After a week off between preseason games No. 2 and 3, the Timberwolves return to action Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with many players still trying to prove they belong in coach Flip Saunders' regular-season rotation.

But Kevin Martin's lingering groin injury, Shabazz Muhammad's heel pain and the team's upcoming schedule might delay any final decisions.

"I don't know if we'll be fully into where we're going to be with rotations [until the end of camp]," Saunders said after Thursday's practice.

Martin practiced for the second straight day and appears close to playing. But Saunders will hold him out of Friday's game, hoping Martin can make his preseason debut Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Muhammad has finally shed his walking boot and spent Thursday's practice on a bike. He, too, could play Sunday.

Friday's game starts a stretch of five games in eight days. That, coupled with the Wolves playing a number of road games early in the regular season, has prompted Saunders to be cautious with his veterans. That isn't likely to change Friday, a game in which Saunders again plans to give his younger players big minutes.

Still, Saunders said he is forming some ideas about his rotation, and how deep it will go. He has typically preferred giving significant minutes to eight players.

"But, because of how young we are, and how hard we want to play, maybe we might be able to move that from eight to 10," Saunders said.

The starting five appears set with Ricky Rubio and Martin at guard, Andrew Wiggins and Thaddeus Young at forward and Nikola Pekovic at center. At this point Anthony Bennett figures to back up Young, Corey Brewer will back up Wiggins, and Gorgui Dieng will back up Pekovic. Veteran guard Mo Williams also figures to get significant minutes, especially at the end of games.

That means a number of players fighting very hard for minutes.

Anixous to play

One player who figures to get a lot of time over the final games of preseason is Muhammad. After shedding significant weight during an arduous offseason training program in California, he has managed to shave another 6 pounds off his frame. He is down to 215, nearly 30 pounds lighter than he was as a rookie last season.

"I don't think I'm going to lose any more weight," he said. "I mean, I feel great. My first step is better, even on defense.''

Muhammad, who has typically chosen to try to overpower defenders, said his newfound quickness will add some speed and finesse to his game. "I can't wait to get out there," he said.

Etc.

• Saunders wants to see better zone defense on Friday, something he wants to use a good bit of this season. He said he has been encouraged by how well the team has assimilated it in practice but wants to see it carry over into games. "It's funny, because the hardest thing to teach is offense," Saunders said. "But once you learn it's the easiest to play in games. The easiest thing to teach is defense, but it's the hardest to play in games."

• Backup center Kyrylo Fesenko did not practice Thursday because of an illness and did not accompany the team to Cedar Rapids.