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Spurs hoping to avoid second straight embarrassing loss

Mar 17, 2009 - 8:35 AM By Matt Becker Stats Writer

Minnesota (20-46) at San Antonio (44-22) 8:30 p.m. EDT

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs let a potential victory slip away last time out against one of the league's worst teams. Tim Duncan is not going to let that happen again.

The Southwest Division-leading Spurs look to bounce back from a surprising loss and win their ninth straight over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the opener of a four-game homestand Tuesday night.

San Antonio lost all momentum from Saturday's key 88-85 win over Houston with Monday's 78-76 loss to last-place Oklahoma City. The loss, coupled with the Rockets' win over New Orleans, moved Houston (44-25) within 2 1/2 games of the Spurs in the Southwest.

San Antonio had won nine of its previous 13 games and those four losses were all against teams likely playoff-bound - Cleveland, Portland, Dallas and the Los Angles Lakers.

On Monday, the Spurs appeared on their way to an easy win with a 17-point first-quarter lead but scored only 34 points in the second half and were held to a season low in points. The Thunder didn't take their first lead until midway through the fourth, spoiling Gregg Popovich's 1,000th game as coach.

"A game that we should have had and continued to add to our record, but we let one slip away," said Duncan, who had 14 points and 12 rebounds Monday for his fifth straight double-double. "It is over now, it is gone. We just have to worry about tomorrow and trying to clean up tomorrow."

While a loss to Oklahoma City is upsetting for San Antonio, which is expected to contend for a championship, a defeat to Minnesota would be just as disappointing.

The Spurs have won eight straight over the Timberwolves since a 103-101 overtime loss on January 3, 2007, and 13 of 14 meetings since the start of the 2005-06 season. San Antonio has also won nine straight at home in the series since a 100-93 loss on January 14, 2004.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 28 points Monday and is averaging 36.0 points in three games against the Timberwolves this season - his highest scoring average against any opponent. The three-time All-Star had a career-high 55 points in the Spurs' 129-125 double-overtime victory in Minnesota on November 5.

The Timberwolves have already been eliminated from the playoffs and are left to play the role of spoiler down the stretch.

On Saturday, they defeated a Charlotte team in contention for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference 108-100.

"Our mindset today was if we aren't making the playoffs, then they're not," Randy Foye said.

Keeping the Spurs out of the playoffs is a very unlikely scenario but Minnesota can trim their lead atop the division.

The Timberwolves shot 53.1 percent Saturday to win for the second time in three games and just the fourth time in their last 23.

Rookie Kevin Love scored 22 points against the Bobcats after finishing with only six on 2-of-7 shooting in Friday's 102-94 loss to New York.

Ryan Gomes added 21 points Saturday and is averaging 24.0 points in his last five games - 10.5 better than his season average. Gomes has done a solid job carrying Minnesota's offense since Al Jefferson was lost for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL last month.

The Timberwolves open a three-game road trip Tuesday and play six of their next seven away from the Target Center.