The Minnesota Timberwolves and New Orleans Hornets are tied 50-50 at halftime Friday.
Nikola Pekovic has scored 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting and grabbed four rebounds to lead the Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves jumped out to a 28-23 lead in the first quarter, but the Hornets responded with a good second quarter to tie it before halftime. The Hornets took a 50-48 lead on a basket by Austin Rivers with 32 seconds remaining in the half, but Andrei Kirilenko tied it before the half ended.
Kirilenko has eight points, five rebounds and two assists and Minnesota is shooting 51 percent in the half despite the struggles of star Kevin Love. Love has eight points, but he's made just 2-for-11 shots and he only has one rebound in the half.
Rivers had 19 first half points for the Hornets and Ryan Anderson and Robin Lopez each have eight. Rookie Anthony Davis has scored seven off the bench.