They aren’t the Heat, Spurs, Pacers or Thunder, but they are the best team in the NBA.
The Portland Trail Blazers come to Target Center tonight with an incredibly impressive, and unexpected 22-4 record.
It’s a difficult test for the Wolves, who have stumbled to a disappointing 12-13 record.
Even more impressive about Portland’s record is that they started the season 2-2. They’ve gone 20-2 since getting blown out at home by the Houston Rockets in early November.
They might be on a two-game losing streak if second year star point guard Damian Lillard didn’t come up with a clutch shot in two straight games. He hit an overtime winner at the buzzer in Detroit on Sunday, and he did it again with a three-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Cavaliers on Tuesday night.
Damian Lillard: 4th player in last 15 seasons to hit go-ahead shot with under 2 seconds remaining in 4th quarter/OT in consecutive games.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 18, 2013
Kevin Martin (knee) and Dante Cunningham (ankle) both participated in a team shoot-around on Wednesday. Canis Hoopus says Cunningham is unlikely to play, and the Star Tribune speculates that Martin will miss a second consecutive game, too.
KMartin got treatment after shoot, didn't talk w/ media but hearing he's feeling better today. Knee got really sore 2nd half of Spurs game
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) December 18, 2013
The individual matchup to watch will be Kevin Love against LaMarcus Aldridge, who posted a 33-point, 25-rebound game against Houston last week. It was the closest any player has come to matching Love’s 31-point, 31-rebound game against the Knicks in 2010.
