Timberwolves' Love, New Signees Star At London Olympics
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – It was a big weekend for Minnesota Timberwolves players at the London Olympics, and it should give fans reason to be excited about the season ahead.
Playing with Team USA, Kevin Love saw his most action so far at the Olympics as the Americans opened pool play with a 98-71 win over France on Sunday. Love scored 14 points and played 14 minutes in the victory. Love had not seen a lot of playing time in exhibition and qualifying play for Team USA.
Two of the Timberwolves most recent additions also had big weekends as Russia defeated Great Britain 95-75 in pool play. Forward Andrei Kirilenko, who the Timberwolves signed on Friday after trading Wes Johnson and draft picks to the Phoenix Suns, score 35 points and shot 14-of-17 from the field.
Kirilenko was the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the EuroLeague last season.
Alexey Shved, who signed with the Timberwolves early last week, scored 16 points and had 13 assists, six rebounds and three steals for the Russians in the win. The two will be teammates in Minneapolis in just a few months.
Shved could get significant playing time early on in the season as Ricky Rubio continues to get back to full strength from tearing his ACL last season.
