NBA Basketball Picks and Tips: San Antonio vs Minnesota
Monday, January 02, 2012
Frank Martin
The Minnesota Timberwolves got their first win of the season Sunday, and in the process showed off what they hope the future will look like. Kevin Love dominated with 25 points and 17 rebounds and Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio not only chipped in pin-point passes and seven assists but found his stroke from long range, hitting two 3-pointers and finishing with a career-high 14 points.
The Timberwolves crushed the defending champion Dallas Mavericks on the boards and closed the game with a 15-0 run. Another tough test awaits as Minnesota hosts the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. The Spurs are on a mission to prove their run as an elite team is not over and so far they have been strong, winning three of four behind Manu Ginobili.
Tim Duncan has been slow out of the gate, however, and will have to get out on the perimeter defensively against the Timberwolves.
-
San Antonio Spurs
@ Minnesota Timberwolves
When:
8:00 PM ET, Monday, January 2, 2012
Where:
Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
TV:
8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (San Antonio)
The Spurs have opened as 5-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NBA Basketball Odds.
San Antonio Spurs (3-1): San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich left most of his starters on the bench during a blowout loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday, sacrificing a chance at coming back in an effort to keep his key pieces strong later in the season. Ginobili certainly looked like the rest did him some good the in the next game, scoring 23 points on 9-of-10 shooting, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range. Duncan struggled again, however, scoring 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting.
Minnesota Timberwolves (1-3): Minnesota was able to spread the Mavericks out with a smaller lineup, using Love as the center with Anthony Tolliver and Michael Beasley at forward for much of the game. Love had no problem taking slower defenders to the perimeter and buried 5 of 6 3-point attempts. The Timberwolves had a problem closing out games last season, regularly watching leads slip away in the fourth quarter, but Sunday’s 15-0 run to close the game is the latest example that new coach Rick Adelman is changing the culture.
1.
Popovich won his 800th career game
Saturday.
2. The Timberwolves, who lost 15 in a row to end the 2010-11 season, had gone
284 days between victories.
3. San Antonio has
taken 16 straight in the series.
NBA BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Timberwolves 96, Spurs 93
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Category
Tags
michael beasley - tim duncan - anthony tolliver - gregg popovich - kevin love - manu ginobili - minnesota timberwolves - ricky rubio - ricky rubio - san antonio spurs
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