Timberwolves Hand Lakers 7th Straight Loss

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kevin Love had 31 points and 17 rebounds for Minnesota, spoiling Steve Nash's return for languishing Los Angeles and leading the Timberwolves to a 109-99 victory Tuesday night that stuck the Lakers with their seventh straight defeat.

Kevin Martin scored 14 of his season-high-tying 32 points in the opening 10 minutes to help the Timberwolves start strong, and the NBA's highest-scoring first-quarter team surged to a 25-point lead midway through the second period.

Nash had been sidelined since Nov. 10 because of nerve problems in his back. The soon-to-be-40-year-old two-time league MVP had seven points and nine assists in 25 minutes, about 10 more than he was supposed to play.

Timberwolves, Lynx to open new practice facility

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have finalized a plan to build a practice facility across the street from their arena in a vacant former movie theater.

The Timberwolves and their sister WNBA franchise the Minnesota Lynx announced Tuesday a partnership with the Mayo Clinic, which will open a sports medicine clinic adjacent to the basketball areas. This is part of a redevelopment of the building known as Block E, a failed retail and entertainment complex that opened in 2001 but has been largely empty for years. It will be renamed Mayo Clinic Square.

The Timberwolves and Lynx have used a cramped space in the basement of Target Center for their practice court and strength and conditioning work.

The new $20 million facility will open prior to the 2014-15 NBA season.