On a 108-99 loss, Darko and other things

Kurt Rambis lamented the same kind of lack of effort and purpose after tonight's loss as he did last night in Detroit.

This one was the Wolves' fourth straight defeat after they had won a season-high four in a row.

The most interesting things about tonight's game:

* Jonny Flynn didn't play at all in the fourth quarter after playing a bit more than seven minutes in the third. Instead, he again turned to Ramon Sessions, this time for nearly the game's final 17 minutes.

* The Wolves scored the game's first eight points and took early leads of 15-6, 20-7 and 24-12 against a Wizards team torn up by two big trades in the last five days that sent away Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and right before tonight's game Antawn Jamison.

Flip Saunders joked before the game that he was going to use a roll of the dice to choose his starting lineup.

* The Wizards used a late 14-4 run to turn a 94-93 lead with 4:15 left into a 108-97 bulge with 44 seconds left. Sessions, Love, Gomes, Brewer and Big Al were on the floor for most of that time.

* Where was this guy last year: Former Wolf Mike Miller has been on a three-point tear recently and he went 5 for 5 tonight, including 3 for 3 in a fourth quarter when he scored nine of his 17 points.

"I picked my spots," he said. "I told you from the beginning I'm going to pick my spots."

OK, enough about the game.

Here's some stuff from David Kahn on the trade that brings in Darko Milicic for a 27-game audtion.

Kahn said he plans to travel to New York City Thursday to meet with Milicic and explain why the team traded for him and urge him to make the most of what might be his last stop in the NBA. Milicic has been left to rot on the Knicks bench -- he hasn't played a game since November -- and has indicated he has had enough of the NBA and will return to Europe next season after his $7.5 million contract expires after this season.

"He understandably was very frustrated. He may feel that way now. We don't yet. I'm hopeful that he will kind of clear his mind for at least a couple months and see what these next two months bring and at that point, make that determination (whether to return to Europe)."

Unlike Alando Tucker, expect Milicic to play.

"No doubt he will play," Kahn said.

He'll get a two-month audition as the Wolves search for that long, athletic shot blocker to complement Love and Jefferson.

This is his fifth NBA team. He's in his seventh NBA season, even though he won't turn 25 until June.

"Man, it stinks," Love said. "That's when you find out it's a business. Most of the guys here weren't too happy about it because he's such a quality guy. He's my guy on the team, kind of my mentor. It hurts.

"He told me before the game, so I can use that as an excuse for the first half."

Love didn't score a point and had eight rebounds in the first half.

Love held out hope that the team would bring Cardinal back after a 30-day waiting period. The Knicks expect to waive Cardinal to make way for players acquired in deals they're working on to send Nate Robinson to Boston and bring Tracy McGrady to Madison Square Garden by 2 p.m. today.

Cardinal watched the first half from a row behind the bench, then left after the team announced the deal at halftime.

That's all from D.C. tonight.

Cardinal flew back home with the team after the game.

Kahn said he expect Milicic to join the team by Friday night's home game against Chicago.

He also said he didn't know if he'll make any more moves by today's deadline, but said if he did, they'd be similar to this one and not anything "dramatic."