Adreian Payne will start again at power forward tonight for the Wolves in a game at Phoenix while Kevin Garnett sits down for a second consecutive game.

Flip Saunders says Garnett won't miss a practice, but the two men have agreed to limit his game action, probably for several reasons.

For starters, Saunders said Garnett banged his knee before the All-Star break and still is having issues with it.

For another reason, he told Saunders when last month's trade was made that he'll sit out games but doesn't want to miss practices because he feels he can have more influence on the team's young players there.

Saunders said he also wants to see how Payne responds to Monday's 16-point, 15-rebound game and see if he can follow it with another energetic performance.

And then there's the reason Saunders won't talk about: Making sure the Wolves do nothing to leapfrog over teams in the standings, which would lessen their draft lottery chances.

Saunders said the Wolves probably won't practice tomorrow and said he expects Garnett will be well rested and ready to play Friday at Oklahoma City.

A couple other things as the Wolves play the second game in this four-game trip:

* Saunders said he'll try to limit Ricky Rubio's limits because he appears to be favoring his leg and he hopes to play Zach LaVine more at shooting guard here in the season's closing weeks as well. That would seem to mean you'll see more of Lorenzo Brown to accomodate those two aims.

* Robbie Hummel began dribbling with healing right shooting hand yesterday but still isn't near playing again. Saunders said he expects both Hummel and Anthony Bennett (sprained ankle) will play again before the season ends five weeks hence.