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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves sent Kevin Love off to NBA All-Star weekend with a complete performance and a critical win. Colorado Avalanche Pro Shop . The Denver Nuggets played as though they were already relaxing on a tropical beach. Love started practicing early for All-Star festivities, making six of 11 shots from 3-point range and totalling 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Timberwolves to a 117-90 victory over the Nuggets on Wednesday night. "Its always a tough game before the break to come out with a lot of energy, and we did," Love said. "We were excited to play. We knew we needed a win." Love, chosen as a first-time starter for the Western Conference team, will also take part in the 3-point shooting contest this weekend in New Orleans. In five February games, Love has averaged 32.6 points. He sat last week because of a stiff neck, and then with a bruised left quadriceps, but his banged-up body hasnt hindered his production when he is on the court. "I was pretty sore before the game still, but once we got going I felt good," Love said. "I was definitely happy we got the large lead, and I really, really needed to sit down those last eight minutes." Corey Brewer added 22 points, J.J. Barea pitched in 18 points on 8-for-8 shooting, and Ricky Rubio had 11 points, 12 assists and a season-high seven steals for the Wolves, who had coach Rick Adelman back on the sideline. He missed the previous game on Monday, an absence he said was related to his wifes health. The Wolves, still missing Nikola Pekovic (right ankle bursitis) and Kevin Martin (broken left thumb) stopped a four-game losing streak. "We needed a game like that after having a tough stretch," Rubio said. The curmudgeon coach wasnt quite satisfied, calling timeout at one point in the second quarter when a turnover gave the Nuggets a fast-break dunk off a lob pass from Randy Foye to Jordan Hamilton. That cut the lead to 47-29. "I dont know, 40 would be nice to be ahead by," Adelman said. "Id relax then. We have a tendency to give up points quickly." The Wolves trail eighth-place Phoenix by six games. Hamilton led the Nuggets with 16 points and seven assists, and J.J. Hickson added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Reeling from injuries, the Nuggets (24-27) have dropped nine of 13 and four games in a row to fall behind the Wolves (25-28) and into 11th place. "Theres really only one thing to say, and thats thank God for the All-Star break," coach Brian Shaw said. Foye, forced into a point guard role because Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson are out, said he has been playing with a strained hamstring. He then sustained a nerve injury in his leg. "It was extremely painful, but I fought through it," said Foye, who inadvertently elbowed Rubio in the chin in the first quarter. Rubio returned after receiving five stitches. The Nuggets, who have given up the third-most points per game, left shooters open all over the court. The Wolves made them pay with 52.3 per cent shooting from the floor and 20 fast-break points. "Were getting torched by everybody from the beginning of the game to the end of the game," Shaw said. The Wolves were ahead 19-3 before the Nuggets were even warmed up, and they built their lead as big as 61-37 late in the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Chase Budinger, who finished with 12 points. The Nuggets never came closer than 17 points after halftime. Brewer had an uncontested dunk and then caught another laser-like outlet pass from Love like a wide receiver streaking down the football field. Brewers twisting layup rolled off the rim, but Rubio stole the ball right back for another try that Brewer converted for a 98-64 lead. "It all starts with defence," Hickson said. "If you look at the top teams in the league, all of them are top five or top 10 in defence, and thats not us right now." NOTES: Adelman has no special plans for the All-Star break. "Im just going to sit here and watch the snow," he said. Pekovic will be ice fishing again, but Adelman expressed no interest, only a bit of advice: "I hope he puts his foot in the water and ices it a little bit." ... Hickson has a double-double in 16 of the last 29 games. ... Martin said his hope is to be cleared to play on the five-game trip that starts Feb. 22. He will be re-evaluated the day before. Colorado Avalanche Gear . That still leaves a big hole.You dont replace the leadership, defensive co-ordinator Billy Davis said. You just dont. Leadership is something that is earned over time. Avalanche Jerseys 2020 .com) - Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard notched a win, while second-seeded two-time champion Ana Ivanovic, third- seeded Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova and fifth seed Sabine Lisicki all exited the draw at the Generali Ladies Linz tennis event. https://www.cheapavalanche.com/ . -- The Atlanta Braves are facing the possibility of losing another pitcher for the season after general manager Frank Wren said Saturday that Cory Gearrin has a serious injury to his right elbow.SEATTLE - Felix Hernandez outpitched Jeff Samardzija, Robinson Cano hit a go-ahead double and the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 3-2 Friday night. Fernando Rodney got his 27th save, getting Nick Punto on a called strike three to end it with a runner on third. Punto slammed his batting helmet to the ground with both hands and argued with plate umpire James Hoye, and As manager Bob Melvin joined in, saying the full-count pitch missed the strike zone. Hernandez (11-2) threw eight strong innings. He reached 11 victories before the All-Star break for the first time in his career, getting nicked for two early runs and then shutting down the AL West-leading As the rest of the night. Hernandez made his 11th straight start going at least seven innings and giving up two earned runs or less. Its the longest streak for an American League pitcher since Gaylord Perry had 11 straight for Cleveland in 1974. Cano came through with the clutch base hit Seattle has lacked. James Jones doubled with two outs in the sixth and Cano followed with a flare that landed inches fair down the left-field line to break a 2-all tie. Seattle had been 2 for 35 with runners in scoring position prior to Canos double. Samardzija is 1-1 with Oakland after going 2-7 for the Chicago Cubs. Samardzija threw eight innings, allowing only five hits and striking out five. Hernandez struck out nine and gave up six hits. He rebounded following a shaky first inning to stop the team with the best record in bbaseball. Colorado Avalanche Shirts . Oakland scored a pair of rare first-inning runs off Seattles ace. Stephen Vogts solo homer was just the sixth allowed by Hernandez this season, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Josh Donaldson followed with a double and scored on Jed Lowries single that sneaked through the infield. Hernandez had given up three first-inning runs all season. But after Lowries single, Hernandez permitted just four baserunners. He struck out the side in the fourth and sixth inning and needed just five pitches to cruise through the seventh. Hernandez found himself in a jam in the fifth with runners on the corners and two outs, but Donaldson flied out. After Vogt led off the eighth with a single, Donaldson grounded into a double play, drawing a fist pump and scream from Hernandez. He then got Brandon Moss to ground out on his 101st pitch to end the eighth and his night. Seattle chipped away at Samardzija, starting with Logan Morrisons homer leading off the second. Seattle pulled even in the third when Brad Miller doubled, advanced to third on Mike Zuninos groundout and scored on Endy Chavezs sacrifice fly. NOTES: Hernandez won 10 games before the All-Star break in 2009 and 2013. ... Oakland 1B Alberto Callaspo left the game in the second inning after straining his right hamstring running out a ground ball. ... Oakland OF Coco Crisp was out of Fridays lineup with a sore neck and Melvin unsure of his availability for the series. ' ' '
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