Rusty Ricky Rubio held scoreless as Wolves lose in Memphis by 22

MEMPHIS – Timberwolves starting point guard Ricky Rubio made his preseason debut in Sunday's 90-68 loss at Memphis, offering a defensive presence and showing the residue from his time away.

He missed the first four preseason games because of a strained quad and hadn't played a game since last March because of a severely sprained ankle that limited him to 22 games and required April surgery.

"I felt a little rusty, but it's a matter of time," Rubio said. "Don't worry, there's two more games in preseason. I'll be ready for regular season to start."

Wolves interim head coach Sam Mitchell said he'd play Rubio until he tired. Apparently, that wasn't until Rubio played 23 minutes and delivered a scoreless performance that also included four assists, three rebounds, two turnovers and a steal.

He played until late in the third quarter and then sat the entire fourth along with rest of the team's starting lineup, which for the second consecutive game again featured veterans Kevin Garnett and Tayshaun Prince alongside youngster Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns.

"I felt good, so I kept playing," Rubio said. "I got tired pretty quick, but I want to get up to that game speed."

Rubio missed all four field goals he attempted, including the game's first shot 15 seconds after the opening tip.

Mitchell used the same word Rubio did.

"I thought he was rusty," said Mitchell, who praised his team's first-half defense that was helped by Rubio's return. "For a guy who had two practices and hadn't played for two weeks, I thought he was rusty. But I liked a lot of things we did out there."

Like so many others in the coaching community, Memphis coach Dave Joerger has followed from afar while Wolves president of basketball operations and coach Flip Saunders, Joerger's longtime friend, remains hospitalized because of serious complications from cancer treatments.

"You just hear the undercurrents and you try to get as close to the circle as you can getting information and you just try to keep it to yourself," said Joerger, who attended Saunders' training camps when he was a young coach. "It's a tough deal."

• Mitchell started Wiggins at shooting guard for a second consecutive game and brought Zach LaVine off the bench, this time as the team's backup point guard. LaVine played 25 minutes, scored two points and had three assists while Andre Miller and Tyus Jones didn't play at all. Mitchell said he wanted to evaluate LaVine at the point and said the team will work with him at that position.

• Guard Kevin Martin didn't play for the second consecutive game. He said before the game that his back still has some soreness but said he was fit enough to play.

• Dieng's fourth-quarter three-pointer was his second in as many preseason games. That's more than he made in either of his first two regular seasons.

• One game after resting their starters, the Grizzlies sat seven reserves including Jeff Green, Matt Barnes and Brandan Wright.