The Wolves made the move on Tuesday.

Lee played in three games for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, averaging 9.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 25.3 minutes. He has yet to make his NBA debut, due to surgery he had on Dec. 30 to repair torn meniscus cartilage in his left knee.

After a three-year career at UCLA, Lee was drafted in the second round by the Chicago Bulls and acquired by the Wolves in a trade.

Shooting guard has been a problem position for the Wolves. Starter Wes Johnson has struggled. Martell Webster recently returned from a back injury. Wayne Ellington has been used sporadically.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

It seems they were right.

Jason Richardson scored 17 points, and Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu each added 14 as the Orlando Magic used a big second half to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 102-89 on Monday night.

Richardson, coming off a season-high 31 points in the Magic’s win at Milwaukee on Saturday, did all his damage in the first three quarters against Minnesota before sitting out the fourth. He said afterward he was not hurting, but simply deferred to teammate J.J. Redick.

Redick had seven points in the final period, and led all bench scorers with 14 of his own.

“J.J. had it going and they just let him play it out, and he did a great job and hit some shots,” Richardson said. “He had it going, so I didn’t mind sitting out the fourth quarter.”

Richardson said the two games he sat out Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 have reenergized him unlike a previous three-game stretch he sat out in mid-January with a bone bruise on his knee.

He is averaging 18 points per game in his seven games since then, up from the 9.9 he was averaging for his latest respite. The Magic are 5-2 since his return.

“It feels good,” he said. “I wasn’t healthy when I came back from the first time. I still had the bone bruise, but the competitive side wanted me to be out there and play. That’s just how I am, I hate sitting down. Once I got those two days off, I really got the rest I needed.”

While Richardson has voiced repeatedly his willingness to be the person the Magic count on late in close games, they didn’t need him down the stretch Monday, hitting 12 of 30 3-pointers for the game and with all five starters reaching double figures. They also had just nine turnovers — only three in the second half — which kept Minnesota from offering any real threat in the second half.

Orlando has now won two of its last three games and earned its seventh straight victory over the Timberwolves.

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy still saw things that continue to concern him

“We’re making 3-point shots, enough of them, but we’re not making 2-point shots and it’s a real struggle right now,” he said. “But when you only turn it over nine times, it gives you a chance. Twenty assists and nine turnovers — that’ll work.”

Kevin Love led Minnesota with 19 points and 15 rebounds, and Nikola Pekovic added 16 points and 13 rebounds. The Timberwolves turned it over 18 times, which led to 17 Magic points.

Minnesota lost its fourth straight game, with its next opportunity to stop the skid coming Wednesday when it hosts Charlotte.

“You’ve got to go out and play,” coach Rick Adelman said. “They’re not going to stop this season because we’ve lost four in a row. We’ve been in games, but we just haven’t been able to put one away.”

Magic center Dwight Howard picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter and could only watch as his team’s 20-point third-quarter lead was cut to 90-82 with less than six minutes to play on a pair of free throws by Derrick Williams.

Orlando was able to bounce right back without their big man, though, thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers by Redick and Nelson.

Turkoglu then took a miss by J.J. Berea coast to coast on the next possession and swished a jumper from the wing that made it 98-82.

The Timberwolves never threatened the rest of the way.

“We just have to stay together and really have a sense of urgency to win,” Love said. “We have to continue to build as a team and right now we’re not doing that. Everybody, including myself needs to step up. Coach Adelman and the coaching staff can only do so much. It’s really on us to break the barrier and have a breakthrough with this team.”

Howard drew headlines Saturday after a comment following the Milwaukee win Saturday that alluded to a desire to want the ball more late in games. He continued to defend that stance Monday after a foul-riddled night in which he finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.

It only adds more intrigue to the daily soap opera that has followed him since a preseason trade request that continues to be on the table with the All-Star break and the March 15 trade deadline looming.

“My point is I want to be the guy to carry the team,” Howard said. “I don’t think that’s bad. That’s something I want to be. I want to be the guy in the fourth quarter who carries the team. Not just score the ball, but make great plays.”

He insists that the comment is not a knock on his current teammates, though, and that he’s happy with their latest resurgence.

“You look at the Lakers, Kobe (Bryant) is that guy,” he said. “Carmelo is that guy for the Knicks. And Jordan was that guy for the Bulls. And that’s what I want to be. I want to be great. Great players want to take that lead. … That’s what I want to do for this team. That’s it.”

Notes: Timberwolves C Darko Milicic was active Monday after missing four straight games with a sprained right ankle. … G Luke Ridnour sat out dealing with what coach Rick Adelman said was a family matter. … Richardson’s streak of six games with at least three 3-pointers was snapped.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

As the first American-born player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent, Lin is re-opening doors in Asia that were feared to be closing in the wake of Yao Ming’s retirement. He’s led the New York Knicks to five straight victories and has become an instant fan favorite at Madison Square Garden.

Rubio is the Spanish sensation who has fans in Barcelona watching his fancy passes on Internet feeds in the wee hours of the morning. His infectious play has made him an instant rock star in the Twin Cities and has the Timberwolves gunning for the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

In his fourth, his teammates returned the favor.

Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.

Steve Novak scored 15 points, including the game-tying 3-pointer with 36 seconds to play and Lin used his quickness to draw a foul and get to the line in the closing seconds. He finished with 20 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Lin had just five points on 1-for-13 shooting and four turnovers in the second half.

“It was an ugly one, it was a gutsy one, it was a road win, everybody was tired,” Lin said. “That’s the beauty of basketball. That’s the beauty of our time. We never gave up.”

Kevin Love had 32 points and 21 rebounds for the Wolves, who missed two chances to win the game in the final five seconds.

The Knicks trailed by seven with 6:41 to play and it looked as if a week of Tebow-like hype was finally catching up to Lin. But the Wolves only scored one field goal the rest of the way, and the Knicks hung in there.

Playing yet again without the injured Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, who was mourning the death of his brother, Landry Fields scored 19 on 8-for-10 shooting and Iman Shumpert added 20 points.

Fields hit a short jumper to make the score 94-93 with 2:10 to go and Shumpert added another for a 95-94 lead with 1:22 to go to give them their first lead since early in the second quarter.

But Love, who had 31 points and 31 rebounds in win over the Knicks last year, hit two free throws and Rubio drove to the rim for a left-handed layup for a three-point lead with 39 seconds to play.

Novak’s 3-pointer tied it at 98 on the next possession and Lin missed the front end of a pair of free throws before sinking the go-ahead shot.

“I just had to get that first one out of the way,” Lin said sheepishly.

Bill Walker added free throws to seal it for the Knicks, who scored 29 points on 23 Minnesota turnovers. Two of those came from Rubio in the final minute.

“I just made two huge mistakes,” Rubio said. “I have to learn from that.”

The matchup of two of the most dynamic young point guards in the league made this an extremely hot ticket. The Timberwolves had to sell standing-room only tickets to pack in an announced crowd of 20,232, the largest crowd here since 2004.

Lin and Rubio have each energized dormant franchises in their own way.

Rubio’s unselfish play and flair for the dramatic have made the Wolves cool again, as evidenced by the fifth sellout this season.

The Knicks were lost at 8-15, with rumors of Mike D’Antoni’s job security swirling before the coach moved to Lin out of desperation.

All he’s done since is re-ignite a basketball-loving city’s enthusiasm for the game, help fill the league’s void in Asia after Yao Ming’s retirement and save the Knicks’ season.

He scored 89 points in his first three starts, including an incredible 38 to beat the Lakers in the Garden on Friday night.

“This is really just a credit to the team,” Lin said. “This team is a team and that’s why it’s so fun to play with them.”

In his fourth start, Lin is already drawing the casual fan even in road games. He was cheered heartily in pregame introductions and gave the curious crowd exactly what it was looking for. His quickness gave Rubio fits on defense and he scored in every manner imaginable.

There was the crossover of Luke Ridnour and step-back jumper, a tear-drop drive into the lane and stutter-step blow-by for two, and that was just in a three-minute stretch of the first quarter.

“Just his leadership, and I know he got a little tired, couldn’t finish the way he normally would, but his leadership on the floor is invaluable,” D’Antoni said. “And that’s why sometimes we have to ride him.”

NOTES: The Timberwolves wore Minnesota Muskies uniforms in tribute to the ABA team that spent one season here in 1967. “I’m still trying to figure out what a Muskie is,” F Anthony Tolliver said. … Timberwolves C Darko Milicic missed his fifth straight game with a sprained right ankle. Coach Rick Adelman said he hoped Milicic would be ready for the game Monday at Orlando. … The Wolves in-house DJ played Whitney Houston songs during halftime after news of the singer’s death at 48.
(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – It’s been an interesting season for Kevin Love.

From an all-star selection to a suspension, Love talked about it all with WCCO-TV’s Mike Max.

See what Love has to say as Max tosses him a Rubio-style pass in the video above.

What truly made the Mavericks too tough for the sloppy Timberwolves to handle was the presence of their savvy old point guard, Jason Kidd.

Nowitzki welcomed Kevin Love back from his two-game suspension with a season-high 33 points, winning the matchup of Western Conference All-Star power forwards and helping Dallas stave off a Minnesota in a 104-97 victory over on Friday.

“He makes the game so much easier for everyone,” said Jason Terry, the other part of the veteran trio that steadied the Mavericks down the stretch after a 19-5 run spurt by the Wolves brought them within 78-75 on Nikola Pekovic’s putback to open the fourth quarter.

Kidd, playing for the first time in seven games due to a strained right calf muscle, responded by swishing a 3-pointer to stretch the lead to six with 10:15 left.

“He’s a big part of our heart and soul. When we’re without him, we can win some games but we’re not the same team,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said.

Terry had nine of his 16 points in the final period. Kidd had eight points, 10 assists and five rebounds. The Mavericks blamed most of his eight turnovers on teammates unprepared for his slick passes, since they hadn’t seen them in a while.

Kidd joked it must’ve been fan appreciation night because of all the balls being thrown into the seats. He didn’t have time to think about his big shot because he was huffing and puffing on the stationary bike behind the bench — riding all the way across the river to St. Paul, he joked — until entering the game 17 seconds before.

“Whatever I can do to help my team,” he said.

Nowitzki topped 24 points for the fourth straight game by shooting 11 for 19 from the floor, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range. Love finished with 32 points and 12 rebounds, going 14 for 14 from the free-throw line, but the Wolves missed a chance to sweep the season series from a Western Conference foe since beating the Memphis Grizzlies all three times in 2008-09.

“That is definitely vintage Dirk. He’s a Hall of Fame player and when he decides he wants it, more often than not he’s going to have success,” Love said.

The Wolves had a season-high 28 turnovers and shot just 6 for 23 from 3-point range.

“Just being a youthful team, we’re going to have lapses like that and unfortunately it was against a team that we beat a couple of times,” Love said.

Love was punished for stepping on Luis Scola’s face against the Houston Rockets last weekend. He was by far Minnesota’s most productive player in his return, but his was still a rather quiet performance. He made nine of 12 shots from 3-point range over the Wolves’ two previous wins over the Mavericks, but he went 0 for 3 behind the arc in this one.

Nowitzki, named to his 11th straight All-Star game despite a relatively slow start to his 13th season, has clearly worked himself back into shape. After averaging less than 10 points over the three games prior to this spurt, Nowitzki is averaging 28 points in the last four games while shooting 60.5 percent. Though he lost his touch late, he seemed to have an extra edge against Love. The two of them bumped elbows and torsos in the post all night.

“He’s been fun to watch. He’s an animal on the glass. We all know that. He’s tough to play,” Nowitzki said.

The Wolves (13-14) still haven’t had a record this good this late in a season in six years. The Mavericks (16-11) didn’t have to be convinced. They were blown out in both of the first two meetings.

But the league’s oldest team still has plenty of pride — and championship rings on their fingers. They showed the Wolves, who were the second-youngest team in the NBA when this lockout-sliced season began, that they’re still a team to be reckoned with in the top-heavy West.

The Wolves made only two baskets outside the lane in the first quarter and fell behind 29-16; Love and Wes Johnson combined to shoot 1 for 8 in that frame. Nowitzki’s first 3-pointer made it 11-6 Mavericks, and the Wolves didn’t get back within five again until a flying putback dunk by Derrick Williams at the end of the third.

“We threw passes away when we worked hard defensively and got the ball back. We just threw it away like there was no value to the ball,” coach Rick Adelman said, lamenting what he called a lack of concentration.

The Mavericks took advantage of the small Wolves backcourt by posting up Vince Carter often, and Nowitzki made them pay when they switched to a zone.

“His presence opens so much up for everyone else. That’s called an All-Star presence, to me. It’s not always about the numbers,” said Mavericks backup Delonte West, who had 10 points.

NOTES: The Mavericks are 8-1 when they score 100-plus points this season. … Ricky Rubio reached 10 points with a late push and had eight assists for the Wolves. Pekovic had 12 points, and Michael Beasley scored 20 points in his new reserve role.

Love was suspended for stepping on Rockets forward Luis Scola last weekend. He missed a win over Sacramento on Tuesday and a loss at Memphis, reducing the two-time All-Star to a role he wasn’t used to playing while he watched the games from his couch at his downtown Minneapolis home.

“I felt like I almost needed some pom-poms I was cheering so loud,” Love said on Friday morning after the team’s shootaround in preparation for the game against Dallas on Friday night.

Love is averaging 25 points and 13.7 rebounds this season. He also leads the NBA with 39.4 minutes per game. Rookie Derrick Williams started in Love’s place the previous two games and delivered two solid performances, but certainly not to the level the Wolves expect from Love.

Williams had 14 points and eight rebounds and hit a crucial 3-pointer down the stretch to help the Wolves beat the Kings and had 13 points and nine rebounds in the loss to the Grizzlies.

“It was very tough. I was sitting on my couch tweeting,” Love said. “I felt a little bit helpless. I wasn’t able to go out there and help those guys win and I wasn’t able to make plays for them. I’m looking forward to getting back on the court and back to business.”

And the Wolves can’t wait to see their leader back out there with them.

“It’s great,” center Nikola Pekovic said. “We missed him these two games. In the first one we succeeded without him but in the second game you saw that we really miss him. I’m happy to have him back.”

Love was named a Western Conference All-Star on Thursday. Last year he was named as an injury replacement to Yao Ming. This time around, he made it in without any help.

“I’ve had a great season thus far. I attribute that a lot to the coaching staff and my teammates and my coaches in helping me through the season,” Love said. “To me, it’s definitely a big deal seeing my name at the top of everybody’s list, so I was very happy about that because I’ve put in a lot of work in these first 3½ seasons and I don’t have any intentions on stopping.”

Three years ago, former Timberwolves center Al Jefferson went down with a knee injury just before the All-Star break. He said he threw one of his shoes through a flat-screen television while watching his teammates play without him.

Love’s television survived his brief time away. But the same couldn’t be said for his sound system.

“I did actually break some speakers,” Love said. “I turned it on really loud on the last play (during the Kings game). The two speakers in my kitchen broke. They’re repaired today. Don’t worry about it.”

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The Wolves are back home after a lackluster effort in Memphis Wednesday night.  It was the second game of Kevin Love’s two game suspension and the Wolves sorely missed their leader.  They struggled to score all night, particularly in the second quarter when 13 points was all they could manage.  Memphis jumped out to a 16 point lead in the third quarter before a group of Timberwolves reserves made a fourth quarter run to make it interesting.  Clearly frustrated with his team, Rick Adelman sat the starters the entire fourth quarter.

Coach Adelman’s Postgame Press Conference Wednesday

But Love is now back and he’s back after being named a Western Conference All-Star Reserve.  Love made the team last year as an injury replacement.  This year, he’s easily been one of the top power forwards in the league and can celebrate his All-Star selection February 26th in Orlando.  It’s also likely Love will participate in this year’s  Foot Locker Three-Point Contest which takes place during Saturday night’s festivities.  Love is shooting 38% on 3-pointers this year and ranks 22nd in the NBA in 3-Pointers made.

Kevin Love on Being Named to the All-Star Team

Kevin Love Talks About What He Learned Being at Last Year’s All-Star Game

Kevin Love of the Western Conference All-Stars shoots against Dwight Howard of the Eastern Conference All-Stars during the 2011 NBA All-Star Game (credit: Bruce Yeung/NBAE via Getty Images)

Friday night at Target Center, the Wolves will host the Dallas Mavericks back at full-strength.  Well, mostly…Darko Milicic is not expected to play.  That hasn’t been an issue the way Nikola Pekovic has played.  In Pek’s last five games, he’s averaged 16.8 points and 10.2 rebounds a night.

The defending NBA Champs have already lost twice this season to the Timberwolves.  Love has dominated so far in the two games against Dallas.  He’s recorded a combined 56 points and 28 rebounds against them this year and will be well-rested after his two-game suspension.

The Mavs were without Dirk Nowitzki last time the two teams played but he’s now back and scoring like an All-Star again (he was named to this year’s team even though he admitted “he doesn’t deserve a spot“).  Dirk has averaged 26.3 points a game since coming back from the DL.  Jason Kidd has also been out recently with a strained calf (missing the last six games).  He’s listed as “day-to-day” and could be available Friday.

Friday’s Minnesota-Dallas game can be heard on WCCO Radio starting with Mike Max and Timberwolves Tip-Off at 6:00 with gametime at 7:00.

This is a back-to-back for the Wolves as they’ll host the New York Knicks (and new point-guard sensation Jeremy Lin) on Saturday.  There’s no TV for that game so WCCO Radio is the only place to get Timberwolves Basketball Saturday night.  Listen for Timberwolves Tip-Off with Eric Nelson at 6:00 then it’s Wolves and Knicks at 7:00 on News Radio 830 WCCO.

This time, there wasn’t nearly as much suspense. Love was voted by the coaches as a reserve on Thursday night.

That’s a big difference from last year, when he didn’t get into the game until he was named as an injury replacement for Yao Ming.

Love says he’s honored to be voted in. He also says he plans to participate in the 3-point shootout in Orlando, Fla.

Love says it wasn’t as emotional for him this time around, and he’s hoping this year will be a little low-key so he can just be himself.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Marc Gasol and Dante Cunningham scored 12 apiece, and O. J. Mayo finished with 10 for Memphis despite connecting on only three of 11 shots as the Grizzlies shot just 37 percent overall.

J.J. Barea led the Timberwolves with 17 points and six assists, while Derrick Williams and Michael Beasley had 13 points each. Williams also grabbed nine rebounds. Nikola Pekovic had 10 points and nine rebounds.

Minnesota’s starting backcourt combination of Ricky Rubio and Luke Ridnour were a combined 2 of 14 from the field as the Timberwolves shot 39 percent and had a season low for points. They played their second game without leading scorer Kevin Love, who completed his league-ordered two-game suspension for stepping on Houston’s Luis Scola.

Memphis extended its lead in the final minutes of the first half to carry a 44-34 advantage into the break. Gay and Pondexter, starting in the place of the injured Tony Allen, had 11 points apiece to lead Memphis.

The Timberwolves had no players in double figures — Williams led Minnesota with nine — and were stymied by shooting 29 percent. The shooting percentage kept Memphis from paying the price for 10 turnovers.

Ridnour missed all seven of his shots in the half, while Rubio was 1 for 5 with no assists. Rubio, who entered the game averaging 9.1 assists, ended the night with only one assist.

Meanwhile, Memphis was getting to the basket as 30 of its 44 first-half points came in the paint despite Gasol playing only nine minutes after collecting three fouls.

Memphis was able to build its halftime lead by closing the second quarter on an 8-2 spurt as the Timberwolves didn’t record a field goal over the final 4:40 of the half.

Memphis extended the lead by scoring the first six points of the second half, but Pekovic started scoring inside and the Grizzlies began misfiring. Back-to-back baskets by Wesley Johnson pulled Minnesota within 56-50 with 4 minutes left in the third.

The Grizzlies would later answer with eight unanswered points, and carry a 66-54 lead into the fourth. They got their largest lead of the game by scoring the first two baskets of the fourth for a 71-54 lead.

Notes: Love, as he did in Tuesday night’s win over Sacramento, spent his time away from the arena on Twitter providing occasional color commentary. … Even with the loss, the Wolves remained only one of four Western Conference teams with a winning road record. … Minnesota is 6-5 on road. … Allen missed his third straight game for Memphis with a sore left hip and knee. … Minnesota’s 34 first-half points were a season low for a half. … Grizzlies F Marreese Speights finished the night with 15 rebounds, matching his career high.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

In this year’s new format, first- and second-year players will be mixed in the game on Friday, Feb. 24 in Orlando. TNT analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal will serve as general managers and draft players for their teams.

Other second-year players chosen Wednesday were John Wall (Washington), DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento), Landry Fields (New York), Paul George (Indiana), Gordon Hayward (Utah), Greg Monroe (Detroit), Tiago Splitter (San Antonio) and Evan Turner (Philadelphia).

The rookies joining No. 1 pick Irving and Rubio are Kemba Walker (Charlotte), MarShon Brooks (New Jersey), Brandon Knight (Detroit), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio), Markieff Morris (Phoenix), Tristan Thompson (Cleveland) and Derrick Williams (Minnesota).

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Kevin Love on Being a Marked Man

Rick Adelman: “Love and Team Learned a Lesson”

It also marked a return to a winning record, something that hasn’t been done this late in the season since January of 2007.  The Wolves now sit at 13-12.  And yes, it’s way too early to talk playoffs, but they are now a game out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Coach Rick Adelman on the Wolves Establishing a Home-Court Advantage

While Love has been brilliant (when not stepping on opponents), so much of this team’s success has to be traced back to Ricky Rubio.

Ricky Rubio was inserted in the starting lineup January 13th at New Orleans.  That’s now 15 games as a starter.  The Wolves are 10-5 since that game.  Rubio has averaged 11.8 points, 9.9 assists and 3.0 steals per game as a starter.  There are a lot of years where he’d be a lock for Rookie of the Year.  But this is not a normal year (see “Kyrie Irving” and “Kyrie Irving“) .

Rubio continues to be a fantastic passer (now 3rd in the NBA in assists) and even though his shooting has dipped since early in the year, he’s still been a very effective offensive player.  Not many people can say they expected Rubio to be this good, this soon.

Tyreke Evans of the Kings protects the ball from Ricky Rubio of the Timberwolves during the game Tuesday (credit: David Sherman/Contributor Getty Images)

You could argue that his defensive ability is even more shocking.  If you watched the FSN broadcast of the game Tuesday night, you heard analyst Jim Peterson say that Rubio is a deserving member of the NBA All-Defensive Team with the way he has played.  He is 1st in the NBA in steals and has done a great job of using his size to his advantage (read the paragraph on Rubio here…it’s really interesting).

Coach Rick Adelman Talks About Rubio’s Defense

Just announced Wednesday afternoon, Ricky Rubio and fellow rookie Derrick Williams have been selected to play in the 2012 BBVA Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Feb. 24 at the Amway Center in Orlando as part of the All-Star Weekend festivities.  TNT Analysts Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal will serve as the general managers of two opposing teams, each with nine man rosters, consisting of NBA rookies and sophomores drafted from a pool that was selected by the NBA’s assistant coaches, with each team submitting one ballot.  A terrific honor for both young Wolves players.

Ricky Rubio Talked To Reporters At Shootaround Tuesday

Derrick Williams Joins Alan Horton on the Postgame Show Tuesday

So while the future continues to look bright, the present includes another game without Kevin Love.  The Wolves are in Memphis Wednesday night to take on the Grizzlies, losers of 7 or their last 9.  However, the Grizzlies have won four straight at home over Minnesota and eight of nine overall in this series.  Never an easy night in the NBA.

Programming Note:

Listen Wednesday night for the Wolves and the Grizzlies on WCCO Radio.  Mike Max and Timberwolves Tip-Off begins our coverage at 6:00 with game-time just after 7:00 on News Radio 830 WCCO!

Ricky Rubio had 14 assists and five steals and Derrick Williams scored seven of his 14 points in the final four minutes to give the Timberwolves their third straight win.

DeMarcus Cousins had 10 points and 11 rebounds while battling foul trouble for most of the game. Jimmer Fredette scored all 13 of his points in the final period. But Tyreke Evans and Cousins combined to shoot just 8 for 26 to snap their three-game winning streak.

The Kings had a frenetic shot to win their fourth straight game in the final seconds, but Donte Green’s 3-pointer from the corner missed at the buzzer.

Evans finished with 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting, while Thornton scored 21 of his 22 points in the first three quarters.

The Kings trailed 69-60 to start the fourth, and coach Keith Smart left his starting backcourt of Thornton and Evans on the bench and put his trust in Fredette.

It’s been a difficult rookie season for the heralded 10th overall pick out of BYU. He’s had difficulty keeping up with the quickness at the NBA level and finding his shot. After clanking his first two attempts of the game Tuesday night, Fredette found his range.

He buried three 3-pointers, scored off a steal and fed Green for a dunk that got Sacramento back in it.

Green’s 3-pointer tied it at 82 with 1:09 to go, but Williams came back with a big 3-pointer in the corner to give the Wolves just enough.

While the rest of his Wolves teammates were struggling from the field in the third quarter, missing 13 of the 16 shots they took, Pekovic was a force. He made all six of his shots, three of them coming on dunks. One came on a between-the-legs feed from Rubio and another on a pretty spin to the baseline past Cousins.

The second-year man from Montenegro also lowered his shoulder and ran right over Cousins for a layup, and picked Jason Thompson at halfcourt and finished the play with a nifty finger roll to bring the crowd to its feet.

Love was suspended Monday for stepping on Rockets forward Luis Scola last Saturday. That meant the Timberwolves were missing his 25 points, 13.7 rebounds and NBA-leading 39.4 minutes for the game against the Kings and on Wednesday night at Memphis.

Williams got the start, getting an opportunity for extended playing time that has been increasingly rare for the No. 2 overall pick. He played 37 combined minutes the previous four games combined, stuck behind Love and a healthy Michael Beasley in the Minnesota frontcourt.

Notes: Love also will sit out Wednesday night’s game at Memphis. … Cousins picked up two fouls in the first four minutes and his fourth with 2:26 to go in the third. … The Kings turned it over 19 times. … Timberwolves C Darko Milicic missed the game with a sprained right ankle suffered in practice Monday.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The NBA announced the suspension on Monday. The incident occurred when Scola fell to the court during the third quarter. As Love headed back to the other end, he stepped on Scola’s face and upper body.

Love said after the game that the stomp was not intentional and he went to the Rockets’ locker room to apologize to Scola.

“I feel like it was a learning experience for me. It definitely won’t happen again. But there was no ill intentions in that step. More than anything, I was trying to get him on the foul on the way up. I wasn’t trying to stomp him like other people said … or anything like that,” Love said. “I just want to move forward and hopefully we can win these next two games.”

On Monday afternoon, Love also released a statement following the suspension.

“I want to publicly apologize to Luis Scola and the Houston Rockets,” the statement said. “My intention is to never hurt another player on the basketball court. I’ve always had the utmost respect for the game of basketball and all of my opponents. I also apologize to my coaches, teammates and our fans for the consequences of my actions.”

The NBA also upgraded it to a Flagrant-Two foul on Love.

The suspension means the Timberwolves will be without their leading scorer and rebounder for a home game against Sacramento on Tuesday night and a game at Memphis on Wednesday night.

“Do I think it’s fair? Absolutely not,” said head coach Rick Adelman. “I don’t know the reasoning … They don’t tell you the reasoning … I don’t know the reasoning behind two games. They haven’t said anything. You just got to move on.”

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Minnesota (12-12) won for the fifth time in seven games.

Kyle Lowry had 24 points and 11 assists for Houston and Luis Scola also had 24 points, but Kevin Martin scored a season-low two points on 1-for-10 shooting.

It was only the second time this season Martin, who entered the game averaging 20.7 points, didn’t score in double figures. It was his fewest point total since March of 2007, when he scored one point for Sacramento against Phoenix.

Ricky Rubio had 13 points and 11 assists for Minnesota.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Minnesota Timberwolves guard J.J. Barea has had quite the season already, and we’re about a third of the way in.

He’s come off an NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks, been hampered by a hamstring and then a sprained ankle. He now has Spanish phenom Ricky Rubio has his backcourt teammate, and he’s dating Miss Universe.

WCCO-TV’s Mike Max recently sat down with Barea to talk about a variety of topics.

Mike Max: What’s it been like in this shortened season for you?

“It’s been a little hard. With injuries I’ve been out for a while, but I’m happy to be back. I got the first game back out of the way last night, and I’m just trying to make us better,” Barea said.

MM: With a hamstring injury, it’s day-to-day and you never know do you?

“Yeah it was my first hamstring injury and they’re pretty tough. You think you’re right, but you’re not so the second time around I took my time and I really got it better,” Barea said.

MM: You and Ricky Rubio speak the same language. Tell us about your relationship?

“It’s great, he’s a great teammate and a great person to be around. He works hard and we can talk Spanish to each other without anybody knowing. If we have to say somebody is crazy or something, we’ll do it in Spanish,” Barea said.

MM: You’re one of those guys who people look at and they say ‘He’s too short, he couldn’t play and he’s and playing out there.’ How does that happen?

“Well it’s just been a long road. I’ve been playing the game since I was like 4 years old, and I get better every year. You’ve got to work hard, you have to be patient, you have to be a little bit lucky and you have to be aggressive and confident in what you can do. It’s been working for me all my life,” Barea said.

MM: You’ve got to be tough to don’t you?

“Oh you have to be really tough, especially in this league. You have to be mentally tough, physical and you have to play hurt sometimes. You’re going to get hit, but you have to bounce back,” Barea said.

MM: How about everybody that wants to know your girlfriend is Miss Universe?

“Oh she’s doing awesome. We’re expecting a little boy here soon, we’ve got a couple weeks and she’s been doing awesome. She’s here in Minnesota. She’s from Puerto Rico so we were in the same place, we were both single at the same time and I sent her a text and we kept it moving,” Barea said.

MM: We’ve all got dreams but you play in the NBA and your girlfriend is Miss Universe. That’s pretty good.

“Oh it’s pretty good, I’m enjoying it. I’m enjoying my life every day, it’s just a dream come true,” Barea said.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Luke Ridnour made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:23 left, Nikola Pekovic scored a career-high 27 points, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Jersey Nets 108-105 on Friday night.

The Timberwolves overcame a career-high 42 points from Anthony Morrow, whose eight 3-pointers in 11 attempts were the most in the NBA this season.

Kevin Love added 20 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which surpassed its road victory total from last season by improving to 6-4. The Wolves, just 5-36 on the road last season, have won three in a row away from home.

Rookie Ricky Rubio finished with 10 points and 10 assists for the Wolves in his point guard matchup with Deron Williams. Williams had 12 points and 14 assists, but shot just 5 of 18 and had two costly turnovers in the final minute.

Rubio came up with a steal with about 1 1/2 minutes left, leading to Ridnour’s 3-pointer that made it 102-99. The Wolves got the ball back after replays showed a ball went off Williams out of bounds, and Ridnour made two free throws for a five-point lead.

But Morrow, who missed the last game with a sprained left ankle, converted a four-point play to make it 104-103 with 22 seconds left. Jose Barea and Ridnour each made a pair from the line around Kris Humphries’ dunk to keep the lead at three, and the Nets lost their final chance when Williams fumbled the ball trying to throw a pass, with Rubio eventually coming up with it and lofting it downcourt as time ran out.

Humphries had 16 points and nine rebounds.

Pekovic, in his second year from Montenegro, made 11 of 14 shots. He replaced an ineffective Darko Milicic to start the second half and dominated inside while also grabbing 11 rebounds. His layup erased the Nets’ last lead and tied it a 99 with 1:55 left.

The Wolves led 23-19 after one, then used a 13-1 run early in the second to open a 36-22 lead on Michael Beasley’s follow with 8:15 remaining in the half. Morrow then hit a 3-pointer and suddenly the Nets were rolling, tearing off a 23-5 spurt that gave them a 45-41 edge.

Morrow hit his fourth 3 of the period with 1:33 to go, and the Nets led 50-49 at the break.

The Wolves trailed by one early in the third before Wes Johnson slammed down Rubio’s lob pass, then hit a 3-pointer for a 63-59 lead. Love hit two free throws, Rubio made a nifty move that had the crowd gasping to set up Johnson for a three-point play, and Pekovic hit two free throws to cap a 12-0 burst and make it 70-59 with 5:17 left in the period.

The Nets cut it to 80-75 after three.

Notes: Morrow’s previous career best of 37 came on Nov. 15, 2008, for Golden State, when he set an NBA record for most points scored by an undrafted rookie. … The Nets won’t play in Brooklyn until next season, but they’ll be in New York on Monday. The Nets will wear their jerseys from the New York Nets of the ABA for the first of five games as part of the NBA’s Hardwood Classic nights. They played on Long Island from 1968-77, winning two titles. … Morrow was wincing as he came down the floor after rebounding the miss of Minnesota’sfirst shot, but didn’t appear bothered again by the ankle injury. … Milicic had missed three games with an illness before returning Wednesday against Indiana.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Somehow, a heated little rivalry managed to develop anyway. Now that both franchises are on the rise, the matchups are only getting more intense.

Danny Granger scored 29 of his 36 points in the second half, and a third-quarter skirmish with Kevin Love seemed to fuel the Pacers to a 109-99 victory over the Wolves on Wednesday night.

Granger also grabbed seven rebounds and hit 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and Darren Collison thoroughly out-played Ricky Rubio with 20 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Pacers, who topped 100 points for just the second time this season.

“I’ve said all along I’ve never liked the Pacers,” Love said. “I guarantee the next time we play them it will be just as physical.”

The turning point came late in the third quarter, when Love and Granger tangled after a hard foul.

Love got frustrated after not getting a foul call on an offensive rebound, and the All-Star forward raked Granger across the shoulder on the other end. Granger took exception, shoving Love and jawing at him.

“Kevin Love is a friend of mine so I’m sure he didn’t do it on purpose,” Granger said of his Team USA teammate. “I think in the heat of the moment he gave me a hard foul. I got clotheslined and that’s how I reacted. It kind of lit a fire under me. I kind of got going a little bit.”

Pacers coach Frank Vogel sprinted onto the court and immediately pulled Granger away from the fray as Michael Beasley and Martell Webster came to Love’s defense. The officials gave the incident a long look at the replay, assessing Granger with a technical foul.

“There’s a reason I sprinted out there to save him,” Vogel said. “Did you see what he did after that point? We wanted him in the game.”

The Pacers went on a 22-12 run to blow the doors open and win for the 15th time in 21 games, their best start since 2003-04, when they went to the Eastern Conference finals. Granger scored 13 points in the surge, including a four-point play that gave them a 94-77 lead midway through the fourth.

“Danny took over,” said Roy Hibbert, who had 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. “When you get the Grange mad, that’s what you get, you know?”

Love had 21 points and 17 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who were completely overwhelmed by Indiana’s size and flustered by the Pacers’ tenacity.

“They take those pills and they’ve got all that toughness,” Love said with his tongue planted in his cheek. “I don’t know where that comes from. They all think they’re tough guys. I just don’t know where that comes from. That just blows my mind. They’re all tough. And it makes me laugh.”

Love wasn’t laughing for much of the game. He made 6 of 16 shots and was 0 for 3 on 3-pointers and also tangled with Tyler Hansbrough under the basket several times.

“I knew that none of them were going to do anything,” Love said. “Just play ball. It’s part of the game. Hard foul. Everybody’s getting fouled out there. They’re silly.”

Rubio had 10 points and six assists and Nikola Pekovic had 13 points and 12 boards.

Granger got off to a horrible start to the season, shooting 35 percent in his first 15 games. He has since found a rhythm, hitting nearly 48 percent of his shots in the last five games. He’s topped 20 points in each of those games, his longest such streak since March 2010.

The Wolves were wearing Minnesota Muskies uniforms, an homage to the ABA team that played one season in 1967-68. Their offense harkened back to that era as well as they missed 15 of their first 18 shots, hit only 37 percent for the game and turned the ball over 16 times.

“You can’t be running away from the punches,” Webster said. “You have to go in there with your guard up and ready to fight. Something like that (skirmish) is probably what you need to jumpstart something. But we let them hit first and we couldn’t recover from that.”

NOTES: Vogel said there was still no update on G George Hill, who broke a bone in his left foot in the game against New Jersey on Tuesday night. Hill is out indefinitely. … Wolves G J.J. Barea played for the first time in eight games, but had seven points on 2-for-8 shooting. … The Wolves had 14 healthy bodies for the first time. F Anthony Randolph was the first healthy scratch of the season.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

The team announced the honor, which is only the team’s fourth for rookie of the month in franchise history.

Rubio has scored 11.4 points, made 8.9 assists and 2.24 steals this season so far.

In the Eastern Conference, Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving won rookie of the month honors.

Rubio and Irving were up against Detroit’s Brandon Knight, Houston’s Chandler Parsons, Miami’s Norris Cole, New Jersey’s MarShon Brooks and Phoenix’s Markieff Morris for the January honors.

Barea said before the Timberwolves played the Pacers on Wednesday that his sprained left ankle is “good to go.”

He has missed 10 of the last 11 games and appeared in only six of 21 games this season. He previously had a strained left hamstring.

Barea is backing up Ricky Rubio and Luke Ridnour in his first season with Minnesota after winning the NBA title with Dallas last year.

Barea says he’ll probably be limited to six or seven minute stretches and if he gets tired he’ll simply ask for a sub.

The Timberwolves are a lot healthier than they were a few weeks ago. Michael Beasley and Martell Webster also recently returned from injuries.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

But many have forgotten the Minnesota Muskies, who played one season in the American Basketball Association in 1967-68. Ricky Rubio and the Wolves will give fans a history lesson on Wednesday night when they don the Muskies uniforms for a game against the Indiana Pacers.

The Muskies played one season here before becoming the Floridians in 1968. Fans at the State Fair last August voted for the Wolves to wear those uniforms on throwback nights this season.

The white jerseys have Muskies written in gold across the chest with blue numbers.

The Wolves will wear them six times this season.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Not the Timberwolves’ 1967-1968 outfits, obviously. The team will be paying tribute to the Minnesota Muskies during their game against the Indiana Pacers.

The Muskies were an American Basketball Association team that played for but one season before moving on to become the Floridians.

The Muskies jersey was chosen by fans for the Timberwolves to wear over the Minnesota Pipers, who played in the ABA during the 1968-1969 season.

The team plans to wear the jerseys during six home games this season.

The Pacers will be wearing retro jerseys on Wednesday evening as well, from the team’s 1971-1974 seasons.

Before we get to Houston and what lies ahead, let’s take a peek back at the Lakers on Sunday.

Minnesota has struggled at home against L.A. as much as they have against any team in the league.  Kobe Bryant certainly has a lot to do with that.  He’s still the premier clutch player in the league and he proved it again Sunday with a couple of quick baskets that gave the Lakers the separation they needed late in the 4th quarter during their 106-101 victory.

While the Wolves were close in the end, an Achilles Heel so far this season has been slow starts.  Poor shooting in the 1st quarter and the inside play of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum dropped the Wolves to an 18 point deficit at one point.  Coach Rick Adelman has preached to the team that they need to come out with energy and play that way all through the game.

Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love Talk About the Slow Starts

It took a rare zone defense to break the Wolves out of their funk.  Coach Adelman switched to the zone, something the team has barely practiced, in order to slow down the Lakers dominant inside game.  He did it with a lineup that has also barely played together: Ricky Rubio, Martell Webster, Michael Beasley, Kevin Love and Anthony Randolph.  By the end of the 3rd quarter, the Wolves were getting stops, out running again and chipped away with a 19-6 run.  Eventually, they grabbed the lead late, 94-93 only to succumb to Bryant, Gasol, Bynum and the Lakers.

Ricky Rubio Talks About Switching to the Zone Defense

So, in a season where there’s no rest for the weary, the team had to quickly regroup for a trip to Houston to face the streaking Rockets, winners of 9 or their last 10.  It was a return to Houston for Rick Adelman.  He spent the last three years coaching the Rockets before coming to Minnesota.  Houston, of course, is coached by former Wolves General Manager and Coach Kevin McHale.

A hot team facing a young, inexperienced team on the road in the second game of a back-to-back plus, the Rockets had beaten Minnesota at Target Center the previous Monday.  So, naturally, the Wolves would come out red-hot and shoot Houston right out of the building.  Makes sense.  Right.

Kevin Love Talks About the Back-To-Back Games

(credit: Bill Baptist/Contributor Getty Images)

For once, the Timberwolves came out with energy and solid shooting.  They actually led at the start of the 1st quarter.  A 2nd quarter spurt by the Rockets gave them a 2 point lead at the half.

Then the Wolves ran them out of the building.  Here’s your Timberwolves’ 3rd quarter: 42 points,  63% shooting, 8 assists (after only 6 in the 1st half), 4-7 from 3 point range and a 42-25 advantage in the quarter.  A 2 point deficit at the half turned into a 15 point lead to start the 4th.  Not bad.

Here are a few numbers to share for a team that it seems daily comes up with another way to show improvement.  The Wolves are 10-11, the closest they’ve been to .500 since the 2006-07 season (yes, Kevin Garnett).  More impressively is the road record of 5-4.  Five road wins ties the season total for the team the last two seasons.  They are 4-1 on the road against the Western Conference.  You could dig for quite a while to find the last time that happened.  The Wolves, by the way, have played the 3rd most difficult schedule in the league so far (based on opponents winning percentage).

Next up is the surprising Indiana Pacers back at Target Center.  The Pacers are off to a 13-5 start and are winners of 7 of their last 10.  It’s the first in a series of “Hardwood Classics” for the Wolves.  They’ll be wearing the Minnesota Muskies throwback uniforms from 1967-68, their only season in existence (if you don’t know much about the Muskies, you’re not alone….more here for your internet perusal).

(credit: Minnesota Timberwolves)

Then it’s back on the road to New Jersey Friday and home again Saturday for guess who, the Houston Rockets.  The blur of this NBA season continues for your suddenly hot Minnesota Timberwolves!

Ricky Rubio Postgame with Al Horton on WCCO Radio

Coach Rick Adelman Talks to Reporters Following Houston Win

Programming Notes:

This week’s schedule of broadcasts on WCCO Radio includes the Indiana Pacers Wednesday, Mike Max and Timberwolves Tip-Off at 6:00 with gametime just after 7:00.  Friday in New Jersey, the Wolves have the pregame show at 6:00 with tip-off at 6:30.  Saturday the Rockets are in town, Timberwolves Tip-Off with Steve Thomson at 6:00, gametime at 7:00.

Michael Beasley scored 34 points, Ricky Rubio had 18 points and 11 assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Rockets 120-108 in Adelman’s return to Houston.

Kevin Love had 29 points for the Timberwolves, who blew open a close game with a franchise-record 42 points in the third, also a season high for any quarter.

The 6-foot-10 Beasley, in just his third game back after missing 11 games with a sprained right foot, set a franchise record for single-game points by a reserve. He went 10 for 14 from the field and 12 for 12 from the free-throw line to finish just eight points shy of his career high.

“That’s what I’ve got to do,” Beasley said. “I’ve got to penetrate, use my athleticism.”

Minnesota shot a season-best 58 percent (43 of 74) from the field and eclipsed its previous high point total for the season by 14.

And it could’ve hardly happened on a better night for Adelman, who turned down the Rockets’ offer to renew his contract after last season because of philosophical differences with owner Leslie Alexander and general manager Daryl Morey.

“We didn’t try to attack on one pass, we moved the ball from side to side,” Adelman said. “I thought we could get to the basket if we did that. It was a really good team win. A lot of guys played and a lot of guys contributed.”

Adelman revealed more about the reasons for his departure before the game, half-joking that he was still awaiting a phone call from Alexander. Adelman said he read in a local newspaper column that he was to blame for the communication breakdown between the two during his tenure.

“I didn’t think anything of it, until I saw the stuff about how I never listened to anything,” he said. “I’m not real smart, but I’m going to listen to my boss. That just kind of turned me the wrong way.”

Morey walked up and shook Adelman’s hand during pregame warmups, and the two had a brief, apparently cordial conversation.

Adelman seemed more animated on the sideline than usual, though, especially once the second half began.

The Timberwolves opened the second half with a 12-4 burst, capped by Love’s second 3-pointer for a 66-60 lead. Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin answered with 3-pointers, and Lowry turned a steal into a breakaway layup to tie it at 68.

Minnesota then pushed the tempo and poured it on, finishing the quarter with a 19-6 spurt. The Wolves hit 15 of 24 shots, including four 3-pointers, and went 8 for 8 from the free-throw line to put together the highest scoring quarter against Houston this season.

“It was just like we were sitting there and we could never find any kind of rhythm defensively,” Houston coach Kevin McHale said. “We never got many consecutive stops, we never really dug in and got things.”

Rubio, Beasley and Love led the scoring barrage, with 32 points in the third on 10-for-12 shooting. Minnesota led 96-81 heading to the fourth, and the Rockets hardly challenged the rest of the way.

“It’s fun basketball when you’re that efficient,” Love said. “We got open shots, set good picks and we just did the little things that helped us have a big third quarter.”

Martin scored 29 points after missing two games with inflammation in his right heel. The Rockets lost for only the second time in 11 games.

“Just felt like one of those games when we were stuck in the mud,” McHale said.

Minnesota finished 28 of 31 from the free-throw line and dished out 18 assists. The Timberwolves have won six of nine to get within one game of .500, and they’re starting to get excited about the possibilities this season.

“We know we can go on big runs,” Love said. “It’s just the case of not getting down so much and not having to fight back from such a large deficit.”

Chase Budinger scored 13 for Houston, also outrebounded 40-34.

The Rockets beat Minnesota 107-92 a week ago in McHale’s first game back in his home state since he succeeded Adelman last June. The teams play again in Minneapolis on Saturday.

NOTES: The Timberwolves have five road wins, already matching their total in each of the previous two seasons. … Timberwolves G J.J. Barea (sprained left ankle) sat out for the 10th time in 11 games. … The Rockets had their streak of games with double-digit leads halted at 13. … Minnesota’s field-goal percentage (58 percent) was a high for a Houston opponent this season.

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Just when it looked as though the Lakers were going to let another road game slip away, Kobe Bryant showed these young pups just how it’s done in closing time.

Bryant had 35 points and 14 rebounds and Pau Gasol scored 28 to give the Lakers a much-needed road victory, 106-101 over the Timberwolves on Sunday night.

Andrew Bynum added 21 points for the Lakers, who won for just the second time in nine road games this season. But it was Bryant who slammed the door, slithering through the holes in Minnesota’s zone to hit two clutch jumpers to seal the win.

“I don’t know if he’s the best one or not, but in the last quarter, for sure,” said Wolves rookie point guard Ricky Rubio, who had eight assists but just five points on 2-for-13 shooting. “Maybe during 48 minutes, there are players like LeBron and Derrick Rose who can be in that top position, but at the end of the game, he’s the best.”

Kevin Love had 33 points and 13 rebounds and Michael Beasley added 18 points and 12 boards for the Wolves, who lost to the Lakers for the 16th straight time.

The Wolves dominated many of the statistics, including offensive rebounds (24-7), turnovers (12-4), second-chance points (32-10) and fast-break points (16-0). But they shot just 38 percent and couldn’t find an answer for Bryant, who made 14 of 29 shots and 5 of 9 3-pointers.

Minnesota led 94-93 with 3:19 to play, but the Lakers’ size was too much down the stretch. Bynum threw down two dunks and Bryant attacked the middle for two pull-up jumpers.

“We couldn’t stop him, no matter what we did,” Rubio said. “He was a scoring machine in the fourth quarter.”

The Lakers staggered into Target Center on Sunday night with four losses in five games and an ugly 1-7 mark on the road. Their struggling offense in new coach Mike Brown’s first season had failed to top 100 points in 13 straight games, the club’s longest streak since the shot clock was implemented in 1954.

But the Lakers shot 50 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range against the Wolves. On the second night of a back-to-back, Bryant and Gasol played the entire second half. Coach Mike Brown didn’t want those minutes to soar, but he had no other choice.

“That’s what needed to happen,” Brown said. “I don’t like doing that. Our second unit did a nice job in the first half, but once they went to zone, I thought we needed that experience back in the game.”

What had been a sleeper of a game turned into a heart-pounder in the final 17 minutes.

The Lakers were in complete control midway through the third quarter, shooting 55 percent and suffocating the Wolves offense. Bryant was feeling it, yapping at Wes Johnson after drilling a 3-pointer right in his grill and Gasol’s layup gave the Lakers a 73-55 lead with 5 minutes to play in the period.

“That’s been our Achilles heel,” Love said. “We’ve been a second-half team the entire year. We just need to come out in the first 24 minutes and replicate what we do in the second half as well.”

Rubio had just one point, two assists and two rebounds at that point, and the Wolves were unable to get anything going outside of Love’s typically efficient night.

Then, Wolves coach Rick Adelman switched to a zone defense and Beasley and Anthony Randolph added some much-needed energy. Martell Webster hit a 3, Randolph threw down an alley-oop from Rubio and the Spanish rookie finished a 19-6 quarter-closing surge with a running bank shot to cut the Lakers’ lead to 79-74 heading into the fourth.

But the Lakers finally started using their size to find holes in the zone and overpower the undersized Wolves.

“We needed to get a win on the road,” Bryant said flatly.

Gasol had an awful night in Milwaukee, shooting 6 of 18. But he was sharp from the start against the Wolves, hitting his first four and scoring 14 on 6-for-8 shooting in the first quarter.

Bryant took over in the fourth, hitting four of his five shots and pulling down five rebounds.

“He hit big shots,” Love said. “There’s no getting past that. Maybe three or four times he hit it right in my face. I had a hand up and slapped his hand, but seemingly hit shots over and over. That’s why he’s the best player in the game.”

Notes: Bryant surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most field goals made in franchise history. … Adelman interviewed for the Lakers coaching job. “I never look back on something like that,” he said. “When I interviewed, they still had the same people they have now. They’re a talented team.” … With Darko Milicic out sick for the second straight game, Brad Miller made his season debut for the Wolves. He scored three points in 8 minutes.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)