Call of the wild: Wolves, Grizzlies clash in Memphis

Basketball Betting Lines

02/08/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The much-improved Timberwolves will aim to win for the second time in as many nights without All-Star Kevin Love when they take on the Grizzlies in Memphis tonight.

Love, who leads the Wolves in both scoring (25.0 ppg) and rebounding (13.7), missed Tuesday's 86-84 win over Sacramento after being suspended two games for stomping on Houston's Luis Scola during the third quarter of Saturday's 100-91 win.

Nikola Pekovic stepped up in Love's absence, recording a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead Minnesota as it defeated Sacramento, 86-84, at Target Center.

"Every time out there he brings out new moves," said Minnesota's Derrick Williams about Pekovic's game. "I think he's the strongest player in the NBA. He's quick off his feet, too. He's really agile and just quick. He's one of a kind with his strength."

Michael Beasley added his own double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds for the Wolves, who have now won three straight overall. Williams, starting in place of Love, added 14 points and pulled down eight boards.

Minnesota hasn't won four consecutive contests since Jan. 29-Feb. 6, 2010.

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have dropped three straight, including the opener of a five-game homestand to San Antonio on Monday.

Marc Gasol had 22 points and nine rebounds while Mike Conley finished with 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds in the 89-84 setback for Memphis, which is now 7-4 at FedEx Forum and will finish its residency with games against Indiana, Utah and Houston.

"We made some shots and got some stops. Then in the fourth quarter, we just couldn't make a shot anymore. They (Spurs) were hurting us in the pick-and- roll and just kept getting what they needed. It was a close game. We just couldn't get the stop and when we got the ball, we just couldn't finish on the offensive end," Memphis head coach Lionel Hollins said.

The Grizzlies have won four straight on Beale Street over Minnesota and eight of nine overall, including a 90-86 win in the Twin Cities back on Jan. 4. Memphis is unbeaten in its last five contests in this series.

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Big East Conference odds

Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence

Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.

Work left to do:

Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.

Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.

DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...

West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.

Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.

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