Rubio ready to play tonight at Phoenix

Ricky Rubio participated in shootaround wearing the starter's practice jersey this morning in Phoenix and called himself ready to play tonight against the Suns.

He said he has recovered from both that tightness in his hip that caused him to miss Thursday's second half in Los Angeles against the Clippers and a trans-Atlantic weekend trip to be with his family after his grandmother died.

"Of course, there are a lot of games during the season and you don't feel 100 percent all the time, but you just go out there and play with your heart," he said.

Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau started rookie Kris Dunn in Sunday's home victory over Denver and played Dunn and Tyus Jones together with the game on the line.

Also from morning shoot...

* Zach LaVine is shooting 5-for-21 and has scored in single digits each of the last two games, but he says it's not because that hip contusion still hurts him.

"Everything's fine," he said. "Just not making shots."

When asked if Karl-Anthony Towns should make the West team, Thibodeau said, "I'm just more concerned about winning. If we win, he'll be recognized."

* Thibodeau would prefer the Wolves' new D-League team be right in town or very nearby -- like nine NBA teams will have next season -- but said he's glad they will have one, the Iowa Energy starting next season. "We'll figure it out," he said.

* Don't look now, but the Wolves are just 2.5 games out of the West's eighth and final playoff after they went 5-2 in their last seven games.

One little thing, though: There are four teams between them and it.

"We can do it," forward Andrew Wiggins said. "We just have to keep playing together."