Preview: The Wolves have saved the toughest for last on their seven-game, 13-day road trip that only has two games to go. But what a doozy those two are, against the best in the West with games against the Spurs tonight and Oklahoma City on Friday. ... The 29-14 Spurs are back home after a quick two-game trip in which they beat the Thunder 114-105 on Friday and lost at Dallas 106-99 on Saturday. They have not played since then while the Wolves finished four games in five days by winning at Golden State on Monday after losing at Sacramento on Sunday. ... No matter what happens Wednesday, the Wolves are going to win the three-game season series. They've won the first two games, both at Target Center in January. That 106-96 victory on Jan. 2 ended a 16-game losing streak against the Spurs, who have beaten the Wolves 14 times in a row at home.

Players to watch: Spurs guard Tony Parker has scored 30 or more points three times already this month, seven times this season and 43 times in his career and is averaging 20 points and 8 assists a game this season. ... Tim Duncan last weekend surpassed Dikembe Mutombo and Paul Silas and moved into 18th place on the NBA's career rebounding list with 12,372. ... When the Spurs acquired Stephen Jackson last week from Golden State, he became the first Spur since Sean Elliott in 1995 to return to the franchise through a trade after previously having played for it. .... The Spurs on Wednesday will retire the No. 12 jersey wore by Bruce Bowen for nine seasons. His will hang in the rafters along those worn by Elliott, David Robinson, George Gervin, Avery Johnson, Johnny Moore and James Silas. Hopefully, it'll be more understated than the 38-minute affair the Wolves sat through Monday night when the Warriors retired Chris Mullin's jersey.

Injuries: C Nikola Pekovic (ankles) and F Michael Beasley (sprained big toe) each played fewer than 12 minutes because of injuries that just won't go away and both are questionable. G Ricky Rubio is scheduled to undergo surgery in Vail, Colo., on Wednesday to repair the torn ACL he suffered nearly two weeks ago against the Lakers.

JERRY ZGODA