NET NOTES

MINNEAPOLIS – Richard Jefferson insisted he was not badmouthing the refs. He insisted he wasn’t complaining. He was just stating an obvious point.

“It’s impossible to win a game like that when you can’t get to the line,” Jefferson last night after the Nets’ 81-68 loss to the Timberwolves.

And the Nets couldn’t get to the line.

“We couldn’t get to the line. Even when [Latrell] Sprewell tried to intentionally grab me, we couldn’t get to the line,” said Jefferson, noting the five free throws to 17 for Minnesota discrepancy in the Nets’ defeat, their first loss under Lawrence Frank.

And Frank sort of put it simply, too: “We tried. We just couldn’t get there.”

* He doesn’t sit down and pay the bills. His wife handles the family finances. So Frank seems like an improbable choice to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange today. But then, he seems like an improbable choice as an NBA head coach, too.

“Better pull your money out of the market,” smiled Frank. “I’m doing it because it’s a great honor to out team. It recognizes an accomplishment of what our team has done. So it’s a nice special treat. There aren’t too many times when you’re asked to do it.”

* Sprewell was willing to talk about anything before the game – the Nets, the West, the T’wolves. Anything but the Knicks.

“I don’t comment on the Knicks,” Sprewell said. But he did get a laugh when he was told that Cablevision CEO James Dolan had told Knicks president Isiah Thomas he could make any trade he wanted, bring in any player he wanted. Even Sprewell.

“No comment,” Sprewell said laughing. “That’s funny though.”. . .Sprewell was 1-of-6, making his only basket, a trifecta, with 1:58 left.

Kerry Kittles on Frank: “One way or another he’s reaching guys, one way or another he’s pushing the right buttons.”. . .Jason Collins on the diminutive red-headed coach: “He’s the hardest-working coach I’ve ever played for, and I’ve had some great coaches.”

Kevin Garnett entered with a franchise record-tying (his own) 19 straight double-doubles, a run that came to an end as he fell one rebound shy. Still Garnett has 51 double-doubles in 58 games.