Wolves Get Fifth Win
December 18, 2009

For only the fifth time in 27 games, the Minnesota Timberwolves were able to defeat an opponent. On Friday night at Target Center, the Sacramento Kings handed the Wolves their easiest victory of the season. The final score was Minnesota 112, Sacramento 96.

Kevin Love scored 20 points and hauled down 16 rebounds, his fifth straight double-double and seventh in nine games since returning from the ranks of the disabled.

Corey Brewer also scored 20 points on nine-for-16 shooting from the field. Minnesota was in front from start to finish for the first time this season. In retrospect, the team’s accomplishment was not all that monumental considering the Kings have an NBA-worst 1-11 record on the road.

A monster on the boards, Love has 73 rebounds in his last five games, yet his coach, Kurt Rambis, thinks the 6-10 power forward from UCLA can only get better. “He’s out of shape,” Rambis remarked after the game. “He gets tired and has to settle for jump shots.” For someone of his height he could be more effective in the post, the coach observed. “He doesn’t get a lot of lift on his shot.”

Damien Wilkins and Brewer helped hold the Kings’ sensational rookie Tyreke Evans to10 points on a four-for-12 shooting night. That was his lowest scoring total since a three-point game against Memphis on November 2. Evans has reached double digits in all but three games this season.

The Wolves won for the first time in seven games this season when they led at halftime. It was the fifth time the team has led entering the final quarter.

Friday’s crowd was announced to be13,144, although most of Target Center’s second deck was empty. Minnesota grabbed an 11-6 lead on a Love layup, and the Timberwolves maintained a five-point margin over Sacramento throughout the first quarter. A basket by Wayne Ellington game Minnesota a 38-28 lead, and the Wolves held on for a 52-45 advantage at the halftime break.

Minnesota’s Jonny Flynn sat out most of the first half with foul trouble but came back to provide a spark in the third quarter and finished with 12 points on five-for-eight shooting.

A Love dunk in the fourth quarter increased the Timberwolves’ lead to 102-87 and silenced any comeback notions held by the Kings.

Rookie Omri Casspi finished with 21 points, and Beno Udrih and Jason Thompson had 18 points each for the Kings, who were held under 100 points for only the third time in the last 15 games.

Minnesota matched their season high in scoring while Sacramento shot only four-for-27 from three-point range.

Ryan Gomes of the Wolves missed his third straight game with a sprained left ankle that is expected to keep him out indefinitely.