Timberwolves at Suns
The Phoenix Suns are experiencing a dreadful season but they enter
Monday's home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on the heels of a
solid but losing performance. Phoenix gave the defending NBA champion
Golden State Warriors a fierce battle on Saturday before falling 123-116
to a team that posted its 48th consecutive home victory.
The Suns took a 95-86 lead into the fourth quarter against the Warriors before allowing 37 points in the final period. "We're building and we're stuck in the beginning of our process," Suns coach Earl Watson said afterward. "We also understand that no one's going to give us anything in this league. We have to earn it." Minnesota also is near the bottom of the Western Conference standings and had its own fine showing when it posted a stunning 99-96 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. The victory was only the Timberwolves' second in the last seven games and it was obtained when point guard Ricky Rubio drained a 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds remaining.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (21-45): Rubio had 13 points and 12 assists against Oklahoma City for his third double-double in four games but his game-winning shot was a stunner. The stellar playmaker isn't so spectacular when shooting the ball as his percentages of 36.8 from the field and 31.2 from 3-point range attest. "He works on it constantly," rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns told reporters. "That's something he works on every single day. He puts up a lot of shots, and it just shows how all the work, and how comfortable he was taking that shot."
ABOUT THE SUNS (17-49): Point guard Brandon Knight put on a show against Golden State with 30 points, seven assists and six rebounds in his second contest since missing 21 games with a sports hernia injury. Knight matched his career high of seven 3-pointers and scored 27 of his points in the second half. "It's just a matter of just playing and trying to make the right plays, which I could still do a better job of," Knight said afterward. "I'm still not there. It's a difficult situation. I'm going to continue to fight and be strong for myself and for my teammates. I'm not there yet."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams have split two meetings this season with Minnesota's victory being a 30-point rout.
2. Timberwolves PF Gorgui Dieng scored a career-best 25 points against Oklahoma City and has six 20-point outings this season.
3. Phoenix C Alex Len had 26 points and 13 rebounds against Golden State and has seven double-doubles in the past eight games.