Reeling Wolves visit Magic

The Minnesota Timberwolves try to avoid a fourth straight loss this evening when they visit the Orlando Magic

That may be easier said than done, though, as the Magic have won the last six, seven of the last eight and eight of the last 10 meetings in the series.

Minnesota's latest came on Saturday at the hands of the New York Knicks and sensation Jeremy Lin, who nailed the go-ahead free throw in the waning seconds of the T-Wolves' 100-98 setback.

Kevin Love had a game-high 32 points to go with 21 rebounds and Nikola Pekovic added a double-double with 21 points and 13 boards for Minnesota, which had won three in a row prior to this slide.

After Lin hit one of two free throws to give the Knicks the lead, Minnesota had the ball with 4.9 seconds remaining. However, Ricky Rubio got the inbounds pass at the other end, but lost the handle and the ball rolled out of bounds to give possession over to New York.

After Bill Walker pushed the lead to two by making one of two, Minny had yet another shot, but Love's desperation three-point attempt was way off the mark.

"I was very disappointed, we had 23 turnovers," said Love about his team's effort. "We just need to continue to learn from this situation. We all just need to come together."

Tonight's matchup will pit the league's top two rebounders in Love, who comes in averaging 13.9 boards a came, 1.6 less than Orlando's Dwight Howard. Love, of course, led the league in that category last season.

Howard's heroics were not needed on Saturday in Milwaukee, as Jason Richardson made 9-of-11 from long range, including four in the last five minutes of the game, to lead Orlando with 31 points as the Magic defeated Milwaukee, 99-94, at the Bradley Center.

"At the end he was just knocking down shots," said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy about Richardson's hot shooting. "But as almost always happens when guys go on those runs, he got a couple open ones that get them going. And then you're just feeling it."

Richardson's nine threes ties him for second-most all-time in Magic history behind only Dennis Scott, who knocked down 11 on April 18, 1996.

Hedo Turkoglu added 19 points and Dwight Howard contributed a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Magic, who have won five of their last seven.