The Wolves seemed a more calm, composed bunch with the return of head coach Rick Adelman to the team today, crushing Denver 117-90 at Target Center Wednesday.
Adelman returned to the team today after missing Monday’s loss to Houston to attend to “a little problem” with his wife’s health, something he would not elaborate on further while speaking to reporters pregame.
The Nuggets were without their top three point guards because of injury, Ty Lawson, Nate Robinson, and Andre Miller, and instead went with a big lineup that featured four players standing 6’8″ or taller, and former Wolf Randy Foye at the point.
With mismatches everywhere, Minnesota’s offense picked apart the Nuggets, Ricky Rubio serving as facilitator for a team that got open shot after open shot and ended up firing 52 percent from the field, including 12-of-26 from distance.
Rubio logged 11 points and 12 assists, while Kevin Love led Minnesota with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, his NBA-leading 44th double-double of the season.
J.J. Barea had quite literally a perfect evening, going 8-for-8 from the field in 18 minutes, totaling 18 points, a mark no Denver player reached on the evening.
The game was Minnesota’s last before the All-Star break, and the win breaks a run in which they lost six of seven games.
The victory ties them with Denver for 10th in the Western Conference, six games behind Phoenix for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Love will participate in the All-Star game, while the rest of the Wolves get back to work next Wednesday against Eastern Conference-leading Indiana.
