Thibodeau: Wolves can't underestimate struggling Nets

Tonight at 8 p.m. – not the usual 7 p.m. – we'll get to find out how the Timberwolves handle the role of being a prohibitive favorite.

Well, maybe that's a bit strong for a team that is 17-29.

But tonight's opponent is the Brooklyn Nets, the NBA's worst outfit this season. They come into this game having lost four straight an 15 out of 16. Some have the Wolves favored by more than 10 points. No problem, right?

Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau wasn't having any of that. "They already beat us once,'' he said, referring to the Nets' 119-110 victory over the Wolves in Brooklyn Nov. 8. That is one of only nine Nets victories this season.

"You've got to be ready for everyone,'' Thibodeau continued. "It's a long season. For the most part, I think our team has done a good job of being ready to play and just bounce back.''

The Wolves will have a chance to bounce back from a rather flat loss to Indiana Thursday against a Brooklyn team that pushed struggling Cleveland Friday before losing . And the Nets were without leading scorer, center Brook Lopez, who was resting, and top rebounder Trevor Booker, who was ill.

Lopez – who scored 26 points in the Nets' victory over the Wolves earlier this season – will play. Booker is questionable.

Here are a few other items from today's morning shoot:

--It will be interesting to see tonight's battle of the big men. Lopez comes into the game averaging 20.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and nearly 30 minutes per game. Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 22.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

There is a good chance Gorgui Dieng will cover Lopez on defense. But Towns will likely be going at Lopez on the offensive end.

Lopez was just 3-for-31 on three-pointers over his first eight seasons, has made 77 of 217 threes this season, 35.5 percent, averaging 5.3 attempts per game. This is more than Towns (53-for-161) has attempted.

"You have to understand he has that three-point shot in his arsenal, and respect it,'' Towns said. "You have to contest shots, make it hard for him to catch the ball.''

-- Perhaps you're wondering why Saturday's Wolves-Nets game tipped off at 8 p.m., when the normal start time for Wolves home games is 7?

Three letters: ABC.

ABC is televising Saturday's Clippers-Golden State game, with a start of 7:30, nation-wide. As an accommodation to that schedule, the Wolves scheduled an 8 p.m. start of their game so as not to interfere with the start of the national broadcast. This isn't the only time this season it will happen, either. The Wolves home game with Memphis next Saturday will start at 8 p.m. as well, as will road games at Houston Feb. 25 and at San Antonio March 4.