Like his team, Dirk Nowitzki's history against Minnesota suggests he'll bounce back tonight. He's averaging 25.7 points and shooting 55.4 percent in his last six games versus the Timberwolves, who have lost 10 straight in the series since a 91-78 win Jan. 4, 2006.

The Timberwolves haven't won two in a row since a three-game winning streak Jan. 23-26.

The Mavericks are 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings in Minnesota. Get your NBA basketball lines with Bodog today.

The Pistons need to capitalize tonight because they have home games against Boston and Cleveland beginning Friday.

The Timberwolves, who are 1-point underdogs, have been on a tear this month, going 10-2 (9-2-1 ATS), including three straight wins.

Minnesota beat the Pistons 106-80 on Nov. 23 and will be trying to sweep the season series for the first time since 2003-04. The over is 9-0 in the Timberwolves’ last nine home games.

Minnesota has taken a step back with its dismal start. The Timberwolves finally snapped a 13-game losing streak with Friday's 120-107 win at New York, but any good feelings quickly dissolved in a 118-94 home loss to Orlando Saturday.

Al Jefferson has again been one of the few bright spots for Minnesota, averaging a double-double with 22.1 points and 10.2 rebounds.

After splitting four meetings overall and two at the Target Center in 2007-08, this game will be the teams' first matchup this season.

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The Charlotte Bobcats host the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight in a matchup of teams that have yet to win back-to-back games this season.

One thing that is hurting the T-Wolves is not getting easy scores. Minnesota has forced the second-fewest turnovers in the league in 2008-09 with 198.

Minnesota allowed an average of 99.0 points and permitted only three opponents to reach 100 points in its first 12 games, but has given up more than 100 in the last three. The Timberwolves, scoring 102.5 points per game over the last four contests, faces a Charlotte team that's among the league leaders in scoring defense at 92.4 ppg.

The 3.5-point favored Bobcats have won three of the four meetings with Minnesota in Charlotte.

San Antonio has to find a way to survive without Manu Ginobili, who was their leading scorer last season at 19.5 points per game. While the Spurs are averaging 92.7 points, they're allowing 101.5 per game. Traditionally one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, the Spurs were third in the league last season giving up 90.6 points per contest.

Facing Minnesota could be what San Antonio needs to end its skid. The Spurs have won five straight over the Timberwolves, outscoring them by an average of 13.4 points.

Al Jefferson is averaging 22.5 points in his last six games versus San Antonio.

Tonight Chicago will play in Minnesota against a Timberwolves team that has been resting since Sunday. The Timberwolves are coming off a 111-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Fans in Minnesota have higher expectations now that the team has had a full season to get over not having Kevin Garnett. Are Al Jefferson and company ready to make waves? NBA odds are always available in the Bodog Sportsbook.

Kevin Garnett is coming under fire for apparently "tanking" games for the T-Wolves. (AP Images)

Wow. Heavy stuff, right? Then you'll be even more stunned to learn who the criticism came from.

Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor.

Taylor – one of Garnett's biggest fans during his stint in the land o' lakes – caught the ear of many reporters after Tuesday's practice, objecting to a suggestion that it was time for Minny to start losing games in order to improve its draft status.

Taylor said a columnist "said a little bit last year was that we sort of like tanked it. I don't think that. I don't like that so much. I don't like that. It was more like KG tanked it. I think the other guys still wanted to play."

But the reporter who suggested such a claim does have some precedence to fall back on. Two years ago, the Wolves shut down Garnett for the final six games, including a double-overtime loss to Memphis that guaranteed they would hold onto their lottery pick. That Memphis game also saw Mark Madsen nail seven three pointers, which has no relevance but should be mentioned because Mark Madsen hit seven three pointers.

How will KG react to the news? His Celtics are +4.5-point underdogs tonight as they travel to Houston to take on the Rockets, who have won 22 straight – the second longest streak in NBA history.

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Leon Powe puts in the winning hoop for Boston on Friday night. (AP Images)

The fans at the Target Center came to see Kevin Garnett play. Instead they got to watch their former star watch one of the most exciting games the Minnesota Timberwolves figure to play this season.

With Garnett sitting out with an abdominal strain, the Boston Celtics struggled to the end against lowly Minnesota before pulling out a 88-86 victory. The underdog Timberwolves covered the point spread, which favored the Celtics by six.

Leon Powe recovered the ball underneath the Minnesota basket and laid in the winning basket at the buzzer as Boston escaped what would have been an embarrassing loss, K.G. or no K.G. Paul Pierce had 18 points and Ray Allen added 17 for the Celtics.

Garnett received a standing ovation from the crowd, many of whom watched him rise to the top of the NBA during his first 12 seasons in the league.

In other notable NBA games on Friday:

Denver 111, Washington 110: Carmelo Anthony scored a career-best 49 points and the Nuggets every single one to edge out the Wizards. Denver was favored by 12.5 at home but didn't come close to covering the spread.

Los Angeles Lakers 117, Orlando 113: The Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol Show is a hit for the Lakers. Bryant had 36 points and 10 boards and newly acquired Gasol scored 30 in Orlando. The Lakers were one-point favorites.

Cleveland 100, Atlanta 95: LeBron James scored 26 points to lead the Cavaliers on the road. The Cavs barely managed to cover the spread, which favored them by 3.5.

Phoenix 96, Seattle 90: Amare Stoudemire put up a double-double (31 points, 11 rebounds) as the Suns won at home, but the SuperSonics beat the 12-point spread.

Detroit 91, Portland 82: Chauncey Billups scored all 17 of his points in the first quarter as the Pistons took advantage of a Portland team missing star Brandon Roy. The visiting Trail Blazers beat the spread, which was 11 in Detroit’s favor.

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