Cavaliers at Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves would like to pocket some wins in the next 10 days because the schedule in the week leading up to Christmas Day is especially daunting. After failing to record its second three-game winning streak of the season, the Timberwolves return home to face the reeling Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. Minnesota had its best overall performance in blasting the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night but appeared to run out of steam in the second half of Wednesday's 10-point loss in Boston.
The Cavaliers are grasping to find some offense with their top two scorers sidelined. Point guard Kyrie Irving, the 2011 No. 1 overall pick, remains out with a broken left index finger and rookie guard Dion Waiters is expected to miss a third consecutive game with a sprained left ankle. That takes 38 points out of Cleveland's lineup and the absences showed in the past two games, with the Cavaliers averaging 82 points. Cleveland has lost three straight and seven of eight.
TV: 8 p.m ET, Fox Sports Ohio (Cleveland), Fox Sports North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (4-15): The one constant for Cleveland has been C Anderson Varejao, who registered his 10th consecutive double-double with 11 points and 15 rebounds in Wednesday's 95-85 loss to Chicago. Varejao has grabbed at least 15 rebounds in a franchise-record 10 straight games and tops the league with 15.4 boards. Daniel Gibson got his first start of the season at shooting guard in place of Waiters and responded with 10 points
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (8-9): Minnesota could not follow up its sizzling shooting performance at Philadelphia and did not help itself by converting only 14 of 30 free-throw attempts vs. the Celtics. Kevin Love, a career 81.5 percent shooter from the line, missed half his 12 attempts and admitted he's still bothered by the two broken bones in his right hand that caused him to miss the first nine games. It's just the hand being so idle, having to strengthen it," Love said. "Getting the ball to feel right in my hand has been such a struggle since getting back on the court a couple weeks ago."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Minnesota has won two of three against Cleveland since LeBron James took his talents to South Beach.
2. Cavaliers G Donald Sloan scored a season-high 14 points off the bench Wednesday.
3. The Timberwolves' last three games heading into Christmas are against division leaders: at Miami, home to Oklahoma City and at New York.