Scouting Report: Wolves vs. Grizzlies

The Minnesota Timberwolves have played on consecutive nights 19 times so far this year, and tonight will be the 20th and final time they compete on back-to-back evenings during the shortened 2011-12 season. The Wolves will take on the Memphis Grizzlies at 7 p.m. at Target Center.
It will be the fourth and final meeting between the two clubs, and Minnesota hopes to salvage a win this season against Memphis. But it won’t come easy. The Grizzlies have seemingly had the Wolves’ number this season and are coming in while fine-tuning their game for the postseason. Memphis currently sits in the fifth spot in the West and, if the standings stay put, would travel to face the Clippers in the first round.
The Grizzlies are 10-4 in their last 14 games but are coming off an 88-75 loss to the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday night. Memphis struggled from the floor and hit on just 27 percent of its 3-point attempts in the game. Rudy Gay had 24 points to lead the team, but Marc Gasol and O.J. Mayo were the only other Grizzlies to reach double figures. Each had 11 points.
The Timberwolves are on a 10-game losing streak, most recently falling to Indiana 111-88 on Monday. The Wolves fell behind by 34 points at halftime—Minnesota scored only 30 points at the half—and despite rallying to outscore the Pacers the rest of the way their deficit was too great to overcome. Last time out
The Wolves and Grizzlies have faced each other three times this year with Memphis edging Minnesota all three times. The Grizzlies stole a 90-86 win in their first meeting at Target Center on Jan. 4, then won 85-80 on Feb. 8 and 93-86 on March 27 in Memphis. In that last meeting, the Grizzlies did not make a single 3-pointer (0-for-11) but got offensive production from each of their five starters. All five scored in double-figures, led by Gay’s 21 points. Center Marreese Speights, filling in for the injured Marc Gasol, scored 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, and forward Dante Cunningham finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds in the win.
The Timberwolves were paced by Kevin Love’s 28 points and 11 rebounds in the contest, while guard Wayne Ellington had 15 points off the bench and forward Derrick Williams had 14 points. The difference came in the transition game, as Minnesota was outscored 22-9 in fast-break points. Randolph moved to starting lineup
Coach Rick Adelman moved forward Anthony Randolph into the starting lineup on Monday at Indiana, replacing Williams as the starting power forward against the Pacers. The move was a product of Randolph’s strong play in the previous three games—he scored 28 points and had five blocks against Denver on April 11, then followed it up with 16 points against the Clippers on April 12 and 22 points and 11 rebounds against Oklahoma City on Saturday. Randolph scored six points on 1-of-7 shooting against the Pacers, while Williams finished with 13.