The Wolves lost on the road to the Lakers in December, 98-86, the only game between the two teams so far this season. The Wolves have lost five straight to Los Angeles dating back to the 2006-2007 season.
As of yesterday morning there were about 1,600 tickets remaining for the game.
Wolves’ rookie forward Kevin Love played in Los Angeles for UCLA so his name is well-known in the Southern California market. He was asked about whether his performance in tonight’s game is more important than usual. “Yeah, a little bit,” he said. “I want people to hear that I did well against the Lakers, the Clippers or a place like Portland (near his home town). It is important but in the end it’s just another game. We just want to get that W.”
Despite having the highest scoring average (22.7) among NBA players averaging a double-double in points and rebounds, Wolves’ center Al Jefferson wasn’t named to the Western Conference All-Star team. That doesn’t mean, though, that a lot of people don’t think the 24-year-old low post scoring whiz isn’t deserving. On Tuesday night, hosts Ahmad Rashad, Gary Payton and Chris Webber were advocating Jefferson’s selection. During an interview on NBA TV they also coaxed him to say, “I am most definitely an all-star.”
The Big Ten Conference will have 22 former players and seven coaches with league connections in Sunday’s Super Bowl, according to a conference news release. The Big Ten and ACC are tied for the lead among all conferences with 22 players on the two Super Bowl squads, Pittsburgh and Arizona. The Gophers have more former players on the Pittsburgh roster than any other Big Ten school, strong safety Tyrone Carter, running back Gary Russell and tight end Matt Spaeth.
Stubhub.com listed Super Bowl tickets this week for under $2,000.00 and also a luxury suite for 16 at $127,888.00.
Linebacker James Laurinaitis, the former Wayzata linebacker who played four seasons for Ohio State, earned All-America recognition for the third time during his senior season, becoming only the sixth Big Ten player to ever accomplish that and the first since 1930 .
Local author Ross Bernstein is working on another “code” book, this one on the unwritten rules of football that will be a sequel to his baseball and hockey books. He’s consulting with a Canadian company, too, on a documentary film that draws on material from his hockey book.
Another book project is with former St. Louis Cardinals offensive lineman Conrad Dobler. Bernstein said Dobler has a friendship with golfer Phil Mickelson who is paying for the college education of Dobler’s children. More on Bernstein at www.bernsteinbooks.com