(SportsNetwork.com) - The Brooklyn Nets have won 12 straight at home and will try to match their franchise record Sunday evening when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves at The Barclays Center.
Paul Pierce scored 17 of his 22 points in the first quarter to lead the Nets to their 12th consecutive home win with a 108-97 decision over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Joe Johnson scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, while Alan Anderson and Deron Williams added 13 points apiece for Brooklyn, which snapped a two-game slide and moved within one game of the club record for consecutive home wins, set on two occasions in the 2002 season when the franchise was located in New Jersey and played at Prudential Center.
"We're just trying to take care of business." said Nets coach Jason Kidd of the success on their home floor. "There is a lot of things that have to do with the (home) crowd. Paul (Pierce) set the tone early and that is what a veteran guy does."
The Nets are 2 1/2 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the race for the Atlantic Division title. Brooklyn is fifth in the Eastern Conference, 1 1/2 behind the Chicago Bulls and one ahead of the Washington Wizards.
The Timberwolves have won two straight to keep their extremely remote playoff hopes alive. Minnesota trails the Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks by 6 1/2 games for the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference.
On Friday, the Wolves put it on the Los Angeles Lakers in a big way, winning at the Target Center, 143-107.
The 143 points were a franchise record for most points in a game. The T'Wolves shot 67.1 from the field, which was also a team record.
Kevin Love posted his second career triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in Minnesota's rout.
Nikola Pekovic added 26 points in his return to the lineup and Kevin Martin finished with 17 for the Timberwolves, who have lost two straight on the road. Pekovic had missed the previous six games with an ankle injury.
"It was obviously a good game for us. Good to have Pek' back. He really set the tone inside for us," said Wolves coach Rick Adelman.
Corey Brewer (11), Ricky Rubio (10), Chase Budinger (11) and Gorgui Dieng (14) also scored in double figures.
Minnesota's 143 points were the most scored in the NBA this season and the 67.1 percent was also tops in the league.
The Wolves beat the Nets by 30 in Minnesota on Nov. 22 and have taken three of the last four meetings. The Timberwolves have won two in a row as the visitor in this series.
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