Timberwolves-Jazz Preview

By JEFF BARTL
Posted Jan 02 2013 10:29AM

If the Minnesota Timberwolves are to end their recent road woes, they'll have to do so without Ricky Rubio.

A back injury will prevent Rubio from traveling on the team's two-game trip that begins Wednesday night against the Utah Jazz, who will face Andrei Kirilenko in the forward's return to Salt Lake City.

Rubio is dealing with back spasms, a setback after he recently returned from an ACL tear suffered March 9. Rubio, who sat out a 111-107 victory over Phoenix on Saturday, also will miss Thursday's contest against Denver.

Minnesota (14-13) has lost three straight away from home.

"We know we've got a lot of tough games on the road coming up," said forward Kevin Love, who has hit just 31.8 percent from the field in his last six road games.

Love is shooting 35.8 percent overall this season - he hasn't shot below 44.8 percent in his career - and improving on that mark Wednesday may be difficult. He hit 29.3 percent from the field while going 3 for 17 from 3-point range in three games versus Utah last season.

"Everybody's been telling me to keep shooting those shots because it's going to come, and I do believe it will. You've just got to keep working, and that provides good things," Love told the team's official website.

"Some days (the hand he broke during the preseason) feels good and some days it's not so good. Hopefully the new year will bring good things for me and this team."

Kirilenko hopes that starts Wednesday as he faces the team with which he played his first 10 seasons for the first time. He averaged 12.4 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Jazz, then played in his native Russia last season before signing a two-year deal with the Wolves in July.

The Timberwolves had shot 41.2 percent from the field while dropping four of five overall before shooting 50.6 percent and getting 28 points and 11 rebounds from Nikola Pekovic on Saturday.

"These previous few games, we were just struggling with the fourth quarter and these last few minutes, so we're kind of making some little mistakes," said Pekovic, averaging 22.3 points and 11.5 rebounds in his last four road contests.

He'll look to help Minnesota avoid a sixth straight defeat at Utah (15-17). The Jazz, though, have dropped three in a row and seven of nine after falling 107-96 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday despite 30 points from Al Jefferson.

The Jazz also lost 116-114 to the Clippers on Friday, their third straight home defeat after opening 9-1 at EnergySolutions Arena.

"We haven't been playing our best basketball the last few games," coach Tyrone Corbin said. "We're playing hard, but we've got to be a little smarter and not make the kind of mistakes we made down the stretch."

The Jazz, though, are averaging 113.6 points during their home winning streak against the Timberwolves. Jefferson has averaged 11.3 rebounds in seven games versus his former team since being acquired from Minnesota.

Paul Millsap has averaged 24.3 points in his last four against the Timberwolves, though he's scoring only 11.8 per contest while shooting 40.7 percent over his last six. He went 2 for 7 with nine points Sunday.

Gordon Hayward scored 26 points to help overcome 25 and 16 rebounds from Love in Utah's 111-105 overtime victory March 15 in the most recent meeting.

Hayward's 17 lift Jazz over T-Wolves 106-84

By LYNN DeBRUIN
Posted Jan 03 2013 1:10AM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) The Utah Jazz quickly put 2012 in the rearview mirror.

After closing out the year with tough back-to-back losses to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Jazz opened 2013 with an overpowering 106-84 victory over an uninspired Minnesota Timberwolves team on Wednesday.

The Jazz did it despite knowing starting point guard Mo Williams will be out at least another six weeks after opting for surgery on his injured right thumb.

"Our confidence never wavered," said Earl Watson, who stepped up with nine assists in sharing point guard duties Wednesday with Jamaal Tinsley.

"Everybody is a little heartbroken about Mo," added power forward Derrick Favors. "But we know he's going to be all right. We just came out there and played like he was with us."

It helped that Tinsley shot 6 of 8 and finished with 12 points.

It also helped that Paul Millsap, who had seen his playing time diminish with the emergence of Favors, started 7 of 7 and finished with 14 points as his coach experimented with rotations.

And it helped that Andrei Kirilenko, facing his former team for the first time since signing with Minnesota, couldn't keep his own hot streak going.

Kirilenko received a warm round of applause from fans during introductions and started 3 of 3 but finished with just 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting.

"It was nothing personal," Watson said of giving Kirilenko a rude homecoming. "We needed a win and Andrei happened to be on the other team."

Gordon Hayward scored 17 points off the bench to lead the Jazz and Enes Kanter added 15, with eighth rebounds as Utah snapped a three-game losing streak.

The only bad news, besides the lengthy loss of Williams, is that Kanter sprained his right ankle in the closing moments of the blowout win and will be a game-time decision Friday at Phoenix.

Otherwise, there wasn't much Minnesota players could say after shooting a season-low 35.5 percent from the field, including a season-low 2 of 17 from 3-point range.

"We need to take a rest right now and kind of get back on track," said Kirilenko, who spent 10 seasons in a Jazz uniform before leaving as a free agent two years ago.

"It's just one of those games where . you can't make a shot five or six possessions in a row, you couldn't put it in on a layup, you couldn't get to the line. It's all together kind of like an avalanche."

Minnesota made only 12 of 40 shots in the second half. Overall, they were outscored 56-36 in the paint and 25-8 on the break.

Utah (16-17) trailed by one after the first quarter but opened the second on a 15-4 run and the third on an 11-0 run.

The Jazz led by as many as 20 in the third quarter, and unlike last week when they blew a 19-point lead against the Los Angeles Clippers, they kept pouring it on.

Six Jazz players scored in double figures, the kind of effort they will need if they hope to climb back into the playoff picture.

"I thought defensively we did a pretty good job, especially on some of their big guys," Hayward said. "That also spawned us some easy fast-break points, which we haven't really been getting. We talked about that before the game. That was crucial for us."

Alexey Shved and Kevin Love led Minnesota (14-14) with 13 apiece and Love added 10 rebounds but neither shot well. Love was 4-of-14 shooting and Shved shot 3 of 10.

"This was a great win tonight," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "It showed us what we can do if we concentrate on what we have to do. And this is who we are going to have and we can't feel sorry for ourselves. This is who we have and we have to figure out how we can be as good as we can with this group right now."

The Jazz were reeling before the game after learning Mo Williams would be out for so long.

But Corbin expressed confidence in veteran backups Tinsley and Watson.

Tinsley showed his leadership, making 5 of 6 shots in the first half, including one where he bounced the inbounds pass off the backside of Nikola Pekovic for an easy layup.

Watson, who is still trying to find his rhythm after a lengthy rehab following knee surgery last season, did his best to push the pace and make the key pass.

The Jazz opened the second quarter on a 15-4 run, with reserves Kanter and Watson providing the biggest punch.

Kanter hit an outside jumper, jammed after a long pass from Watson and went coast-to-coast on a steal for another dunk.

The heady Watson fed players for alley-oops and pushed the ball up the court with long passes, including one that resulted in a Hayward dunk and 40-30 Jazz lead.

In the third quarter, Millsap continued his hot hand, including a fast-break layup after a steal by Jefferson that put Utah up 70-50. Utah closed out the quarter with another 3 by Hayward and a soaring dunk by Kanter.

The Timberwolves, who had wins over Oklahoma City and Phoenix in the last two weeks, had no energy to make a run - even in a building that Kirilenko knew so well.

He was drafted in 1999 by the Jazz (24th overall pick), still owns a home in Salt Lake City and spoke fondly of his former teammates and the Jazz fans.

"There's a lot of memories," Kirilenko said. "Every fan for 10 years has some good moments and I have a lot of good moments here."

Wednesday night, despite the warm reception, was one to forget.

NOTES: Utah's roster is full at 15 because guard Raja Bell counts even though he is not with the team. The Jazz failed to trade him following a nasty dispute with Corbin last season. ... Love received a technical during Utah's big third-quarter run. Jazz PF Favors had perhaps his best move of the season when he spun around Greg Steimsma during Utah's big second-quarter run. . Former Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was in the stands again to see Kirilenko's return. . Pekovic matched his career-best with four blocks.

Notebook: Jazz 106, Timberwolves 84

Andrew Aragon, For NBA.com
Posted Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:53 AM - Updated Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:53 AM

THE FACTS: The Utah Jazz broke out of a three-week funk by beating up the Minnesota Timberwolves 106-84 on Wednesday night.

The Jazz (16-17), who had lost three straight games and seven of their last nine, had six players scored in double figures for Utah. This came after the Jazz learned earlier in the day that starting point guard Mo Williams will miss at least the next six weeks after he undergoes surgery on his injured right thumb on Friday.

Gordon Hayward led Utah off the bench with 17 points. Reserve center Enes Kanter had 15 points and eight rebounds before spraining his right ankle in the closing moments of the game. Paul Millsap led the Jazz starters with 14 points.

Not much went right for the Timberwolves (14-14), who have lost four straight road games and six straight in Utah. Kevin Love and Alexey Shved each had 13 points for Minnesota. Andrei Kirilenko, playing in his first game in Utah as a member of the opposing team, had 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

QUOTABLE: "This was a great win tonight. It showed us what we can do if we concentrate on what we have to do. And this is who we are going to have. We can't feel sorry for ourselves. This is who we have and we have to figure out how we can be as good as we can be with this group right now."

--Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin on playing without Williams

THE STAT: Utah put together one of its best defensive performances of the season, and held the Timberwolves to a season-low 35.5 percent shooting from the field. Minnesota also matched its season-low from 3-point range, shooting 2-for-17 from beyond the arc.

TURNING POINT: The Timberwolves were within striking distance of the Jazz at halftime, trailing 53-45. But they fell apart in the third quarter after coming out of the locker room ice cold. Minnesota missed its first nine shots and shot 27.8 percent in the third period. Utah took advantage, opening the third quarter on an 11-0 run as Millsap hit a couple jumpers to lead the way. The Jazz built a 20-point lead and were able to cruise the rest of the way.

HOT: Millsap reacted positively after getting benched in the fourth quarter in favor of Derrick Favors in the Jazz's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. He shot 7-for-8 while also contributing three assists, three steals and a blocked shot. Surprisingly, however, he had no rebounds. Jamaal Tinsley, who will continue in his role as starting point guard for at least the next six weeks, had one of his best games of the season. He had 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting and contributed six rebounds and three assists. Earl Watson also filled in nicely at point guard, dishing nine assists.

NOT: Love, who broke his right hand during the preseason, still can't find his shooting touch. He was 0-for-4 from 3-point range and 4-for-14 overall against Utah. His shooting struggles on the road and in Utah are nothing new. Love shot 31.8 percent in six road games prior to Wednesday. Last season in Utah, he shot 3-for-15 from 3-point range and 14-for-44 overall in two games. Each of Minnesota's starters shot less than 50 percent and reserves Jose Barea (1-for-8) and Dante Cunningham (2-for-9) couldn't buy baskets.

QUOTABLE II: "Man, I had great shots. I mean, even before the game my shot felt great. I had another bunch of shots that were right there. It's gonna come. If you tell me I'm taking bad shots and shots that I don't usually make, you're fooling yourself and you're fooling me."

--Timberwolves forward Kevin Love on his shooting slump

GOOD MOVE: Corbin deviated from his usual substitution pattern and it sparked the Jazz. Favors came in early for Millsap, and Millsap spent some time playing with the second unit. The move -- along with other substitution changes -- paid dividends for Utah on both offense and defense.

BAD MOVE: The Timberwolves may have thrown in the towel a little early. They were down 13 to start the fourth quarter, and then didn't play starters Kirilenko, Love or Nikola Pekovic the entire period. The Jazz haven't been great at protecting leads, but Minnesota chose to look ahead to playing Denver on Thursday rather than making a late run at Utah.

NOTABLE: Kirilenko, who was warmly welcomed by Jazz fans after playing for Utah for 10 seasons, grabbed the 4,000th rebound of his career in the second quarter. Tinsley led the Jazz in scoring at halftime with 10 points, and it was the first time he led his team in first-half scoring in more than five years. He had 17 points at the break as a member of the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 15, 2007, against the Miami Heat. Ricky Rubio did not travel with the Timberwolves as he rehabs a sore back. The Jazz scored a season-high 56 points in the paint.

UP NEXT: For the Timberwolves, Thursday @ Denver, Saturday vs. Trail Blazers, Tuesday vs. Hawks. For the Jazz, Friday @ Phoenix, Saturday @ Denver, Monday vs. Mavericks.

• Timberwolves: Budinger, Roy
• Jazz: Bell, Murphy

• Timberwolves: Love
• Jazz: --

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
• Officials: #13 Monty McCutchen, #6 Tony Brown, #29 Mark Lindsay
• Attendance: 19120
• Duration: 2:03