What started as a high-heat effort quickly reduced to a simmer for the Nets, but luckily for them, the chef is on their side. 

James Harden came alive for a 38-point triple-double to lead Brooklyn to a 112-107 victory over the Timberwolves at home on Monday. Kyrie Irving marked his return with 27 points and seven rebounds.

It seemed as if the Nets would put away the Timberwolves, who entered with the league’s worst record, from the start. Irving was nearly unstoppable with 16 first-quarter points as Brooklyn built as large as a 17-point lead.

The Nets were solid on defense in the first quarter while holding the Timberwolves to 35% shooting, but Minnesota’s aggression allowed them to chip away at the Nets’ lead through the final three quarters. The Timberwolves feasted on second-chance opportunities thanks to a 17-7 advantage on the offensive boards.

The Timberwolves came within one point of Brooklyn with under a minute to play after the Nets led by 10 just over a minute earlier, but the Nets relied on Harden while stepping up their defense in the final possessions. The Beard scored 13 points in the fourth quarter as the Nets held on once again.

The Nets have had difficulty closing games, and after the final buzzer, Harden said that he needs to do a better job of taking care of the ball. The Nets recorded 31 assists on 40 field goals but got increasingly sloppy with the ball throughout the game, turning it over nine times in the second half after giving it away just five times in the first half.

Brooklyn won the battle in the paint 52-46 while also scoring 21 points off Minnesota’s 15 turnovers.

The Nets have had issues in playing down to competition this season, including Friday’s game against the Pistons, and Monday’s performance was another example of that. The Timberwolves played with a purpose while the Nets seemed to enter cruise control after the first quarter, unable to keep up — or build on — leads.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the Timberwolves with 31 points and 12 rebounds while Anthony Edwards added 23 points and 10 rebounds. Minnesota shot just 38.8% from the field compared to Brooklyn’s 47.1% but made four more three-pointers than the Nets (14). 

The Nets received a boost from Irving’s return, but they still had a difficult time putting away a team below .500. The Timberwolves were within one possession of the Nets up until the last eight seconds, the latest example of what Steve Nash calls a “rough patch” for this team in putting in a full effort and closing out games. 

Nevertheless, Brooklyn escapes victorious. A meeting with another team below .500, the Rockets, awaits on Wednesday.