Spurs at Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves look for a season-high fourth straight win when they host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. Minnesota has won six of eight games with improved chemistry since trading disgruntled guard Jimmy Butler to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Timberwolves recorded a 102-95 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday and can get back to .500 with a win over the Spurs. "We have a long way to go, but we keep improving," Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters after the win. "We're still not playing as well as we can. We can't be satisfied." The Spurs pushed their mark back to .500 by edging the lowly Chicago Bulls 108-107 on Monday. San Antonio is 2-1 on a four-game road excursion but is just 4-7 overall away from home this season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (San Antonio), FS North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE SPURS (10-10): San Antonio is 9-0 this season when power forward LaMarcus Aldridge scores 20 or more points and 1-10 when he doesn't, and he tallied 11 points in the fourth quarter against Chicago to reach 20 in Monday's win. "I just got touches," Aldridge told reporters afterward. "I touched it a little bit more and kind of found my rhythm and once I felt good I was trying to keep going." Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan scored 21 against the Bulls and he has 20 or more in eight of the past nine contests and 16 overall.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (10-11): Forward Robert Covington scored a season-best 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting against the Cavaliers for his best showing in seven games with Minnesota. The strong game occurred two days after his worst as he was a dreadful 1-of-18 shooting - including 10 misses from 3-point range - while scoring four points against the Bulls on Saturday. "The second that clock hit zero, that game was out of my mind," Covington told reporters of the woeful effort. "That's what happens when you're a shooter."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Spurs have won 14 of the past 15 meetings, including a 112-108 triumph in the season opener for both teams on Oct. 17.
2. Minnesota SF Andrew Wiggins is averaging 6.7 points on 8-of-37 shooting over the past three games.
3. San Antonio backup PG Patty Mills scored 17 points against the Bulls and is 19-of-29 shooting while averaging 14 points over the past four games.