Wolves-Orlando game preview

November 18, 2015 at 5:55AM
Magic center Nikola Vucevic, right, is one of only two players who has averaged 10 rebounds in each of the past three seasons.
Magic center Nikola Vucevic, right, is one of only two players who has averaged 10 rebounds in each of the past three seasons. (Brian Wicker — Associated Press file/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

6 p.m. at Orlando • FSN, 830-am

Preview: The Wolves finish a stretch during which they will have played seven games in 10 days, including back-to-back games Tuesday in Miami and Wednesday in Orlando. Meanwhile, the Magic has not played since last Thursday, when it lost 108-99 at Washington. … The Magic is 5-6 under new coach Scott Skiles and is 3-2 at home and 2-4 on the road. … Orlando swept the season series 2-0 a year ago and has won 11 of the past 13 games between the teams.

Players to watch: Magic center Nikola Vucevic is one of only two players who has averaged 10 rebounds in each of the past three seasons. Memphis' Zach Randolph is the other. Vucevic hit a 20-foot shot just before the buzzer to beat the Lakers last week, the first such winner of his career. … Young Wolves star Andrew Wiggins entered Tuesday's game at Miami having led his team in scoring four of its previous five games, shooting 51.5 percent from the field and averaging 26 points a game in that stretch. Rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns is one of eight players in the past 30 years — and just the second since the 1997-98 season — to average at least 15 points and 10 rebounds in his first 10 games.

Injuries: Wolves C Nikola Pekovic is out indefinitely, recovering from April surgery on his Achilles' tendon. Guards Evan Fournier, Victor Oladipo, C.J Watson and forward Jason Smith are listed as questionable for Orlando.

JERRY ZGODA

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