Timberwolves at Thunder
The Minnesota Timberwolves impressively beat Oklahoma City earlier this season and now attempt to win on the Thunder’s home floor on Sunday. Minnesota built an 18-point first-quarter lead and rolled to a 100-81 victory on Nov. 1 behind 24 points and 12 rebounds from Kevin Love. The Thunder enter the rematch with a six-game winning streak, including back-to-back emotional victories – a solid win over San Antonio and a last-second overtime victory against Golden State.
Oklahoma City is wrapping up a six-game homestand and coach Scott Brooks is concerned with a possible letdown after Russell Westbrook’s miraculous game-winning 3-pointer against the Warriors on Friday. “It’s very important in this league to have consistency of just doing your job every day,” Brooks said. “There are a lot of games that become emotional. But you have to be able to bounce back. After a big win, you have to still come back and keep everything as normal as possible.” The Timberwolves halted a three-game losing streak by winning at Dallas 112-106 on Saturday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Oklahoma (Oklahoma City)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (9-9): Defensive specialist Luc Richard Mbah a Moute made his team debut after being acquired from Sacramento earlier in the week for former No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams and had seven rebounds and two blocked shots in 26 minutes. Perhaps nobody on the squad is happier to see Mbah a Moute join the club than Kevin Love, who played on UCLA’s 2008 Final Four squad with the forward. “He looked good,” Love said after the contest. “A little rusty but the more he plays, the more he gets in tune with what we’re going to do, the better he’s going to be for us. He’s going to be very good for us because he’s so versatile.”
ABOUT THE THUNDER (11-3): Westbrook is rounding into top form after knee surgery and played one of his top games of the season with a season-high 34 points to go with seven assists and five steals in the victory over Golden State. The game-winning shot with 0.1 seconds left was set by Thabo Sefolosha corralling a rebound that was headed out-of-bounds prior to a pass to Westbrook, who drained the decisive basket. “He has a heart of a champion and he displays it every night,” Brooks said. “We’re not perfect players but our effort has to be perfect and Russell plays with great effort. I like how he plays and I love what he brings to the team.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Minnesota is 1-8 against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
2. Oklahoma City is 8-0 at home – the best season-opening start for the franchise since the Seattle SuperSonics won their first nine in the 2004-05 campaign.
3. Timberwolves G Kevin Martin scored 27 points in the victory over Dallas to follow up a 29-point outing against Denver on Wednesday.