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Slumping Timberwolves host first-place Jazz

Mar 2, 2007 - 4:31 PM Utah (38-19) at Minnesota (26-31) 8:00 pm EST

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The hiring of Randy Wittman has done little to shake up the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Just 6-11 since Wittman replaced Dwane Casey as coach on January 23, the Timberwolves host the first-place Utah Jazz on Friday.

Minnesota trails the Los Angeles Clippers by two games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Jazz were 8-2 in February and own a 9 1/2-game lead over second-place Denver in the Northwest Division. They concluded February with a 104-88 triumph at Memphis as All-Star Carlos Boozer collected 24 points and 16 rebounds.

Utah is in the middle contest of a three-game road trip, which concludes against the New Orleans Hornets at Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Minnesota is coming off a 91-65 loss to Dallas on Tuesday.