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Red-hot Blazers go for 12th straight win vs. Timberwolves

Dec 28, 2007 - 3:51 PM Minnesota (4-23) at Portland (16-12) 10:00 pm EST

PORTLAND, Oregon (Ticker) - The Portland Trail Blazers are the hottest team in the NBA, and Brandon Roy is thrusting himself among the game's elite players.

The Blazers will look for their 12th straight win when they host the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

Portland, which finished just 32-50 last season en route to earning the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, is set to push its current string of victories to 12 for the first time since 2002. And at 13-3 at the Rose Garden, the Blazers are tied for the second best record in the Western Conference at home.

Roy, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, was recently named the Western Conference's player of the week two weeks in a row and is leading the team in scoring at 19 points per game and assists at 5.6.

The Timberwolves, who own the league's worst record, should not be much of a challenge for streaking Portland, which has won eight in a row at home with victories over Western Conference powers Denver, Golden State, Utah and New Orleans.

Minnesota has dropped two in a row, including a 105-101 loss at Golden State on Wednesday. Al Jefferson scored 20 points and pulled down 19 rebounds in the contest, but the Timberwolves committed 22 turnovers, including a shot clock violation with less than 30 seconds remaining.