Wolves play on with Kirilenko, Roy

The Timberwolves commence life without Kevin Love -- again -- tonight in a preseason game in Chicago.

They also play on tonight again without starting point guard Luke Ridnour, who'll miss his third preseason game because of that sore/stiff back.

Well, at least they won't have to worry about Love breaking his hand again in a preseason game there, like he did three years ago this week.

Love already took care of that with those knuckle pushups on Wednesday.

Now others must carry on.

When Rick Adelman was asked about Love's injury on Thursday, he mentioned Derrick Williams, Dante Cunningham and Lou Amundson as players who will have to step up in his absence.

But more than anyone, the Wolves might have to rely most on Andrei Kirilenko and Brandon Roy, two former All Stars who perhaps can find parts of their games from the past faster than you would have expected.

Kirilenko now likely will have to play some power forward as well as his small-forward spot.

"I don't really care, it's not really my position," he said. "But I think basketball is that kind of game. Different teams you play against are different matchups. Like we play San Antonio, I don't think it's a good matchup with (Tim) Duncan. But playing different teams like Dallas, with (Dirk) Nowitzki, it's a good matchup. He's long. He likes to move on the perimeter. That's pretty much my position. So different teams, different approach."

Kirilenko won't get that matchup when the Wolves visit Dallas on Nov. 12: Nowitzki has undergone arthroscopic knee surgery and won't return to the court for at least six weeks, so neither he nor Love will play in that game.

The Wolves and Roy will have to be careful not to ask him to do more than he's physically ready for.

"You know, as a player, when they said hes going to be down, of course I want to do more," Roy said. "But he's a veteran coach and hes going to be smart. For me, I just have to be a little more aggressive. I don't think the minutes will change but when I'm on the court I have to be a little more aggressive and assertive."