MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — It’s been a slog at times for Arron Afflalo in his second tour with the Denver Nuggets as he tries to re-acclimate himself to a team in flux.
Little by little, it’s all coming back to him. Just ask the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Afflalo scored 34 points and the Nuggets handed the Timberwolves their 12th straight loss with a 110-101 victory on Monday night.
J.J. Hickson had 16 points and 11 rebounds and the Nuggets shot 55 percent to cruise past the Timberwolves. Jusuf Nurkic scored 14 points and Ty Lawson added 12 assists for the Nuggets, whose reserves outscored Minnesota’s 47-10.
If the Nuggets (15-20) are going to turn things around after a terrible start, Afflalo will likely be a catalyst. He’s averaged 25.3 points on 61 percent shooting over the last three games.
“When you go through struggles, which I was going through, I really tried to find myself and find what makes me a better player, a more effective player,” Afflalo said. “I think I’m starting to notice it over the last two or three games, how to be efficient and effective.”
Gorgui Dieng tied a career high with 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Shabazz Muhammad added 19 points and six boards for the Wolves (5-28), who are now tied with Philadelphia and New York for fewest wins in the league. The Timberwolves shot just 43 percent and have not won since Dec. 10 while playing without Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin.
“We’ve just got to dig through these dog days,” said Wolves assistant Sam Mitchell, who filled in when Flip Saunders couldn’t make it to the arena because of an illness.
Nuggets coach Brian Shaw recently switched up the team’s game-day schedule, eliminating the time-honored morning shootaround in favor of a light workout later in the afternoon. Shaw believes starting later in the day gives his players more continuous sleep and has them operating when their bodies are used to exerting their most effort.
The approach was successful on Saturday when the Nuggets thumped the Grizzlies 114-85 and Shaw said before the game on Monday the plan was to employ it the rest of the season to get a large sample size and make a determination going forward about the long-term future.
The Nuggets looked energetic and well-rested again Monday night, though playing against the woeful Timberwolves might have had something to do with it. They outscored the Wolves 19-10 in transition and 56-38 in the paint.
The Wolves allowed the Nuggets to shoot 61 percent in the first half.
They turned the ball over eight times and were outscored 13-3 in transition and trailed by 24 points midway through the second quarter.
The veteran Afflalo took it to No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins, making him work for his 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting while Afflalo was 11 for 18 — including 4 of 6 on 3-pointers.
“I think I could’ve done better, a lot better,” Wiggins said. “I don’t think it was one of my best defensive performances.”
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Nate Robinson, who was questionable with a sprained right wrist, scored 12 points in 21 minutes. ... After scoring 26 points and grabbing 25 rebounds in a win over the Wolves in Denver at the end of December, Kenneth Faried had 15 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes.
Timberwolves: Wiggins was named Western Conference rookie of the month for December. He’s won the award in each of the first two months of the season. ... F Chase Budinger missed his second straight game because he was sick and F Robbie Hummel was also out with the same bug.
LINEUP SHUFFLE
The Timberwolves tried to change things up by putting veteran Mo Williams in the starting lineup at point guard and moving rookie Zach LaVine to the bench. But it was just more of the same for a struggling group that can’t defend, can’t hit a 3-point shot consistently and can’t stay healthy.
Williams scored 17 points in 25 minutes. LaVine managed just five on 2-for-9 shooting in 26 minutes.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: Host Orlando today.
Timberwolves: Host Phoenix today.
Mason
Meyer
A Mason Meyer power-play goal with 39 seconds remaining in the second period turned out to be the game-winner Saturday night when the Fort Frances Lakers edged the Dryden Ice Dogs, 2-1, in Superior International Junior Hockey League action at Ice for Kids Arena.
Neither team was able to score in the first period, even though the Lakers fired 21 shots toward Ice Dogs goalie Tate Sproxton.
Dryden scored first 2:26 into the second period on a goal from Anthony Filoso.
The Lakers tied the game at 5:43 of the middle period when Donovan Cousineau scored on a power play.
Meyer, a Falls High School graduate in his third season with Fort Frances, then scored the final goal of the night assisted by Bryson Jasper and Lucas DeBenedet, another FHS graduate in his second season with the Lakers.
Nathan Park made 23 saves for Fort Frances, while Sproxton ended up stopping 36 shots.
The Lakers, who remain atop the five-team SIJHL standings after winning their sixth game in a row, return to action Tuesday to face the Minnesota Iron Rangers at Hoyt Lakes Arena.
At top, the Broncos’ Nick Hedtke pins Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin’s Robert Modich to win the Dec. 30 high school wrestling match at Virginia.
Three wrestlers from International Falls competed Dec. 30 at a meet in Virginia with two of them winning their matches.
The Broncos’ Nick Hedtke won his match over Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin’s Robert Modich with a third-period pin. Hedtke’s season record improved to 9-1.
Falls’ London Rasmussen won two matches by pinning both Virginia’s Caleb Peterson and Pine City’s Allen Ramstad.
The Broncos’ Gage Wherley lost his two matches to Virginia’s Tristan Bene and G/N-K’s Kole Platt.
Falls didn’t compete Jan. 3.
Date Time Location Comments
1-7 6:30am-8:00am Bronco Arena Bronco Boys JV Practice
1-7 3:50pm-5:20pm Bronco Arena Bronco Boys Varsity Practice
1-7 4:10pm-5:10pm Kerry Park Arena Mighty Mite Practice
1-7 5:20pm-6:20pm Kerry Park Arena Squirt Purple/White Practice
1-7 5:30pm-7:00pm Bronco Arena Bronco Girls Hockey Practice
1-7 6:30pm-7:30pm Kerry Park Arena Pee Wee A Practice
1-7 7:40pm-8:40pm Kerry Park Arena Pee Wee B Practice
1-7 7:50pm-8:50pm Bronco Arena Fort Salmon Kings vs. Kantor Electric
1-7 9:00pm-10:00pm Bronco Arena Camp Kooch Roasters vs. Team Bruyere
1-7 9:00pm-10:00pm Kerry Park Arena Border Bar vs. RRCC Men
1-8 6:10am-8:10am Bronco Arena Figure Skating: Seniors
1-8 2:30pm-3:40pm Bronco Arena RRCC Women’s Hockey Practice
1-8 3:50pm-6:50pm Bronco Arena Bronco Girls Hockey Practice
1-8 4:10pm-5:10pm Kerry Park Arena Squirt Group Practice
1-8 5:20pm-6:20pm Kerry Park Arena Mini Mite Practice
1-8 6:30pm-7:40pm Kerry Park Arena Pee Wee B Practice
1-8 7:00pm-8:15pm Bronco Arena Banatm Practice
1-8 7:50pm-9:00pm Kerry Park Arena Pee Wee A Practice
1-8 8:30pm-9:45pm Bronco Arena Figure Skating: Basic 8 & Junior Privates
1-9 6:10am-8:10am Bronco Arena Figure Skating: Seniors
1-9 2:00pm-3:30pm Kerry Park Arena Squirt Tournament: Falls Gold vs. H. Town Blue
1-9 3:45pm-5:15pm Kerry Park Arena Squirt Tournament: H. Town Gold vs. Falls Purple
1-9 3:50pm-5:00pm Bronco Arena Bronco Boys Hockey Practice
1-9 5:30pm-7:00pm Kerry Park Arena Squirt Tournament: Falls White vs. Hibbing
1-9 5:30pm Bronco Arena Broncos Girls JV Hockey Game vs. Park Rapids Area
1-9 7:30pm Bronco Arena Bronco Girls Varsity Hockey Game vs. Park Rapids Area
1-9 7:30pm-9:00pm Kerry Park Arena Squirt Tournament: LOW vs. Fort Frances
1-10 8:00am-9:30am Kerry Park Arena SQUIRT TOURNAMENT GAME
1-10 8:00am-1:00pm Bronco Arena SQUIRT TOURNAMENT GAMES
1-10 10:00am-11:30am Kerry Park Arena Bantams vs. Virginia
1-10 11:45am-1:15pm Kerry Park Arena Pee Wee A vs. Virginia
1-10 1:00pm-2:00pm Bronco Arena SQUIRT TOURNAMENT ALL PLAYER SHOOTOUT
1-10 2:00pm-3:00pm Kerry Park Arena Mighty Mite Purple vs. Roseau
1-10 2:15pm-9:00pm Bronco Arena SQUIRT TOURNAMENT GAMES
1-10 4:00pm-5:00pm Kerry Park Arena Mighty Mite Gold vs. Roseau
1-10 5:30pm-7:30pm Kerry Park Arena Open Family Skating
1-10 7:45pm-9:30pm Kerry Park Arena Open Adult Hockey
1-11 9:00am-10:30am Kerry Park Arena Squirt Tournament: 5th Place game.
1-11 9:00am-2:30pm Bronco Arena SQUIRT TOURNAMENT GAMES
1-11 11:00am-12:30pm Kerry Park Arena Pee Wee A vs. Grand Rapids
1-11 1:00pm-2:00pm Kerry Park Arena Pee Wee B Open Hockey
1-11 2:15pm-3:15pm Kerry Park Arena Open Youth Hockey Ages 8-10
1-11 2:45pm-3:15pm Bronco Arena Figure Skating: Snow Plow Sam
1-11 3:15pm-4:00pm Bronco Arena Figure Skating: Basic 1-8
1-11 4:00pm-4:45pm Bronco Arena Figure Skating: Basic 1-7 Privates
1-11 4:00pm-5:30pm Kerry Park Arena Pee Wee A vs. Grand Rapids
1-11 4:45pm-5:30pm Bronco Arena Figure Skating: Junior Group
1-11 5:30pm-6:15pm Bronco Arena Figure Skating: Synchro
1-11 5:45pm-7:45pm Kerry Park Arena Open Family Skating
1-11 6:30pm-7:30pm Bronco Arena Coke vs. Super One/Choc. Moose
1-11 7:45pm-8:45pm Bronco Arena Viking Bar vs. RL Chiro/T-Star
1-11 8:00pm-9:30pm Kerry Park Arena Open Adult Hockey
SPORTS SCHEDULE
Today’s games
Women’s/men’s basketball
RRCC at Hibbing, 6/8 p.m.
Thursday’s games
Boys swimming/diving
Mesabi East at I. Falls, 4:30 p.m.
Girls basketball
Kelliher/Northome at L-BF, 7:15 p.m.
I. Falls at Grand Rapids, 7:15 p.m.
Boys hockey
I. Falls at Greenway, 7:30 p.m.
Friday’s games
Girls basketball
Hibbing at I. Falls, 7:15 p.m.
Boys basketball
Northland at L-BF, 7:15 p.m.
I. Falls at Mesabi East, 7:15 p.m.
Girls hockey
Park Rapids Area at I. Falls, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday’s games
Boys swimming/diving
I. Falls at Virginia Invitational, TBD
Women’s/men’s basketball
Vermilion at RRCC, 1/3 p.m.
Girls hockey
I. Falls at Crookston, 3 p.m.
