Kevin Love didn't practice today and was listed as questionable for Wednesday's game against Oklahoma City.

The Wolves are calling his illness an upper respiration infection, the same thing center Ryan Hollins' illness initiallI'y was termed.

That kept Hollins out six games before he returned to play six-plus minutes in Monday's overtime victory over Philadelphia.

I'm guessing Love won't be out nearly that long. But if he has something similar to what Hollins had, a comeback by tomorrow night might be asking a bit much.

Wednesday's opponent is the Thunder.

Little more than a year ago, OKC was 3-29. Now, they are 23-18.

If the season ended today, they'd be in line for the playoffs, as the eighth seed.

A year ago, Portland clearly was leading the pack among young Western teams building for the future.

Now, suddenly, the Thunder looks the team best pointed toward, say, five years down the road.

The biggest reason is Kevin Durant, who sure looks like a blossoming superstar and future league MVP contender.

Here's a charticle -- part chart, part article -- I did for Wednesday's paper handicapping the arms race among six rebuilding Western Conference teams.

You'll notice I've got the Wolves' No. 5.

Too low? Or too high?

www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/82124712.html