Oct 7, 2008 - 12:10 AM
1 shoutBy David Cotey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Timberwolves took their first steps toward forgetting their dreadful 2007-08 campaign.
Rashad McCants scored 22 points and Al Jefferson had 18 and eight rebounds to lead the Timberwolves to a 117-79 preseason blowout over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center on Monday.
The rebuilding Timberwolves finished 22-60 last season - including 7-34 on the road - after trading Kevin Garnett to the champion Boston Celtics in the offseason.
Minnesota rookie forward Kevin Love scored 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting with six rebounds in his NBA debut.
The 20-year-old first-round draft pick averaged 18.0 points and 13.5 rebounds in four summer league appearances after starring at UCLA, where he was named the Pac-10 Player of the Year as a freshman.
Charlie Villanueva scored 14 points while Ramon Sessions and Matt Freije scored 11 each to lead the Bucks, who went 26-56 a season ago.
Richard Jefferson, acquired in an offseason trade with the New Jersey Nets, scored four points in eight minutes in his Bucks debut before leaving with a strained left quadriceps in the first quarter.
Olympic gold medalist Michael Redd started for the Bucks and scored seven points in 19 minutes.
A pair of Bucks' starters - center Andrew Bogut (migraine) and newly acquired point guard Luke Ridnour (right knee tendinitis) - did not play.
From the Bleachers
-
MINNESOTA: 117
MILWAUKEE: 79
Final
Oct 6 10:30 PM -
MINNESOTA: 88
MILWAUKEE: 55
End of 3rd
Oct 6 10:02 PM -
MINNESOTA: 60
MILWAUKEE: 37
Halftime
Oct 6 9:17 PM -
MINNESOTA: 32
MILWAUKEE: 21
End of 1st
Oct 6 8:41 PM -
