The Minnesota Timberwolves hope to be much improved from a year ago, and they get an early chance to prove it when they travel to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. It's a matchup of two of the league's top young players in Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant and Minnesota's Kevin Love, who both had big nights in their teams' season-openers. The teams split four meetings a year ago with the home team winning each, but the Thunder had won 12 straight against Minnesota before last season.
The Thunder opened with a win, but it didn't come easily, as they went on the road and held off Utah 101-98. "After one game, you have to look at things that you did well and things you could have done better," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks told the team's website. "The film session showed a lot of things that we can get better at." The Timberwolves had to put in extra work for their season-opening win, beating Orlando 120-115 in overtime.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Oklahoma (Oklahoma City)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (1-0): The return of Love alone makes Minnesota a potential playoff team, and the big man proved his value with 31 points and 17 rebounds in the opener. The Timberwolves also added Kevin Martin in the offseason, and his 23-point night against Orlando was in line with what they hoped to get. The biggest key, though, might be the continued growth of point guard Ricky Rubio, who put together a nice line of 13 points, 11 assists and three steals despite struggling with his shot against the Magic.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (1-0): Oklahoma City begins the season without point guard Russell Westbrook, who is out with a torn meniscus. The Thunder still have Durant, though, and the perennial MVP candidate poured in 42 points in the opener. Oklahoma City tends to give up a lot of points because it plays at a quick pace, but the Thunder also forced 22 turnovers - 15 on steals - against the Jazz.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Love averages 20.1 points in 13 career games against Oklahoma City, one of four teams he has scored more than 20 points per game against.
2. Durant has scored 30 or more points in 11 of the past 16 meetings and has scored 40 or more on four occasions versus Minnesota.
3. Minnesota F Chase Budinger is sidelined indefinitely after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Oct. 1. Budinger played only 23 games last season because of injury.