Timberwolves Vs. Jazz Preview: Minnesota Trying To Stay Above .500

The Minnesota Timberwolves were teetering on the edge of .500 for the longest time, missing the opportunity to actually get there three times in a row, before finally getting past it ... and promptly losing Ricky Rubio for the rest of the season. Since then, they've won some and lost some, but ultimately have had to depend on Kevin Love even more than usual, which is definitely saying something.

Still, if Love is producing, then he's producing. He put up 30 points in the team's last outing, a 127-124 victory over the Phoenix Suns, but they're still not on a winning streak. They lost two-straight games to the Hornets and Lakers, though at no fault of Love's. He put up 31 points against the Hornets and grabbed 16 rebounds.

Sitting at 22-21, the Timberwolves have maintained their place above .500, but only just. They're just above .500 on the road, which should help them, but the Jazz (at 20-22 overall) are sporting a 15-6 record at home and will be a very tough test. This is the second of seven games on this road trip for the Timberwolves, and they need to stay ahead, as a losing skid on the road is tough to swallow.

The Jazz aren't doing so great right now, with a 4-4 record in the month of March and losses in three of their last four, broken up only by a 105-90 win over the hapless Pistons on March 12. Their last outing was a 120-111 loss to the Suns, but that was on the road. They're back at home for a couple games, so will be a much tougher test and generally more defensively sound. The game is set for 9:00 p.m. ET on Thursday.

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