Timberwolves at Suns
The Minnesota Timberwolves will carry a nine-game road losing streak into Friday's matchup with the Phoenix Suns. Minnesota nearly put an end to the drought before dropping a three-point decision to the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. The closest call for the Timberwolves during this stretch was a one-point overtime defeat in Phoenix on Feb. 26, which kicked off the nine-game skid.
Phoenix has dropped five of six and is coming off a lethargic performance in an 88-79 home loss to the Washington Wizards that left interim coach Lindsey Hunter agitated. “I was not happy with any of our young guys," Hunter said. "And it wasn’t about mistakes they made. It was about effort. It was about fight, having a sense of urgency. This is unacceptable." The Suns are 10-18 since Hunter replaced the fired Alvin Gentry.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, WFTC (Minnesota), Fox Sports Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (23-43): Forward Chase Budinger, who played collegiately at Arizona, saw his first action in more than four months on Thursday and had nine points and four rebounds in 17 1/2 minutes. Budinger has been sidelined since tearing his left meniscus on Nov. 10. Budinger's outside shooting should provide a lift to a team that ranks last in the league from 3-point range and connected on 1-of-19 attempts from behind the arc in Thursday's loss. Budinger had the lone successful 3-pointer.
ABOUT THE SUNS (23-46): Phoenix could be shorthanded inside after center Jermaine O'Neal was forced to leave Wednesday's game with a calf strain and missed practice Thursday. The Suns have already lost starting center Marcin Gortat to a season-ending foot injury. If O'Neal sits, as expected, it will likely mean a bump in minutes for Hamed Haddadi, who had two of his best games of the season earlier this month with O'Neal and Gortat both out.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Suns president Lon Babby said Thursday that no decision will be made on Hunter's future until the offseason.
2. Timberwolves C Nikola Pekovic had his 22nd double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds on Thursday.
3. Suns PG Goran Dragic has three straight double-doubles.