Timberwolves-Wizards Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Jan 24 2013 7:09PM

The Washington Wizards have found some stability since John Wall returned from injury.

Getting Ricky Rubio back hasn't had that effect for the injury-plagued Minnesota Timberwolves.

Back from their western swing, Wall and the Wizards will try to extend their season-high home winning streak to four on Friday night when the Timberwolves try to get on track with the first of two straight against the Eastern Conference's two worst teams.

Since making his season debut seven games ago following a stress injury to his left kneecap, Wall is averaging 14.0 points and 6.9 assists off the bench as the league-worst Wizards (9-31) slowly work him back into game shape.

That cautious approach has worked so far, as Washington has won four times since the former No. 1 overall pick returned.

The Wizards are scoring 98.9 points per game on 46.0 percent shooting with Wall, improving their league-low averages to 90.9 and 41.7.

"The last eight games we've built a good, solid round of basketball, and we've got to continue to build on that and not take any steps backward, moving forward when we get back from the (2-3) trip," coach Randy Wittman said after that stretch ended with a 92-88 loss to Utah on Wednesday.

Washington begins a three-game homestand with a chance to win four straight in the nation's capital for the first time since the last four of 2010-11.

The Timberwolves (17-22), meanwhile, have lost their last five on the road by an average of 15.0 points.

They've dropped eight of 10 overall since Kevin Love re-injured his right hand, and they've played the last three without point guard Alexey Shved (left ankle) and center Nikola Pekovic (right quadriceps).

Shved and Pekovic did not travel with the team, which also plays at Charlotte on Saturday.

The loss of Shved leaves few backcourt options for Terry Porter, who has led the team to a 2-7 record since coach Rick Adelman left to be with his sick wife.

Rubio wasn't Porter's choice for the entire fourth quarter of Wednesday's 91-83 loss to Brooklyn, and the Spaniard didn't hide his displeasure about J.J. Barea staying in the game. Rubio slightly backed off those comments after Thursday's practice, but added: "I always want to play, even when I don't deserve it."

Rubio returned to the starting lineup four games ago, but his play in 14 games since returning from a torn ACL and LCL doesn't scream for more playing time. He's shooting 24.6 percent and averaging 4.2 points and 5.0 assists.

Rubio missed a four-game stretch from Dec. 29-Jan. 5 with back issues, and he's clearly not 100 percent after admitting this week there is still pain in his surgically repaired knee. Teammates, though, respect his competitive nature.

"He wants to play," forward Derrick Williams said Thursday. "We were both in that situation (in the fourth quarter) yesterday. You've just got to keep your head high, stay focused. We've got more games to win."

Rubio came off the bench Jan. 8, 2012, and finished with 13 points, a career-high 14 assists and six rebounds in a 93-72 victory that ended the team's seven-game skid at Washington.

Wall missed seven of 10 shots and scored 10 points in that contest as the Wizards shot a season-low 34.5 percent at home.

Washington set season highs for points and shooting percentage (56.1) in its last game in the nation's capital, a 120-91 victory over Orlando on Jan. 14.

Wizards top Timberwolves 114-101 in 1st Wall start

By JOSEPH WHITE
Posted Jan 25 2013 11:17PM

WASHINGTON (AP) At the midpoint of their season, and with John Wall back in the starting lineup, the Washington Wizards finally lifted themselves off the bottom of the NBA.

Wall had 14 points and five assists in his first start of the season, and Washington finally hit double digits in wins Friday night with a 114-101 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Wizards have won four straight at home and no longer have the league's worst record, their 10-31 record a half-game better than the Charlotte Bobcats' 10-32.

"You're not going to hear any good thing about your team or organization if you're not winning games, and that's all we're trying to do - is just win," Wall said. "You don't want to end up as the last team."

Wall, who came off the bench for the first seven games after his return from a knee injury, had assists on the Wizards' first two baskets in a game in which Washington never trailed. He wowed the crowd with a nice spin move for a layup late in the first half and went 6 for 10 from the field in 21 minutes, his playing time still limited after missing 33 games with a stress injury to his left knee cap.

"I think I'm still trying to get in basketball shape," Wall said. "And it's still tough, but I think I'm getting closer and closer."

The Wizards are 5-3 since Wall's return after going 5-28 without him. He's one of several Wizards players who missed chunks of games in the first months of the season because of injuries, giving coach Randy Wittman an appreciation for a record that still doesn't look very good.

"If you had told me we'd play half of them without our top players, I might say `Give me 10-31,"' the coach said.

Jordan Crawford added 19 points, and Bradley Beal had 16 points and a career-high four blocks for the Wizards, who shot a season-high 58 percent. Beal had the best sequence for anyone not named Wall: The rookie chased down Luke Ridnour to block a fast-break layup, crashed into the front row, got up and hit a jumper at the other end to make the score 70-51 in the third.

The Timberwolves, meanwhile, are starting to look like the early-season Wizards, with too many injuries, ugly losses and even a star player recovering from a knee injury. Minnesota has lost six straight on the road and eight of nine overall.

Ricky Rubio had four points on 1-for-8 shooting, six assists, five rebounds and five turnovers, another trying day in a difficult week that included an apology to acting coach Terry Porter for getting upset over playing time in the team's loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

With head coach Rick Adelman away tending to his sick wife, Porter and Rubio met Thursday to clear the air.

"I don't think it ever was really an issue," Porter said. "He was frustrated like any player would be who wants to be playing the fourth quarter."

Rubio had been on a strict limit of 28 minutes per game since returning last month from reconstructive left knee surgery, but he played 31 minutes Friday night because the game went for a while without a whistle in the fourth quarter.

"I'm still missing the power of my legs," Rubio said. "But I feel good, but it's hard to find my rhythm during the season."

Derrick Williams had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Andrei Kirilenko scored 17 points for the Timberwolves, who are missing Kevin Love, Brandon Roy, Malcolm Lee, Chase Budinger, Nikola Pekovic and Alexey Shved.

The Wizards know the feeling.

"We need to build up like a good team," Washington forward Nene said. "And to be good we need to lose, we need to learn."

"So we did it," he added with a laugh.

Notes: Washington's 60 first-half points tied a season-high. ... The Wizards used their 15th starting lineup of the season. ... Wolves C Greg Stiemsma committed two fouls in 9 seconds in the first quarter, and then picked up another quick one in the second quarter. He played only 18 minutes - but he finished with a career-high six assists.

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Follow Joseph White on Twitter: http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

Notebook: Wizards 114, Timberwolves 101

Rich Dubroff, for NBA.com
Posted Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:20 PM - Updated Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:20 PM

THE FACTS: Jordan Crawford had 19 points as six Washington Wizards scored in double figures in a 114-101 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.

The win was Washington's sixth in the past nine games. The Wizards led throughout. Bradley Beal scored 16 points. John Wall and Nene each had 14. Martel Webster had 13 and Kevin Seraphin had 10.

The loss was Minnesota's eighth in its past nine games. Derrick Williams led the Timberwolves with 18 points.

QUOTABLE:"I don't know. I just know I'm feeling no pain-not having no pains or having no setbacks."
- Wall on how close he is to 100 percent after starting his first game of the season.

THE STAT: The Wizards shot 57.8 percent. "You can't just give them all the credit for their shooting. They did shoot the ball well, but we didn't play good defense," Minnesota guard Luke Ridnour said.

TURNING POINT: After the Timberwolves closed to within 47-42 with 4:05 remaining in the first half, Washington went on a 13-4 run to end the half up 60-46.

QUOTABLE II: "To be good, we need to lose and we need to learn. We did it."
- Nene on his team's early-season struggles.

HOT: Webster was 5-for-7 from the field and 3-for-4 from 3-point range.

NOT: Minnesota's Ricky Rubio was 1-for-8 in a season-high 31 minutes. "We couldn't find our rhythm plus they were hitting every shot," Rubio said.

GOOD MOVE: Wizards coach Randy Wittman started Wall for the first time this season. "He has his legs under him a little, but he's still not where he needs to be," Wittman said.

BAD MOVE: The Timberwolves trying to play defense on Washington. Minnesota allowed the most points it allowed all season. "I think we had a lot of breakdowns tonight," acting coach Terry Porter said.

NOTABLE: Thanks to the win, the Wizards no longer have the worst record in the league. Washington is 10-31, and Charlotte is 10-32.

IN THE ARENA: The Wizards play the first of three home back-to-backs this season on Saturday when they host Chicago.

NEXT: Timberwolves: Saturday vs.Bobcats, Wednesday vs. Cliipers, Feb. 1 vs. Lakers; Wizards: Saturday vs. Bulls, Monday vs. Kings, Wednesday @ Sixers

• Timberwolves: Budinger, Lee, Roy
• Wizards: Martin

• Timberwolves: Cunningham
• Wizards: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 2

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #16 David Guthrie, #22 Bill Spooner, #78 Scott Bolnick
• Attendance: 14095
• Duration: 2:04