NBA: Timberwolves Vs. Pacers: Kevin Love Sets Record, Leads Pack to Win
“MVP! MVP! MVP!” The Target Center crowd chanted in support of their beloved (ahem—no pun intended) superstar Wednesday night.
And when Kevin Love secured another double-double? He received a standing ovation.
The Minnesota forward is at 52—and counting—consecutive double-double games, finally breaking the previous record set by Moses Malone in 1979. A 101-75 win over the Pacers sweetened the deal for Timberwolves fans.
“[The fans] have been great all year,” commented Love postgame. “But like I said, they are a funny crowd.”
One probably couldn’t find many fanbases that would continue to cheer so hard for a team who has a record of 16-50, but Minnesota stands loyal.
Early in the second quarter, Love scored his 10th point from behind the charity stripe to break Malone’s record, and the entire crowd rose in unison.
Ending the game with a total of 16 points and 21 rebounds, Love stands only 94 rebounds away from a franchise single-season record. Kevin Garnett currently holds the number to beat with 1,139.
From the time they entered the arena, the Timberwolves had their minds set on success. The midwest ballclub held a 10-point lead at halftime, but it wasn’t until the third quarter that they really pulled away.
Any fan will testify that Minnesota tends to fall stagnant in the second half, but this was simply not the case Wednesday. The Wolves went on a 10-0 run to start the third period, and the rest was history.
Minnesota held the Pacers to an embarrassing 29 percent from the floor and overshadowed them in every area of the book. The Wolves grabbed 66 boards to Indiana’s 46 and scored 38 points in the paint compared to Indiana’s 24.
Although the Pacers have lost eight straight games, they somehow remain in playoff contention. Tyler Hansbrough, who led the team with 21 points, was asked about their record postgame.
“It’s unbelievable, but yeah we’re still in the playoffs as of right now. That’s why we need to turn things around quickly.”
Love wasn’t the only member of Minnesota’s lineup to perform well on Wednesday. Michael Beasley scored 16 points in just 22 minutes on the hardwood, while Anthony Randolph and Anthony Tolliver added 14 apiece.
Head coach Kurt Rambis continues to show more confidence and excitement in Randolph, who has only played with the Wolves for a couple of weeks. He also added seven rebounds in his 18 minutes of play.
Following the home win, the Timberwolves will enjoy a day off before facing the Utah Jazz at the Target Center Friday night. Tip-off is set for 7PM.
