The Timberwolves met recently released veteran Andre Miller wearing black and silver for the first time and his new San Antonio Spurs team for the last time this season in a resounding 116-91 loss Tuesday that reminded there's a second team still out there in the West.
The Spurs rested graybeards Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, sat injured Tony Parker and asked assistant coach Ettore Messina to sub for Gregg Popovich for the second time in as many nights. Unlike Monday's loss at Indiana, the Spurs on Tuesday kept up their persistent pursuit of history-making Golden State by winning for the 54th time in 64 games themselves.
Don't look now, but the Spurs trail the 56-6 Warriors and their traveling big-top tent by only three games with six weeks left in the regular season.
"What does that tell you?" Wolves interim head coach Sam Mitchell said afterward. "Every time you turn on SportsCenter, there's Golden State and there's San Antonio just sitting there. So if Golden State ever stumbles or a key player gets hurt, they're going to be right there to take advantage of that number one spot. They're just a great organization, just a great team. …
"They have been for 14, 15 years. They know the system. They know how to play. They just keep bringing guys in."
Mitchell was asked before Tuesday's game about the Spurs missing a collection of players once upon a time nicknamed the Big Three, and Mitchell answered by saying he'd feel better if Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge were out.
He had good reason: Aldridge scored 19 of his 29 points in a first half when the Spurs assumed control by scoring the second quarter's final nine points on their way to a 59-47 halftime lead that grew to as many as 26 points in the second half.
Leonard went for 15 points and five rebounds before he and Aldridge sat the entire fourth quarter and the Spurs just plugged their holes and rolled, subbing Miller for Parker at point guard, David West for Duncan at center and Kyle Anderson for Ginobili off the bench.
Playing for the fourth time in five nights and shorthanded as well, the Wolves faded fast, just when the Spurs started get physical right around halftime.
"We're fatigued, but there's no excuse," Wolves point guard Ricky Rubio said. "We didn't play well."
Miller played nearly 25 minutes, six more than he had in his first five games since the Wolves bought him out and San Antonio signed the league's oldest player — one month older than Duncan, Miller turns 40 on March 19 — for the season's stretch run into the playoffs.
"It's the NBA, it's simple basketball," Miller said after he made five of six shots from the field, scored 13 points and had five assists. "That's how I've been taught all my life."
Messina praised Miller's "poise," Aldridge gave a thumbs-up review by saying "he played great" and Mitchell remembered how Miller's experience impacted Rubio and young guards Zach LaVine and Tyus Jones.
"Andre was great for me," Mitchell said. "He was a pleasure to coach. He did a lot of good things for us in that locker room, and when we needed him to play, he played for us. So I think we did right by Andre and I think Andre did right by us. I'm just happy he's going to have a chance to go deep in the playoffs and you never know, he may get a ring."
