Wounded T-Wolves for Spurs' taking

LOS ANGELES • The San Antonio Spurs will be walking tall into a road game against a downtrodden Minnesota Timberwolves team who have been unable to find their way without Karl-Anthony Towns.

The Spurs and Timberwolves are set for a double header in the Twin Cities, with a quick transition to a second game today.

The Spurs ended a four-game losing streak in style, taking over Los Angeles this week with a win over the Clippers on Tuesday and another over the Lakers on Thursday.

Not only did San Antonio (4-4) hang a 118-109 victory on the Lakers, it was far from a sneak attack since the Spurs had showed what they were capable of in a 116-113 win over the Clippers two days earlier in the same building.

The Lakers were essentially near full strength with LeBron James and Anthony Davis fit and firing, although they were missing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

The Spurs went right after the Lakers, taking a 34-26 lead after one quarter. LaMarcus Aldridge scored 28 points in the game and DeMar DeRozan had 19 points with eight assists.

The Spurs are now 4-1 when Aldridge is on the court. The veteran missed two previous defeats against the Lakers around New Year's with a sore knee.

"It's the same style of play as last year, there's nothing different," head coach Gregg Popovich said in comparing this year's team with his 32-39 squad a year ago who went 1-6 against both LA teams.

"We've just been together a little longer, added a couple more players, we're a little deeper than we were and they're playing well."

After a 2-0 start, the Timberwolves are on a six-game losing streak. The most recent defeat came on Thursday when they fell 135-117 against the Portland Trail Blazers.

If there is any consolation in defeat, the 117 points were the Timberwolves' most in any game this season. Of course, the 135 they allowed, too, were a season high.

A defence that saw the Trail Blazers shoot 54.4 per cent from the field needs work. Entering play on Friday, Minnesota's 121.9 points allowed per game was second worst in the National Basketball Association to the Washington Wizards (122.9).

"Chemistry plays a major role in (defence), figuring out problems, but I think we're all right, though," guard D'Angelo Russell said.

"I think we can look on the film and see where we can act on those missteps and try to get better."

Towns remains out indefinitely after he dislocated his wrist two games into the season.

Minnesota won both games he played and have lost every game since.

REUTERS