Greetings from Target Center, where the Jazz and about half the Wolves roster will play in a few minutes.
Perhaps the newsiest note to come out of the pre-game meeting with Wolves coach Flip Saunders was this: Center Nikola Pekovic, who has battled ankle soreness for years now, will not play again this season. That means he ends this season, his fifth , having played in a career-low 31 games.
That's 37.8 percent.
Through five seasons Pekovic has appeared in 259 of a possible 394 games, or roughly two-thirds. But that includes his first season, 2010-11, when he played in 65 of 82 games. In the four years since? Just 62.2 percent. The last two seasons that number has dropped to 51.8 percent.
Saunders would not elaborate on Pekovic. When he was asked when the decision was made to sit him for the rest of the season, he told reporters to talk to the team's medical people, something reporters are not allowed to do.
Also out tonight: Gorgui Dieng, who has concussion-like symptoms. Kevin Garnett and Shabazz Muhammad are both home sick. Kevin Martin is listed as available, but I bet he doesn't play. Gary Neal, Pek and Ricky Rubio are also out.
Justin Hamilton will start at center.
That's about it for now. I'll get back to you after the game.
