Timberwolves at Jazz
Andrew Wiggins has been one of the better offensive players in the NBA recently and the Minnesota standout looks to post another solid outing when the Timberwolves visit the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Wiggins has scored 20 or more points in a franchise-record 18 consecutive games and is averaging 31 points over the past nine games.
Wiggins broke the club record of 16 consecutive 20-point games — accomplished twice by Kevin Garnett — and has raised his average to 23.4 points. "I'm just trying to stay aggressive and keep attacking," Wiggins told reporters after Monday's 102-88 victory over the Sacramento Kings. "I'm getting to my spots and my teammates do a great job of setting screens and getting me open." Utah had a three-game winning streak snapped by suffering a 109-106 road loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday when it allowed the Thunder to go 15-of-22 from 3-point range. "It's tough to lose on the road especially when you fight back so much," Jazz shooting guard Rodney Hood told reporters afterward. "We've got to switch our gears to (Wednesday) against a young, hungry Minnesota team."
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), ROOT (Utah)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (24-36): Wiggins isn't the only Minnesota player with an impressive 20-point outing streak as center Karl-Anthony Towns has reached the mark in 15 consecutive games. Towns has recorded four straight double-doubles — averaging 29 points and 19 rebounds during the stretch — as the Timberwolves continue to show signs they could challenge the Denver Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. "We're trying to make the push," point guard Ricky Rubio told reporters. "We know it's hard. There's a lot of teams in there, but we're not going to quit."
ABOUT THE JAZZ (37-23): Small forward Gordon Hayward dropped off to 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting in the loss to the Thunder after averaging 29.5 points on 22-of-39 shooting in the past two games. Hayward averaged 20 points in two games against Minnesota earlier this season but made just 10-of-27 field-goal attempts as he did much of his damage from the free-throw line (19-of-22). Center Rudy Gobert had 13 points and 10 rebounds against Oklahoma City for his eighth consecutive double-double.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz are 2-0 against the Timberwolves this season and have won the past five meetings.
2. Minnesota PF Gorgui Dieng missed all eight of his shots against Sacramento after going 7-of-10 two nights earlier against the Houston Rockets.
3. Hood is averaging just six points on 5-of-18 shooting against the Timberwolves this season.