What were going to do is were going to make him do it

NEW YORK -- They have gone from disappointment to dominant, a team that was booed on its home floor and now rarely loses there. And pretty soon, the Brooklyn Nets will also be a playoff team. Pierce scored 22 points after another sensational start, and the Nets moved to the brink of a post-season spot by beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-99 on Sunday for their franchise record-tying 13th straight home victory. "First part of the season was rough on us with injuries and everything that we went through, and it feels good," guard Deron Williams said. "It feels good to be able to turn it around." Pierce scored 16 in the first quarter, two nights after putting up 17 in the period, and didnt miss a shot in either. He couldnt keep it going after asking for a rest so he would stay fresh to defend Kevin Love, but the Nets had to plenty more to pull away. Joe Johnson added 19 points for the Nets, who were 10-21 when they reached the new year, but will clinch a playoff spot with either another win or a loss by the New York Knicks. A post-season berth was viewed as a sure thing when the Nets acquired Pierce and Kevin Garnett while assembling a team that would cost more than $180 million, but they struggled early and then lost leading scorer Brook Lopez to a season-ending foot injury. "I think a lot of teams with bad character, bad leadership in the locker room wouldve laid down a long time ago. Probably by Christmas wouldve been making summer plans," Pierce said. "But not this group." Andray Blatche had 14 points and three players finished with 13 for the Nets. Brooklyn equaled the longest home winning streak in the NBA this season and the best in the history of the franchise, done twice in 2002 when the Nets were still based in New Jersey. They have won 20 of their last 22 games at Barclays Center. Corey Brewer and Kevin Martin each scored 21 for the Timberwolves, who had won two in row and were coming off the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season, when they scored a franchise-record 143 points in a rout of the Lakers on Friday. But they had only 17 in the fourth quarter of this one as Brooklyn surged to the finish. Love finished with just 14 points and nine rebounds for the Wolves, shooting 5-of-14 and saying afterward he felt "exhausted" and was perhaps getting sick. "I couldnt find any energy in the second half and that was really it," Love said. The Nets led by one early in the fourth quarter, but got three 3-pointers from Alan Anderson in a 13-4 spurt that gave them a 98-88 lead with 6:51 remaining, and Pierce later added a 3 to make it a 13-point cushion. Brooklyn finished off a 12-4 March, matching the team record for victories in the month set in 2006 and hopes to have Kevin Garnett and Andrei Kirilenko back from injuries by the end of the upcoming week. Pierce, who scored 17 points in the first quarter Friday, had 16 points on 6-of-6 shooting by the time he checked out after 10 minutes to open this one. He is 10 for 10 from the field, 8 or 8 on 3-pointers, in 17 minutes over the last two first quarters, and this is the first time in his career that hes scored at least 16 in consecutive first quarters. The Nets led 30-27 after one and opened a 49-36 lead on Mirza Teletovics 3-pointer with 6:11 remaining in the second quarter. Minnesota whittled that down to 59-54 by the break. The Wolves charged out of the locker room with a 15-4 run to open a 69-63 lead a little under 4 minutes into the third quarter. But the Nets, who had rarely trailed in the second half during their streak, quickly regrouped behind Johnson and Shaun Livingston to move back in front and take an 85-82 lead to the fourth. NOTES: The Nets said before the game that Garnett, who has missed 16 straight games with back spasms, is hoping to play next weekend or during their trip to Florida on April 8 and 9. Kirilenko is targeting a mid-week return from a sprained left ankle. ... Johnson became the 15th active player with 17,000 career points. Pierce and Garnett have already done it. ... Oklahoma City also had 13 straight home wins from Nov. 3-Dec. 19. Melker Karlsson Jersey . Hazard lasted just 18 minutes in Tuesdays contest before being substituted with the calf problem, and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes he will be without his star winger for at least the next two weeks. Evander Kane Sharks Jersey . Reimer told TSNs Mark Masters on Tuesday that he doesnt know if he will be moved leading up to the March 5 trade deadline but added he wasnt interested in discussing it. "Who knows whats going to happen on the horizon here and right now I dont know if I want to talk about it too much. http://www.officialsharksnhlshop.com/marcus-sorensen-jersey/ .com) - Jeff Teague finished with a game-high 26 points and eight assists as the Atlanta Hawks held off the Utah Jazz, 98-92, on Friday. Antti Suomela Jersey . Tokarski, a somewhat controversial choice -- with his 10 games of NHL experience and all -- to replace an injured Carey Price in Game Two had a night to remember, turning back a Rangers team that was dominating play from the get-go, outshooting the Canadiens 14-4 in the first period and 37-25 overall. Erik Karlsson Jersey . PAUL, Minn.TORONTO – Shortly after 11 oclock on Saturday morning, Brett Lawrie wandered into manager John Gibbons office for a brief conversation. There were two topics: the status of Lawries injured right hamstring and where he would play when he returns to the lineup. Gibbons confirmed Lawrie will sometimes play second base. "Hes got no problem with it," said Gibbons. "He basically said, hey, whatever the boys need. I mean, hes here to win. Thats the name of the game and like I said, I think it makes us better." Lawrie was less enthused but reiterated what he has said before and what Gibbons offered on Saturday morning. "Just doing it for the team," said Lawrie. The differences between second base and third base are many. The footwork is different. The timing is different – third base is called the "hot corner" for a reason. Lawrie has history at second base, having played the position in Milwaukees minor league system. Part of his hesitation for making the switch is grounded in the pride he takes in how hard hes worked to become a gold glove calibre third baseman, doing so almost entirely at the major league level. "I worked my butt off to get where Im at," Lawrie told TSN.ca on Friday. "Im not saying its not going to help the team. Im here to do what it is to help the team but I worked my butt off to be that good at third base and continue to do what Im doing. I work every day over there. Still continuing to get my work in and second base, it is what it is, man, its not what Im here to do. I worked my butt off to do what I do out there." Lawrie has appeared in four games at second base this season. He started at second six times last yyear.dddddddddddd. His limited time there doesnt make him feel more comfortable. "Not necessarily," said Lawrie. "You got to have comfort to do it a bunch of times in a row and Ive only done it for a couple of games but you need a few games under your belt to make it comfortable." Out of action since leaving in the fourth inning of Monday nights game in Philadelphia, Lawrie is nearing a return. Its been a daily process, as each day Lawrie has been intensifying the demands on his hamstring. "He came out and ran and felt pretty good today," said Gibbons. "What were going to do is were going to make him do it one more day and if all is well hell be ready to go on Monday. So I would expect to see him on Monday." If Lawrie plays on Monday night in the series finale against the Angels, expect to see him at third. Los Angeles is scheduled to start left-hander C.J. Wilson. Juan Francisco is a left-handed batter. The realignment is aimed at keeping Francisco in the lineup against right-handers, against whom he has greater success. "Weve been watching him ever since he got here," said Gibbons. "Hes a pretty good player. Hes off to a great start. I dont think wed be doing our job if we just decided to sit him and not take advantage of what hes doing." Put together Reyes, Cabrera, Bautista, Encarnacion, Lind, Navarro, Francisco, Lawrie and Rasmus and its a potent, long lineup one through nine. If someone is struggling, the next guy can pick him up. If the Blue Jays can keep everyone healthy for a period of time, it would give Gibbons a bona fide American League East lineup. "A good whatever division lineup," said Gibbons. ' ' '