Ricky Rubio arrives at Madison Square Garden a starter and feeling fine tonight for the first time in his three NBA seasons.
The Wolves didn't play there during his rookie season, when the NBA lockout shortened the season to 66 games and created an uneven schedule.
Last season, he was just in his first week back from knee surgery when the Wolves visited just before Christmas.
Kevin Love missed that game, too.
Now both are back and presumably ready."Last year I wasn't myself, coming back from an injury, four or five games in," Rubio said. "I was feeling good but my knee wasn't ready. Now I feel pretty good."
The Wolves are playing without injured backup center Ronny Turiaf, who broke his elbow Friday night against Oklahoma City. Rookie Gorgui Dieng will get most of his minutes tonight.
Knicks star Amare Stoudemire won't play in his measured return from injury and J.R. Smith still is serving a season-opening league suspension.
The Wolves are going for their just the second 3-0 start in team history. The only other Wolves team to do so was the 2001-02 team that started 6-0.
