The Wolves aim for their fourth consecutive victory today in Los Angeles and a chance to move over .500 here a month into the season against the Clippers, but they'll do so without starting point guard Ricky Rubio again,.
Bjelica back, Rubio remains out vs. Clippers in LA
Wolves starting point guard will miss second consecutive game because of ankle soreness
Reserve forward Nemanja Bjelica is available to play after he has missed four games because of a knee contusion, but Rubio is inactive and will miss his second consecutive game because of soreness in that left ankle.
That means Zach LaVine will start again at point guard, this time in an early start that begins at 12:30 pm L.A. time and 2:30 p.m. back in Minneapolis.
"I always feel comfortable when I start," LaVine said after Friday's 101-91 win in Sacramento. "I feel comfortable from the get-go. It's just how we need to move the ball, what kind of Zach LaVine do you need, the facilitator Zach or the aggressive one?"
The Clippers will start one former Timberwolf, Luc Mban a Moute, over another (Wesley Johnson) this afternoon for defensive purposes.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was suspended by the NBA on Tuesday for three games without pay for shoving a member of the media.