Spurs at Timberwolves
The San Antonio Spurs haven't lost back-to-back games all season and
attempt to make sure that doesn't happen this time either when they
visit the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. San Antonio dropped a 99-91
decision to the Indiana Pacers on Monday to end an eight-game winning
streak but still possesses the best 63-game start in franchise history.
The loss to the Pacers was only the second in the last 11 road games for the Spurs, and it came without coach Gregg Popovich. A San Antonio spokesperson said Popovich didn't travel to Indiana and Minnesota because of a "family medical situation" but didn't shed further details. The Timberwolves have lost four of their last five games after falling 108-103 to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Minnesota is six defeats away from its eighth 50-loss campaign in the past 10 seasons.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (San Antonio), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE SPURS (53-10): San Antonio shot a season-worst 35.4 percent from the field against Indiana and never really got in sync. "It was a rough night shooting for us," assistant coach Ettore Messina, who is serving as head coach during Popovich's absence, told reporters. "We were getting good looks, but it just happens sometimes. We were just not as sharp as we could have been." Small forward Kawhi Leonard had 23 points for his sixth consecutive 20-point outing and is averaging 26.8 points during the stretch.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (20-44): Rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns and second-year shooting guard Andrew Wiggins continue to post solid efforts, but the production isn't adding up to victories. Towns had 28 points and 14 rebounds in the loss to Charlotte for his 15th double-double in the past 19 games and he has made 70 percent of his 50 field-goal attempts during the past three games. Wiggins had 25 points against the Hornets and is averaging 25.5 points on 21-of-31 shooting in the past two contests.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Spurs are 2-0 against the Timberwolves this season and have won the past six meetings.
2. Minnesota PG Ricky Rubio has recorded back-to-back double-doubles for the first time this season.
3. San Antonio PG Tony Parker (bruised left toe) left Monday's loss and is averaging just 3.3 points during the last three games.