Nets’ Nic Claxton gets welcomed help in Ben Simmons against Timberwolves’ height

Nic Claxton will have more height on his side on Saturday night in the Nets’ second meeting with the Timberwolves this season. 

When the teams first met on Jan. 25, the 6-foot-11 center took on Rudy Gobert at 7-1 and the 7-foot Karl-Anthony Towns on his own that ended in a 96-94 Minnesota victory. 

Nevertheless, Ben Simmons, who is 6-10, will be out there to aid Claxton on the boards this time, even though the fifth-year Net did well in the previous meeting, recording 16 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. 

After a 121-93 loss to the Raptors — the team’s first loss under interim coach Kevin Ollie — that saw the Nets outrebounded 45-39 while committing 20 turnovers, the two will need one another to make up for Thursday’s second-chance points. 

“They started getting offensive rebounds, which led to, I think it led to two 3s, one or two 3s in that. So it’s tough,” said Cam Thomas of the third-quarter rebounds that got the Raptors to go on a 10-0 run. “They just started doing what they’re good at: transition and getting offensive rebounds, second-chance points. So we’ve just got to clean that up and just stay locked in for a full 48 [minutes].” 

They will especially have their work cut out for them in facing Gobert as the league’s second-best rebounder, averaging 12.5, and is ranked eighth in the NBA in blocks per game (2.1) — two places behind Claxton’s 2.2. 

Minnesota got the best of Brooklyn on the boards last time, outrebounding them by six. The Timberwolves also scored 46 points in the paint against the Nets’ 38. 

Despite the loss, Claxton thought he showed he could compete against the best in the league. 

“I think I’m a great big man,” Claxton said after their first game against the Timberwolves. “Any time I have a matchup like that, one of the quote unquote top centers in the league, I always take it personal to go out and be the best version of myself. I’m an extremely competitive person. I love basketball and I love to compete so I bring that every single night.” 

Without one another on the court because of injuries this season, both Claxton and Simmons held a higher average of rebounds per game.

When Simmons played six games at the start of the season before suffering a lower back impingement, he averaged 10.8 boards while Claxton was out with an ankle injury for eight games. 

Similarly, Claxton averaged 10.5 rebounds off the glass while Simmons was benched for 42 games. 

Now, as Simmons is still working his way cautiously back from injury, they’re trying to find a balance. Claxton has continued to hold a high average of 10.2 boards while Simmons averages 5.7. 

Yet, Simmons has taken some weight off of Claxton since returning giving the big man more breaks than usual.

The center currently has a lighter average of 28.32 minutes per game compared to his 33.8 minutes in the 14 games before Simmons’ return against the Jazz on Jan. 29, which included back-to-back 38 minute games. 

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Dariq Whitehead (left shin stress reaction), Noah Clowney (G League assignment), Keon Johnson (two-way), and Jaylen Martin (two-way) have all been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Timberwolves.