Up next: vs. Oklahoma City at Billings, Mont. • 7 tonight • No TV or radio
Fresh off a 117-79 victory at Milwaukee in Monday night’s exhibition opener, the Timberwolves touched down in the Twin Cities just long enough for a midday practice Tuesday.
Then it was off to Billings, Mont., site of tonight’s “home” opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Including a five-day training camp in Mankato, the Wolves will have spent 15 of 22 days on the road before they play their first Target Center exhibition game Oct. 22 against Chicago, but rookie forward Kevin Love said he doesn’t mind all the early travel…
Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune on the infamous Kevin Love YouTube clip:
That skill gave him credibility when Topps sought a player to provide some publicity with a video snippet that’s too good to believe. (Just FYI: Love said he did the video shoot in about three minutes and nearly made each shot except for the one on which he threw the ball backward over his head, when he missed badly).
“I guess people believe it because I was the guy shooting the full-court shots,” Love said before the Wolves flew to Billings, Mont., for tonight’s preseason game against Oklahoma City.
Mike Zimmer/Billings Gazette spoke with Mike Miller training camp workout last week.
Does it feel weird to be considered one of the old guys on the team?
Miller: (Laughing) Yeah, anytime they’re calling you one of the old vets, it’s weird. I’m only 28, so I definitely don’t feel like an old vet yet. But I’m excited about that role. I’m trying to show as much leadership as I can and help these young guys learn the ins and outs of the league. This is going to be a fun bunch of guys to play with, and I think we’ve got a chance to surprise a lot of people.
Argus Leader catches up with Sioux Falls Skyforce team owner and president Mike Heineman.
Q. You guys are sharing a 20th anniversary with the Timberwolves, who happen to be your NBA parent club. Any big plans?
A. We met with the Timberwolves last week to find ways to tie things together. It’s something that probably won’t happen again, where you have an NBA team and their D-League affiliate celebrating their 20th anniversary at the same time.
When Mbah a Moute looked across the court on Monday night, he saw former UCLA teammate Kevin Love, the No. 5 overall pick who was acquired by the Timberwolves in a draft-night trade with the Memphis Grizzlies.
“It was fun to see Kevin out there,” Mbah a Moute said. “We did talk a little trash, and it was fun. Hopefully when we play them during the regular season, it will be a different outcome.”