76ers at Timberwolves
Tom Thibodeau is trying to change the culture of a Minnesota Timberwolves squad that is accustomed to losing. The task gets frustrating at times for the veteran coach, but the Timberwolves do have an increased shot at winning when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
Minnesota is off to a poor start, and the 18 turnovers committed during Tuesday's 115-108 loss to Charlotte annoyed Thibodeau. "I want to see progress. I want to see commitment to improve. I want to see guys learning," Thibodeau told reporters afterward. "You're challenged every game, every day in this league, and you have to bring it every day. That's part of your job - and playing like that is not acceptable." Philadelphia is 0-4 on the road this season and has dropped 20 in a row away from home. Center Joel Embiid (foot) is slated to play after being rested on Wednesday, when the 76ers posted a 109-102 victory over Washington.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE 76ERS (2-9): Philadelphia still is observing Embiid closely after he missed the last two seasons due to his foot issues but is starting to loosen up the minutes restriction on power forward Jahlil Okafor. The second-year pro underwent season-ending knee surgery during his rookie campaign and still was hindered into the fall. Okafor scored a season-best 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting against the Wizards and is averaging 11.3.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (3-7): Minnesota repeatedly has struggled in the third quarter of games and was pounded 37-18 in the period by the Hornets. Point guard Ricky Rubio and standout small forward Andrew Wiggins joined the coach in being highly disturbed with the play in a quarter in which Charlotte was 13-of-22 shooting (including six 3-pointers) while the Timberwolves were 4-of-22. "I feel like we get too cool. Like we come out too cool, we see the score, we see we're up, so we think we have a cushion," Wiggins told reporters. "But any good team is going to make that run in the third. We can either make that run and push the lead to 20 and make the game over, or they can make that run."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The 76ers have won three of the last four meetings.
2. Wiggins is averaging 32.6 points over his last five contests.
3. Embiid is averaging a team-best 18 points and has scored in double digits in all seven games in which he has played, with his best outing being a 25-point performance versus Indiana on Nov. 11.