7 p.m. vs. San Antonio • Target Center • FSN, 830-AM
Preview: As spellbinding as Golden State's 26-1 season start has been, know this: Despite their 24-0 start and all the accompanying hysteria, the Warriors lead the Spurs by just three games. Apparently, that's what happens when you, too, start the season 24-5. The Spurs are undefeated (16-0) at home and winners of six consecutive games after Monday's 106-92 home victory over Indiana. They've also won 10 of their past 11 and 15 of their last 17. Their last loss was 97-94 at Toronto on Dec. 9 … That 24-5 start is second best in their history. The 2010-11 team started 25-4 … The Spurs swept last season's series, 4-0 and the Wolves' last victory over them was 110-91 at Target Center on April 8, 2014, the makeup game for that postponed-by-smoke game scheduled for Mexico City in December that season.
Players to watch: Fifth-year forward Kawhi Leonard is becoming the new face of a franchise that for so long has won led by its Big Three: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. He leads his team in scoring with a 21.1 point average, ranks second in the NBA in three-point percentage, seventh in steals and top 20 in scoring, field-goal percentage and free-throw percentage … New Spur LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 15.9 points and 8.8 rebounds, has nine double-doubles and has led the Spurs in scoring eight times … Wolves rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns' 25-point, 16-rebound game in Monday's loss at Boston was his second consecutive 20-10 game, his third in the past four games and the seventh time this season. He is the 11th player in franchise history to record a 25-15 game; Kevin Garnett has done that 84 times as a Timberwolf. Towns was 9-for-9 from the free-throw line Monday and has made his past 28 attempts.
Injuries: Wolves C Nikola Pekovic (Achilles' surgery) is getting close to returning to full-contact practice but remains out indefinitely. The Spurs report no injuries.
JERRY ZGODA
