Love deemed too ill to play, so Gomes starts in his place

Timberwolves starting forward Kevin Love showed up for the team's morning shootaround but was sent home for Wednesday's game against Oklahoma City after he once again was deemed too ill to play.

The Wolves played their second consecutive game without Love, who participated in some of the morning shootaround.

"I thought he looked pretty good," teammate Al Jefferson said. "But he said he didn't feel too good."

Wolves coach Kurt Rambis didn't think Love looked all that good, and said Love didn't offer much resistance to the decision that he not play.

"I couldn't imagine him mustering up the energy to play," Rambis said. "He looked very lethargic and tired, and it's not like we kill the guys in shootaround. He didn't have a lot of energy, didn't have a lot of color in his face. He didn't look great to me."

So Ryan Gomes again started in Love's place, and Rambis soon called upon veteran Brian Cardinal and Nathan Jawai to fill Love's minutes at power forward while he asked Corey Brewer to defend Oklahoma City's blossoming superstar Kevin Durant.

Enduring

Wolves rookie Jonny Flynn played Wednesday with his left eye still slightly swollen after he hit his face on the court late in Monday's victory.

"It's good for young players to have to push and fight through things like that," Rambis said. "There's illness, sprained ankles, dislocated fingers, stitches, all kinds of things happen. You've just got to find a way to keep playing. I wasn't going to take him out of the game because of that. That's something he has to adjust to."

Damien on Durant

Wolves forward Damien Wilkins isn't surprised the Thunder is contending for a playoff spot in the West. He saw their possibilities up close when he played with the franchise for the first five seasons of his career.

"They're starting to become the team we all think they will become," he said.

When asked if he considers Durant a future league MVP candidate, Wilkins said, "He should be in the MVP talk this year, if you ask me. He's got this team playing unbelievable basketball. He's averaging 30 points a night. He's extremely hard to guard: Quick, long, athletic. I mean, once he learns a post-up game, he'll pretty much be unstoppable."

Keepaway

Somebody asked Flynn if he planned to bring Love chicken soup or something to help him feel better soon.

"No, I'm going to stay as far away from him as I can," Flynn said. "I don't want to get whatever he has. I love Kevin Love, but I'm not trying to get that."

Welcome back

Wolves owner Glen Taylor embraced Thunder guard Kevin Ollie, who played for the Wolves last season, during a heartfelt conversation before the start of Wednesday's third quarter.