Love pushes limits in stats, minutes

SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – Timberwolves forward Kevin love played 38 minutes, 27 seconds Tuesday in Los Angeles, the third-longest night in his 149 pro games. He also had 23 points and a career-high 24 rebounds, correlative numbers that have many Wolves fans yammering to see love play more.

So is he ready to move beyond that 20-something minute threshold and play 34, 36, 38 minutes every night?

"We’ll see what happens tonight," Wolves coach Kurt Rambis said before Wednesday’s game at Sacramento, the second half of back-to-back games. "Kevin’s minutes are only limited by how hard he plays. With any player it’s a skill set to know how to drive yourself through that wall that tells you you’re tired. It’s not easy; playing extensive minutes every night in this league is hard.

"Every player says they want it, but there’s an awful lot of responsibility that goes with it."

Love on Tuesday joined Kevin Garnett as the only players in Wolves history to record 20-point, 20-rebound, five-assist games. He also became the youngest player in the NBA to do it since Shaquille O’Neal in 1993.

"there were five or six rebounds that I missed, too," love said. "the rook [Wes Johnson] took them from me at the end, too."

Gaines is the guy?

Former Utah guard Sundiata Gaines emerged from the free-agent workout Wednesday in Sacramento and could be signed as early as Thursday to provide backup point-guard help while Luke Ridnour, Jonny Flynn and Wayne Ellington all are out injured. Ridnour is out for at least a week. Flynn’s return is probably 10 days away.

Gaines competed against Curtis Jerrells, Trey Johnson and Aaron Miles during a 90-minute workout in front of the Wolves brass. Gaines was the guy who made that dramatic three-pointer that beat the Cavs last January.

A little more Magic

Rambis said he’d like former teammate Magic Johnson, a locker-room visitor before Tuesday’s game in Los Angeles, to become something of a mentor to his players during Johnson’s visits to Minnesota for business and during the team’s travels to California.

"I’d love to have something like that happen," Rambis said. "And he’s amicable to that. He likes doing that, he likes working with young players. can we afford him? Absolutely not."

Etc.

• Love’s playing time of 38:27 was third to the 39:08 he played against the Lakers in April and the 39:58 he played against new Jersey late in his rookie season. "Just don’t expect me to do that every night," love said slyly.

• Ellington worked out before the game but deemed his bruised thigh still too painful to play. He said he got hit on the thigh in the season’s second game against Milwaukee, then aggravated when he was hit again Sunday in Houston.

• What did Michael Beasley do to earn a slap on the rump from Kobe Bryant Tuesday?

"I was talking trash," Beasley said. "He hit a couple shots straight and I told him, ‘You’re not scoring no more.’ Then he made the three and he just smacked me on the butt. That’s Kobe, man. He’s an amazing player."

Love pushes limits in stats, minutes

pro games, timberwolves