV, who started in place of David McCormack, and recorded six points, six rebounds, and two steals. One of the few highlight-worthy moments tonight came in the closing minutes when Kahlil Whitney wound up and threw down an impressive dunk.

While the final score of this one is tough to look at, it wasn’t a beatdown throughout. After going down 42-24 in the second quarter, the Timberwolves battled back to cut the Nets’ lead to four points on two separate occasions. In the end, the play of Day’Ron Sharpe and Cam Thomas proved to be too much for Minnesota.

The Summer League Timberwolves will return to the floor Saturday afternoon at 4:00 pm CT to take on the Charlotte Hornets.