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Hornets visit Timberwolves in Twin Cities

Feb 25, 2011 - 4:28 PM (Sports Network) - The New Orleans Hornets hope to improve on their playoff hopes when they take on Kevin Love and the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center.

The Wolves haven't won much this season and are a Western Conference worst 13-45 but two of those wins have come at the expense of the Hornets. Meanwhile, Love will be shooting for an NBA season-record 45th consecutive double-double tonight.

Love matched Moses Malone's mark set during the 1982-83 season with Philadelphia when he scored 15 points and snared 11 rebounds Wednesday in Minnesota's 104-95 setback to Memphis, the Wolves' sixth straight overall.

"In some ways I was like, 'Okay, I want to tie this thing,' but in a lot of ways I was like, 'I just wish this thing would end so I could go out there and just start playing again,' Love told NBA.com.

Memphis played the Timberwolves forward tough, with Love claiming that Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins told his players to "take it to him until he gets tired." Already over the number in points, Love collected his final four rebounds in the last quarter to complete the double-double.

"They did a good job and had a good game plan," the All-Star said.

Wayne Ellington had a team-best 16 points off the bench against the Grizz while Luke Ridnour scored 15 and Michael Beasley chipped in 14 as Minnesota also lost for a sixth straight time at Target Center.

The Hornets snapped a three-game skid on Wednesday when Chris Paul recorded 19 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, as New Orleans defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 98-87, in the Big Easy.

David West added 22 points and eight boards for the Hornets, who are currently deadlocked with Denver for the fifth seed in the West. Willie Green chipped in with 17 points.

"It was a good win; a good defensive effort on our part as a team," Green said. "It was some of the things we've been going over in practice: getting back to our fundamentals, stopping guys from getting to the paint, making sure we box out and rebound. We did that and kept them in the eighties. When we do that, we're a good team."

Forward Carl Landry is expected to make his New Orleans debut tonight after being acquired from Sacramento on Wednesday for guard Marcus Thornton. Landry should give the Hornets a solid inside presence in the absence of Emeka Okafor, who is expected to miss his 11th straight contest with a strained left hip.

Minnesota, which will be shooting for a season sweep of New Orleans tonight, hasn't whitewashed the Hornets since the 2004-05 campaign.