Wolves point guard Ricky Rubio participated fully in this morning's shootaround at Target Center and said he expects to return to action tonight against the Clippers for the first time since he sprained his right shooting elbow late in a game at Sacramento two weeks ago.

"It feels good," he said. "Still a little sore, but I think it's time to go help the team. I was watching the games at home and it was painful to watch themfrom home. I want to jump out and help them."

Rubio missed five games because of the injury occured when he fell to the floor midway through the fourth quarter of a loss at Sacramento. The Wolves were 2-3 without him.

When asked if he is returning quicker than he expected, he said, "I didn't have any problems before with my elbow, so I didn't know what to expect. I push through it. I'm going to play tonight and see how it feels."

He returns just in time for his team to play an 8-1 Clippers team -- best record in the NBA -- that won 110-108 Friday night at Oklahoma City. The Thunder is the only team that has beaten them so far.

It's a reunion between Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau and the Clippers' Doc Rivers.

Thibodeau was an assistant on Rivers' staff and ran the defense for three seasons, including the Celtics' 2007-08 championship team with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

"Doc's a great coach," said Thibodeau, who still talks often with his former boss. "He has been doing it a long time. He did an incredible job in Boston to get them back to being a championship contender and now he's doing the same thing with the Clippers."

Tonight's game is the start of a rare pair of back-to-back games at Target Center, and both from L.A., too: Clippers tonight and Lakers Sunday night.