As bad as the Wolves felt about losing a winnable game against Utah, the Jazz couldn't feel a whole lot better about winning it. The victory wasn't a particularly convincing one for such a veteran squad, and mostly reinforced their problems on the road, where they are only 6-9. Utah is 2-5 away from home the past three weeks, with the only other win over, ahem, New Jersey. "We're just happy to get this win and move on," Carlos Boozer said. "We'll take it."
Something about the Jazz brings out the best in the Wolves, who executed their offense rather well even in defeat. Minnesota finished with 31 assists, five more than their previous season high -- and that's with just two from the starting point guard. And they made almost 53 percent of their shots, a total that will win most games.
Which is why the Wolves were so disappointed to fall behind by 17, dooming them despite a 19-6 rally to the finish.
A couple more loose ends from Target Center:
-- After playing Utah three times in barely more than three weeks, the teams don't meet again until March 17.
-- Funny moment in the second quarter, when Al Jefferson was whistled for a blocking foul as Deron Williams drove the lane. Jefferson asked referee Matt Boland if he had arrived at the spot where they collided first. When Boland answered, no, Jefferson kept turning around while Williams shot free throws, holding his thumb and forefinger an inch apart, and asking, "Just a little bit first? Just this much?"
-- Bizarre game for Kevin Love, who seemed frustrated in the third quarter -- and with good reason. He had only three points and eight rebounds to that point, and had missed a couple of free throws. That's why he was clearly unhappy with his game afterward. But if you merely judge by the box score, he had a fabulous night, just missing his first career triple-double.
-- Love made a pair of three-pointers in the fourth quarter, but coach Kurt Rambis wasn't ready to endorse Love as the Wolves' primary three-point shooter. "It's a very dangerous thing for big players, to be enticed by that. A lot of players will just let that consume their game. That's all they want to do," Rambis said. "And he's such a terrific rebounder, i don't want him staying out there and give up our rebounding opportunities."
