Suns-Timberwolves Preview

By JUSTIN EINHORN
Posted Apr 08 2012 3:07PM

As the Minnesota Timberwolves' playoff hopes continue to fade, the Phoenix Suns are staying in the thick of the race.

Phoenix kicks off a four-game road trip Monday night seeking its fifth win in six games and trying to extend Minnesota's season-worst losing streak to six.

The Suns had the Western Conference's third-worst record on Feb. 18 but have since gone 17-8, climbing within one game of Denver for the eighth and final playoff berth.

The Timberwolves were tied for that spot on March 8, but they lost Ricky Rubio to a season-ending injury the following day and have crumbled. Including that loss to the Lakers when their rookie point guard got hurt, the Timberwolves have dropped 13 of 17 to fall 5 1/2 back of eighth place.

However, one of their wins in that span came at Phoenix, 127-124 on March 12 behind Kevin Love's 30 points.

That ended Minnesota's nine-game losing streak in this series, but the Suns have won five straight at the Target Center while averaging 111.8 points.

Phoenix had its highest-scoring game of the season Saturday, winning 125-105 over a Lakers team missing Kobe Bryant. The Suns blew a late fourth-quarter lead the previous night in a loss at Denver, but that's their only defeat in five games this month.

"Tonight was great, to get a win and bounce back, mentally more than anything, to fight back," said Michael Redd, averaging 18.3 points over the last four games. "We played well this week, so we've got another tough week in front of us and hopefully we can do the same thing."

After visiting Minnesota, Phoenix plays three road games in four nights against teams which would all make the playoffs if the season ended today - Memphis, Houston and San Antonio.

Shannon Brown has provided a spark since replacing an injured Grant Hill in the starting lineup. He scored 24 points Saturday and has averaged 17.6 in eight games since becoming a starter, nearly double what his season average had been.

"I think overall he feels a lot more comfortable right now and obviously he is getting more extended minutes with Grant out," coach Alvin Gentry said, "but I think that it took a little bit of time for him to really relish the freedom that we give him."

The Timberwolves haven't done nearly as well without Rubio.

The current five-game losing streak is their longest since dropping their final 15 last season. Martell Webster took Rubio's starting spot but hasn't made an impact, failing reach double figures in the last seven games.

J.J. Barea has taken over as the starting point guard in the last two games after missing six with a bruised quad, averaging 12.5 points and 7.5 assists, but he has shot 10 of 27 from the field and committed 10 turnovers. Luke Ridnour had been starting but is likely to miss a third straight game Monday with a sprained ankle.

Michael Beasley returned Saturday after missing five games with a toe injury and scored 20 points, but Minnesota lost 99-90 in New Orleans.

The Timberwolves have allowed an average of 107.5 points in their last five games.

"Teams keep shooting a good percentage on us, but we brought it on the defensive end for the most part," said Love, who had 29 points and 12 rebounds. "We just missed shots. It's tough."

Suns beat Wolves 114-90 for 5th win in 6 games

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI
Posted Apr 10 2012 12:35AM

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) It's been a group effort to lift the Phoenix Suns from a dreadful start to the season to the brink of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Suns are much more than just Steve Nash these days, and the free-falling Minnesota Timberwolves discovered that the hard way on Monday night.

Markieff Morris had 21 points and six rebounds to help the Suns' reserves outscore Minnesota's 66-27 in a 114-90 victory over the Timberwolves.

Shannon Brown had 17 points and seven rebounds and Nash had 14 points and five assists for the Suns, who have won five of their last six games and 11 of 16 to surge back into the playoff picture. They started the day one game behind Denver for eighth in the West.

"These last four or five games, I mean, they've carried us," Suns forward Jared Dudley said of the second unit. "They've carried the starters, they've done well."

Kevin Love had 25 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have lost six in a row. They have lost 22 straight games in April dating back to 2009.

"We just need to go down swinging, have fun with the game, live in the present," said Love, who went 7 for 19 from the floor. "We can't go out like this."

J.J. Barea had 16 points, but the Wolves' massive defensive problems continued with the Suns shooting 57 percent.

Sebastian Telfair had 14 points and seven assists and Michael Redd scored 13 points for the Suns, the sixth straight game he's scored in double figures. That's an encouraging sign for Phoenix (30-27), which improved to a season-high three games over .500.

"It's great," Morris said. "Especially if our first unit doesn't start the game off great, we come in and we just try to play as hard as possible and set the tone for them when they come back."

The Suns' best days appeared to be behind them at the start of the season when they were 12-19 in their first 31 games. They've been an entirely different team since the All-Star break, with Nash's supporting cast knocking down the open shots that he has been creating for years. They are 16-7 since the break, second only to San Antonio in the West.

Nash deserves plenty of the credit, as usual. He's orchestrating an offense that did not receive any help at the trade deadline and has been without veteran Grant Hill since March 30 because of a knee injury.

"I just marvel at him," Wolves coach Rick Adelman said. "He's actually kept this team going. He's actually willed them to stay in this race and you've got to give him credit."

He's had some help, though.

Brown has filled in beautifully since stepping into the starting lineup. He entered the night averaging 17.6 points in his eight games as a starter, including 24 points in a win over the Lakers on Saturday night in which the Suns' reserves outscored the Lakers' 58-10.

"Hopefully it never, ever, ever ends," Brown said of his hot hand.

He got out quickly on Monday night, scoring 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds in the first quarter. Channing Frye and Marcin Gortat both were in foul trouble early in the first half, but Morris and Redd came off the bench to fill it up in their place. Morris scored 12 points in the first half and Redd had eight to keep the Suns humming on offense.

Minnesota trimmed a 15-point lead to five points early in the third quarter, but the Suns responded in a heartbeat.

Frye, Nash and Brown all hit 3s in a 21-4 run for a 77-55 lead that was far too much for the short-handed Wolves to overcome.

Minnesota was in the playoff hunt in early March until a rash of injuries derailed everything. Ricky Rubio went down with a torn ACL, Nikola Pekovic missed significant time with an ankle injury, Michael Beasley was out with a bad toe, Luke Ridnour with a sprained right ankle and Barea struggled with a pulled groin.

Rubio returned to Target Center on Monday night for the first time since he had surgery on March 9. He planned to speak to reporters Tuesday afternoon.

"It's hard to be out there and see that there's no energy," Love said. "It's saddening to me and tough most of all for the fans."

NOTES: The Suns set a franchise record for fewest turnovers with just three against the Lakers. They doubled that in the first six minutes on Monday night. ... Suns coach Alvin Gentry got technical foul from Eddie F. Rush in the second quarter while pleading for a 3-second call on Pekovic. Rush did call the 3 seconds, but not before he saw Gentry hopping up and down on the sideline. ... Beasley received a technical foul in the fourth quarter for kicking the ball.

Notebook: Suns 114, Timberwolves 90

Posted Tuesday April 10, 2012 12:50AM

By Jim Beilby, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Recently the Phoenix Suns have made a habit of getting behind and coming back and winning. But on Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves they didn't need to come from behind. They established an early lead, extended that lead, and won big, defeating Minnesota 114-90. With the win, they move within one game of the eighth and final playoff spot in the west. With Steve Nash having an off night (at least on paper, 14 points, five assists), it was the Suns' bench that stepped up. Led by rookie Markieff Morris's 21 points, Phoenix outscored Minnesota's bench 66-27.

For Minnesota, Kevin Love looked tired and a little disinterested for much of the game. He still got his numbers (25 points and 13 rebounds), but he was unable to find any consistent rhythm. With the loss, Minnesota has a six game losing streak, their longest of the season.

QUOTABLE: "I thought we did a pretty good job of controlling (Kevin Love), keeping him off the boards. He still finds a way to come up with some second chance points and things like that. I also think we did a good job of running him off the three point shot. We didn't give him a chance to catch and shoot."
-- Phoenix head coach Alvin Gentry.

THE STAT: The Suns outshot and outrebounded the Wolves. Phoenix shot a season high 57.3 percent compared to Minnesota's 38.6 percent. And Phoenix out-worked Minnesota on the glass, accumulating a 52-40 rebounding advantage, a number that is particularly impressive since Minnesota is 3rd in the league in rebounding and Phoenix is 19th.

TURNING POINT: Since Phoenix got an early lead and was not seriously threatened, one could make a case that the turning point was early in the first quarter. But Phoenix extended their lead in two key runs. In the second quarter Phoenix used a 21-9 to build a 15 point lead and in the third quarter they used a 21-4 run to extend their lead to 22.

QUOTABLE II: "It's disappointing. Again. Just like the last time we played at home [April 4th vs.the Golden State Warriors]. We need to find a way to get energy and draw from each other. I just told them, 'How do you want to finish this season?' This wasn't good enough. They know it, but you've got to go out there and do it."
-- Minnesota head coach Rick Adelman.

BAD MOVE: Love, who leads the league in minutes played and who looked tired for much of the night, did not leave the game until long after the outcome of the game was certain. Inexplicably, he played until the 4:58 mark in the fourth quarter when the score was106-79.

NOTABLE: The Phoenix Suns are one of only two teams that Minnesota coach Adelman has a losing record as a coach against ... The Phoenix Suns have not lost a season series to the Wolves since before Nash rejoined the team before the 2004-2005 season .. With his five assists tonight, Nash needs 47 more to pass Oscar Robertson for fifth on the NBA's all-time list.

UP NEXT: For the Wolves, Wednesday @ Denver, Thursday Vs. Clippers, Saturday vs. Oklahoma City. For the Suns, Wednesday @ Memphis, Friday @ Houston, Saturday @ San Antonio.

• Suns: --
• Timberwolves: Ridnour, Rubio

• Suns: Gentry
• Timberwolves: Beasley

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
• Officials: #32 Eddie F. Rush, #45 Brian Forte, #71 Rodney Mott
• Attendance: 17274
• Duration: 2:12