Kevin Love

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When it comes to rebounders, Kevin Love was the second-best in Timberwolves history, trailing only Kevin Garnett.

On Nov. 27, 2012, Love was on his game in Sacramento against the Kings.

Love finished with 23 points and 24 rebounds, helping the Wolves to a 97-89 win. 

The Wolves had all five starters hit double digits. Luke Ridnour finished with 18 points and five assists. Nikola Pekovic added 16 points and eight rebounds. Andrei Kirilenko finished with 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Malcolm Lee rounded things out with 10 points.

In his Timberwolves career, Love had 16 games with 20 or more points and 20 or more rebounds. Garnett was the only player with more, finishing with 26. 

Love’s 16 20/20 games will likely get passed by a current member of the Wolves. Karl-Anthony Towns has five in his young career. 

If the Wolves could get that kind of performance from Towns on Friday against the Kings in Sacramento, that would be plenty welcomed. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. CT on Fox Sports North Plus and 830 WCCO.

In 11 career games against the Kings, Towns is averaging 21.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. 

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Toyota Throwback Thursday | K-Love Has 20/20 In Sacramento

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Gallery | Top 10 Players Taken Fifth Overall

There’s been a lot talk about the team’s recent trade, and really, it’s not a shock. It’s been speculated for months and now the local and national media is getting their chance to weigh in on the matter.

While the Cleveland Cavaliers may have acquired the best player (for now) in the trade, most experts seem to agree that Flips Saunders and the Wolves did pretty well for themselves considering the circumstances.

This wasn’t a trade where the Wolves got a boatload of future draft picks. They received the last two season’s No. 1 picks and a top-15 power forward in the NBA. That’s impressive. Let’s see what the experts had to say:

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What The Experts Are Saying

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The Minnesota Timberwolves today named Flip Saunders as the franchise's head coach. Saunders served as head coach of the Timberwolves from 1995 to 2005 leading the team to its most successful years, highlighted by a trip to the 2004 Western Conference Finals. Saunders will remain as the team's President of Basketball Operations, a position he assumed in May of 2013.

"After an exhaustive process and several thorough discussions with Flip, we came to the conclusion that he was the stabilizing force needed to lead our team," Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said. "Flip led us to our most successful seasons; he knows what it takes to win in the NBA as his track record speaks for itself. He is widely known as one of the most creative basketball minds and I believe he is the right coach to lead our team. Flip and Milt Newton provide our front office the synergy needed to put our franchise in the best position to succeed now and in the future."

As head coach of the Timberwolves from 1995-96 to 2004-05, Saunders led the club to eight consecutive playoff appearances and a Western Conference-best and franchise-best 58-24 record in 2003-04 -- a season that concluded with a berth in the Western Conference Finals. During his tenure in Minnesota, Saunders won NBA Western Conference Coach of the Month honors four times (April ’04, Feb. ’03, Jan. ’01, Jan. ’00) and coached the Western Conference squad during the 2004 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Saunders is the Wolves’ all-time winningest coach, posting a winning record in six of his eight full seasons as head coach and compiling an overall record of 411-326 (.558).

"In talking to Glen, we came to the decision that this outcome would be the best for our franchise," Saunders said. “I will work tirelessly to bring back the success our franchise experienced in the late '90s to early 2000s. To that end, I will assemble a diverse, experienced coaching staff that will bring out the best in our players. Milt and I will continue to make the necessary moves that we believe will help our franchise return to the playoffs.”

After a successful stint with the Timberwolves, Saunders took the coaching reins of Detroit where he led the Pistons to three consecutive Central Division crowns from 2005 to 2008. In three seasons at the helm, Saunders finished with a record of 176-70 (.715), including finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference twice (2005-06, 2006-07). Saunders most recently spent two-plus seasons (2009-10 - 2011-12) as the head coach of the Washington Wizards. Overall, Saunders has seven 50-win seasons to his credit as an NBA head coach, with four Conference Finals appearances in 11 trips to the postseason. Saunders is one of three NBA coaches to make at least four Conference Finals appearances over the last 10 seasons (Popovich, Spoelstra) and his 638 coaching wins rank 20th on the all-time list and third among all active NBA head coaches.

Prior to his time in the NBA, Saunders directed three different teams to seven consecutive seasons of 30 or more victories in the CBA, two CBA Championships (‘90, ‘92) and earned a pair of CBA Coach of the Year honors (‘90, ‘92). Saunders' CBA experience includes stops with the Rapid City Thrillers (1988-89), La Crosse Catbirds (1989-94) and Sioux Falls Skyforce (1994-95). Saunders also served as the general manager of the Catbirds from 1991-93.

Saunders' coaching career also includes stops at Golden Valley Lutheran College, the University of Minnesota and the University of Tulsa. Saunders was an All-America basketball player at Cuyahoga Heights High School in Cleveland. He continued his basketball career at Minnesota, where he started in 101 of his 103 career games.

Saunders was born February 23, 1955, in Cleveland, Ohio. He and his wife, Debbie, have four children: Ryan, Mindy and twins, Rachel and Kimberly.  

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Flip Saunders Named Timberwolves Head Coach

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Minneapolis/St. Paul – Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love has been named to the 2013-14 All-NBA Second Team, the National Basketball Association announced today. The honor is the second time in Love's career he has earned All-NBA honors (2nd Team: 2011-12).

This season Love became the first player since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976 to average 26+ points, 12+ rebounds and 4+ assists per game, finishing the season fourth in scoring (a franchise-record 26.1 ppg) and third in rebounding (12.5 rpg). Love tallied the first three triple-doubles of his career this season and posted a league-leading 65 double-doubles. He also added single-season franchise records in three-pointers (190), connecting on 37.6% from beyond the arc, and free throws made (520). Between Jan. 29 and Feb. 25, Love tallied 25+ points and 10+ rebounds in 11 consecutive games, marking the longest streak in the NBA since 2001. During that stretch he also recorded six straight games with 30+ points, the longest such streak in franchise history. He finished February averaging 34.0 points and 14.1 rebounds per game to become the first player since Moses Malone in March 1982 to average 34+ points and 14+ rebounds in a single month.

Love is the second Wolves player to earn All-NBA honors in two separate seasons, joining Kevin Garnett (1st Team: 1999-00, 2002-03, 2003-04; 2nd Team: 2000-01, 2001-02, 2004-05; 3rd Team: 1998-99, 2006-07). Sam Cassell (2nd Team in 2003-04) also earned All-NBA honors in a Wolves uniform.

Below are the 2013-14 All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams:

Position                       Player, Team (1st Team Votes)            Points

Forward                        Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City (125)      625

Forward                        LeBron James, Miami (124)                 623

Center                          Joakim Noah, Chicago (101)               551

Guard                          James Harden, Houston (73)                502

Guard                          Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers (86)               540

Forward                        Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers (5)              350

Forward                       Kevin Love, Minnesota (2)                  237

Center                          Dwight Howard, Houston (9)                 226

Guard                          Stephen Curry, Golden State (65)        489

Guard                          Tony Parker, San Antonio (14)             210

Forward                        Paul George, Indiana (4)                     171

Forward                        LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland (2)          159

Center                          Al Jefferson, Charlotte (4)                    191

Guard                          Goran Dragic, Phoenix (1)                   115

Guard                          Damian Lillard, Portland (2)                115

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Kevin Love Named to 2013-14 All-NBA Second Team

The Timberwolves had memorable individual games throughout the season stretching from their overtime win against Orlando in the season-opener (Kevin Love’s 3-pointer to force OT) all the way to an upset win over Houston in April (Corey Brewer’s 51). So I tried to navigate these big-time games by Wolves players (not surprisingly, K-Love had A LOT to choose from), and hopefully this list suffices your appetite for reviewing the 2013-14 season. I looked at a few different pieces of criteria: One, the players’ numbers across the board. Two, how memorable/impactful the game was. And three, the historical significance of the feat. Without further ado, enjoy looking back at some of these Don’t Blink moments.

5. Nov. 8: Kevin Love’s 32 points, 15 rebounds & 8 assists vs. Dallas

This first performance stands out for two reasons: One, it was an early indication of what we’d see time-and-time again this year from Kevin Love. And two, it was the subject of an entire Sports Illustrated article by Alan Shipnuck. On Nov. 8, the Wolves’ sixth game of the year, Love went off for 32 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists. He shot 12-of-21 from the field, hit three 3-pointers and was a huge factor in a 116-108 home win. The victory put the Wolves at 4-2 on the season. The way Love played such an all-around game (we’ll get to this again later in the countdown) really set the tone for the type of season he’d end up having, it shows in all areas. He became the only player in league history to put up 26.0 points per game, 12.0 rebounds per game, 4.0 assists per game and hit at least 100 3-pointers in a single NBA season. Shipnuck wanted to exemplify Love’s ever-blooming game by breaking down game film of every possession he impacted, and this was the perfect example. “The assumption about Kevin is he just does so many different things, does them well, and he’s probably the most unique player in the NBA,” Shipnuck said. “So it would be really cool to get inside his game in a really detailed way.”

4. March 19: Ricky Rubio’s third career triple-double at Dallas

Ricky Rubio notched his first career triple-double on March 12, 2013, at home against the San Antonio Spurs. His second came on Nov. 10, 2013 in a blowout win over the Lakers at Staples Center. But it was his third, on March 19, 2014, which really stands out. Again, it was a victory (Minnesota is 3-0 lifetime in Rubio triple-doubles), and it came on the road in a 123-122 victory over the Mavericks. Rubio’s game was at its best on this night in another game that very much mattered for the Wolves’ playoff hopes. He shot 8-of-12 from the field and became the ninth player in the NBA since 1985-86 to record 22 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds and four steals in a single game (Chris Paul did it twice). The overtime victory put the Wolves at 34-32 on the year. Unfortunately, this victory was the last meaningful win of the season as Minnesota dropped its next three games and essentially put itself out of playoff contention. But on this one night, Rubio shined. Noted Honorable Mention: Love had 35 points plus the game-winning floater in overtime during this game.

3. Feb. 22: Kevin Love’s first career triple-double at Utah

Kevin Love notched a double-double along with at least seven assists six times during the 2013-14 season prior to Feb. 22, but each time he came up short of his first career triple-double. As we watched, we knew it was coming. Love’s per-game assist total nearly doubled this year, and as he continued to facilitate you could tell that, eventually, he’d churn out a triple-double effort. That moment finally came on a Saturday night in Utah as the Wolves opened up a five-game West Coast trip. Love shot 11-of-20 from the field and notched 37 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. He hit six 3-pointers in the game, went 9-of-10 from the line and added assists in the half court and through his increasingly-used transition passing. His final assist, in fact, came as he tossed a near full-court pass to Corey Brewer on the fast break.

Love added two more triple-doubles later in the year—a 22/10/10 effort against the Lakers on March 28 and a 24/16/10 effort on April 2 against the Grizzlies. All three resulted in Wolves victories. He also notched six additional games in the final 2 months during which he had a double-double and at least seven assists. But it was that first one that was the sweetest—especially since it came in a road win during a period of time when the Wolves were still in playoff contention and needed to rally off some victories on their longest trip of the year. “I thought at some point it would happen,” Love said on Feb. 22. “I’ve been very close, and we’re getting a lot of good shots tonight. Rhythm shots, cuts to the basket. So I was happy it was tonight, and more happy that we got the win on the first game of this long road trip.”

2. March 20: Gorgui Dieng notches first 20-20 game by a Wolves rookie at Houston

Gorgui Dieng didn’t get much playing time up through the middle of March in his rookie season, but he kept himself prepared in hopes that once he did get his chance, he’d take advantage of it. That happened when Dieng was thrust into the starting lineup while Nikola Pekovic battled and injured ankle. He thrived from the beginning, including five double-doubles in his first six starts. His biggest night, however, came on March 20 in Houston. Dieng became the first rookie in Wolves history to notch a 20-20 game—something the likes of Kevin Love and Kevin Garnett never did. He put up 22 points and added 21 boards against the Rockets while hitting 10-of-11 free-throws and adding four assists. It was the centerpiece of Dieng’s overall body of work in March, which earned him KIA Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors. The Wolves fell to the Rockets 129-106, but Dieng proved he could be a strong contributor with his historic numbers. “I choose to be a professional basketball player, and I belong with them—and that’s not the first time I say that,” Dieng said. “It took a lot of effort, it took a lot of sacrifices…It takes a lot. It’s just the beginning. I’m nothing compared to the basketball team, so I need to keep working more and more to be where I want to be.”

1. April 11: Corey Brewer ties Wolves’ franchise record with 51 points vs. Houston

This one is far and away the top individual performance of the 2013-14 season. Brewer had never scored more than 29 points in his seven-year NBA career, and his previous season-high was 27. In this particular game, the Wolves were playing without top scorers Kevin Love, Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic, and the scenario pitted the Wolves—who were eliminated from the playoffs—against a Rockets team hoping to slide into the No. 3 spot in the West. So with all those facts in mind, here we have Corey Brewer absolutely taking over out of nowhere. You knew it was a special night when he had 26 at halftime and hit a 50-foot shot just before the break. He finished the game with 51 points—tying Kevin Love’s franchise record, and cracking 51 in regulation for the first time in team history—while shooting 19-of-30 from the field. He also became just the fourth player in NBA history to score 50 points and register six steals in a game. The other three are Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson and Rick Barry.

His final two points, a pair of free-throws late in the fourth, got the Target Center crowd on its feet. It was one of the most electric moments inside the arena during 2013-14. The effort surprised everyone—including Brewer. “I thought I was in high school again, you know? Everything was going in,” Brewer said. “But I was just playing. I wasn’t thinking about it until someone said you have 44, you could get 50 tonight. I was like, ‘OK, whatever, then I actually got 50.” Most importantly, the Wolves won 112-110. Noted Honorable Mention: Gorgui Dieng’s floater in the lane was the game-winning shot late in the fourth quarter. He finished with 12 points and 20 rebounds.

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Timberwolves Top Individual Performances of 2013-14

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