Without Miller and Jones, Wolves down to two point guards at Denver

Ricky Rubio and Zach LaVine are only natural options at point guard tonight at Denver

December 12, 2015 at 12:03AM
Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio, left, and guard Zach LaVine celebrated a three-pointer by LaVine during the second half Monday.
Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio, left, and guard Zach LaVine celebrated a three-pointer by LaVine during the second half Monday. (Brian Wicker — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

With Tyus Jones assigned to the D League and Andre Miller away from the team because of personal reasons, the Wolves will play on at Denver tonight with Ricky Rubio and Zach LaVine as their only available somewhat natural point guards.

That wouldn't have been an issue in any recent games because Rubio and LaVine are sharing all those minutes anyway, but there's no insurance tonight if something happens to either one.

Miller is expected to rejoin the team in time for Sunday's game at Phoenix.

Wolves interim head coach Sam Mitchell said he knows what his third option will be if it's needed, but he wasn't saying after shootaround Friday. It could be Nemanja Bjelica, the 6-10 point forward who can pass and create.

Veteran Kevin Martin has his sprained shooting wrist iced after the morning shoot and it clearly was bothering him, but he said he'd play through it against the Nuggets, whom the Wolves beat here at Pepsi Center in the season's second game.

Like the Wolves, the Nuggets have been better on the road than home, too. They've lost their last five home games.

Jones, by the way, will play his second game with the Idaho Stampede in the D-League tonight.

Here's the YouTube link to watch the game against Bakersfield, which starts same time as the Wolves' game here in the Mountain time zone, at 8 p.m. Central time.

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about the writer

about the writer

Jerry Zgoda

Reporter

Jerry Zgoda covers Minnesota United FC and Major League Soccer for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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