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Carmelo Anthony, Nikola Pekovic named NBA Players of Week through April 7, 2013

New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony and Minnesota Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic today were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, April 1 through Sunday, April 7.

Anthony led the Knicks, who are in the midst of a 12-game winning streak, to a 4-0 week. He averaged a league-best 41.8 points and became just the second Knick (Bernard King) to tally 40-or-more points in three consecutive outings. Anthony set a season high and tied a career high with 50 points during a 102-90 win over the Miami Heat on April 2. He posted back-to-back double-doubles to close the week in wins over the Milwaukee Bucks on April 5 and Oklahoma City Thunder on April 7.

Pekovic helped the Timberwolves to a 3-1 week behind averages of 25.0 points (third in the conference), and 8.5 rebounds (11th in the conference), while shooting .589 from the field (ninth in the conference). Pekovic led Minnesota in scoring in all four contests and in rebounding three times. His 20-point, 13-rebound performance to close the week during a 107-101 win over the Detroit Pistons marked the 1,000th career victory for head coach Rick Adelman.

Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Brooklyn’s Deron Williams, Chicago’s Carlos Boozer, Denver’s Corey Brewer, Indiana’s Roy Hibbert, Memphis’ Mike Conley, and Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Rick Adelman reaches 1,000 wins as an NBA head coach

Rick Adelman reaches 1,000 wins as an NBA head coach

With tonight’s Minnesota Timberwolves’ 107-101 win over the Detroit Pistons, Wolves head coach Rick Adelman becomes the eighth NBA head coach to record 1,000 career victories, joining Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl as the only active members of the 1,000-win club. By reaching the milestone in his 1703rd NBA game, Adelman becomes the fifth-fastest NBA head coach to win 1,000 NBA games. In his 22nd season as an NBA head coach, tonight’s victory moves Adelman’s career coaching record to 1000-703, a winning percentage of .587.

Adelman, 66, has served as head coach of five NBA teams: Portland (1988 – 94), Golden State (1995 – 97), Sacramento (1998 – 2006), Houston (2007 – 11) and Minnesota (2012 – current). Some of his coaching highlights include: two NBA Finals appearances (1990 and 1992 with Portland), four Western Conference Finals (1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92 with Portland and 2001-02 with Sacramento) and four division titles (1990-91 and 1991-92 with Portland; 2001-02 and 2002-03 with Sacramento).

Adelman’s teams have reached the NBA playoffs in 16 of his 21+ seasons as a head coach, and he holds an all-time playoff record of 79-78 (.503 winning percentage). He is one of only five head coaches in NBA history to win 60+ games in a season with two different teams (Portland and Sacramento). Adelman has been runner-up for the NBA Coach of the Year award four times.

Adelman began his coaching career at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, where his teams amassed a 141-39 record over six seasons (1977-83). Chemeketa won or shared in three Oregon community college championships and one regional title.

Nikola Pekovic scores 29, Timberwolves beat banged-up Celtics

Nikola Pekovic

Nikola Pekovic bruised and battered the overmatched Boston front line for 29 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 110-100 victory over the Celtics on Monday night.

Andrei Kirilenko had 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Dante Cunningham scored 19 points off the bench for the Wolves, who delivered coach Rick Adelman his 998th career victory.

Avery Bradley scored 19 points for Boston, which was playing without Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. The Celtics, who started the day 2 1/2 games ahead of eight-seeded Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference playoff race, have lost seven of their last nine games.

This one snapped an 11-game winning streak against the Wolves, who beat Boston for the first time since Garnett was traded there in 2007.

Jeff Green had a quiet night with just 10 points and seven rebounds, while Jason Terry and Terrence Williams each scored 14 points for Boston, which was a step slow on the second night of a back-to-back…

Ricky Rubio had nine points and 10 assists for the Timberwolves.

— Reported by Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press

Coach Rick Adelman closing in on 1,000 wins

Rick Adelman

Timberwolves assistant coach Terry Porter has known Rick Adelman as a father figure, mentor and close friend.

When Porter first met Adelman 28 years ago, he never imagined that he would be adding “coaching legend” to describe their relationship.

Now that Adelman is closing in on 1,000 wins as an NBA head coach, a milestone only seven other coaches in league history have reached, Porter know as as well as anyone that the description is appropriate and well-deserved.

“I’m sure this is something he will be very proud of,” Porter said. “He might not mention it, but when he looks back on things, how he got started and where he came from … to join such a quality group will be pretty special for him. When you look at the guys in that club, they’re all hall of famers.”

Adelman, 66, is three wins shy of reaching elite status heading into the Wolves’ game Monday night, April 1, against Boston at Target Center.

— Reported by Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press

Timberwolves step up to beat Thunder 101-93

nikola pekovic

If the Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t able to catch the San Antonio Spurs in the race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, Kevin Durant and Co. may look back to a late March night in Minnesota as the moment they let it slip away.

Barreling down on the Spurs with 11 victories in their previous 14 games, the rolling Thunder slammed into a 6-foot-11, Montenegrin road block and a feisty Timberwolves team they never saw coming.

Nikola Pekovic had 22 points and 15 rebounds and Ricky Rubio added 17 points and seven assists to help the Timberwolves stun the Thunder 101-93 on Friday night.

”We’ll be fine,” Durant said. ”You know, just a little bump in the road.”

Chase Budinger scored 13 points and Andrei Kirilenko played superb defense on Durant in the second half to help the Wolves deal the Thunder an unexpected setback in their pursuit of the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

Durant had 36 points and seven rebounds, but was just 4 for 9 in the final 22 minutes. Russell Westbrook added 18 points and nine assists for the Thunder, who fell to 2 1/2 games behind the Spurs in the West after San Antonio beat the Clippers.

”I’m pretty sure he’s tired right now,” Kirilenko said of Durant.

— Reported by Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press

Ricky Rubio gets first career triple-double in Timberwolves win over Spurs

Ricky rubio first career triple-double

There hasn’t been much to cheer about at Target Center while the Minnesota Timberwolves endure another long, painful march toward another draft lottery.

Wolves fans do have Ricky Rubio, though. And that was enough on Tuesday night.

Rubio had his first career triple-double with 21 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, leading the Timberwolves to a 107-83 victory over the San Antonio Spurs…

Rubio made 9 of 17 shots and grabbed his 10th board with 9:14 to play in the game, earning a standing ovation from the long-suffering Wolves fans. Alexey Shved broke out of a big slump to score 16 points and Barea had 17 for the Wolves, who hit 12 3-pointers…

Stephen Jackson had 14 points and Danny Green 10 for the Spurs, who left Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard at home to rest after they throttled Oklahoma City on Monday night. San Antonio turned the ball over 17 times, leading to 30 points for Minnesota, and shot just 35.4 percent…

”We’ve got to get things together and go back to who we were,” said Manu Ginobili, who had seven points on 2-for-10 shooting. ”Because it’s happening too often now.” …

Duncan and Leonard stayed back in San Antonio for the second half of a back-to-back with what the team called sore left knees. But coach Gregg Popovich has been known to rest players, especially older veterans like Duncan on back-to-backs. Point guard Tony Parker is also out for another few weeks with a sprained left ankle, so the Spurs started Jackson, Matt Bonner and Cory Joseph in their places.

— Reported by Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press

RELATED: Watch video of Rubio’s triple-double. 

Chase Budinger cleared to practice for Wolves

Chase Budinger

The Timberwolves received some good news in this injury-plagued season when forward Chase Budinger, out since Nov. 10 with a knee injury, was cleared Tuesday, March 12, to practice with the team.

Budinger spoke by phone Tuesday morning with Florida-based orthopedist James Andrews, who performed the Nov. 13 surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus ligament in Budinger’s left knee.

“The doctor said I can go into the next phase, which is a lot of contact work,” Budinger said after the Wolves’ shootaround. “What I can do is start playing one on one with the coaches and do some two-on-two stuff. Hopefully, (Wolves forward) Kevin (Love) will get cleared and we can start working out together and do some two-on-two stuff.”

— Reported by Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press

Jose Juan Barea flagrant foul on Ray Allen downgraded

J.J. Barea’s confrontation with Ray Allen got him ejected from Minnesota’s game against Miami on Monday night. One day later, the NBA ruled that Barea never should have been ejected.

Barea was encouraged by the correction, but it came a little too late for Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman. The NBA downgraded a flagrant 2 on Barea to a flagrant 1 on Tuesday, meaning Barea will not face a fine or suspension for his foul on Allen.

“The NBA did a good job looking at it,” Barea said after practice Tuesday. “It wasn’t that bad. It’s all right.”

— Reported by the Associated Press

Will Flip Saunders be next Timberwolves GM?

There are several indications pointing to the likelihood of former Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders replacing David Kahn as president of basketball operations for the team before the 2013-14 season.

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor wasn’t available for comment on the subject Saturday, but he hasn’t kept it a secret that Saunders has served as a consultant for him on the basketball team during this season.

It was interesting to see Taylor’s quote in Thursday’s Star Tribune about his contact with Saunders. Taylor said: “He’s pretty well aware of what is happening with the Timberwolves.”

And then some time ago Taylor talked about how he was in contact with Saunders for information on how to handle the many injuries the Wolves have suffered this season.

— Reported by Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis Star Tribune