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Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams were the top picks in last year's draft, but the potential matchup to watch Friday night when the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Minnesota Timberwolves is between Irving and Ricky Rubio.

Irving and Rubio are the top rookies in assists per game heading into their first meeting at the Target Center.

Cleveland (3-3) and Minnesota (2-4) finished with the league's worst records a season ago, paving the way for the Cavaliers to select Irving with the draft's top selection and the Timberwolves to take Williams at No. 2.

While Williams is coming off the bench to average 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds, Irving has established himself as Cleveland's starting point guard. Irving's 14.2 scoring average leads all rookies, and his 5.3 assists per game are the second-best mark among first-year players.

Irving is looking to bounce back after he missed 10 of 13 shots and finished with 12 points and four assists in Wednesday's 92-77 loss at Toronto in the second half of back-to-back games.

"I'm feeling pretty good, my body feels alright." Irving said. "I got banged up a little bit out there, I fell to the floor a few times but I'm good. I'm going to take advantage of this day off and take care of my body the best I can and just get ready for Minnesota."

The player ahead of Irving among rookies in assists is Rubio, totaling 7.0 per game to lead all reserves. Rubio was drafted fifth overall by Minnesota in 2009, and has received plenty of minutes backing up Luke Ridnour.

The Spanish guard notched his second double-double with 12 points and 10 assists Wednesday in a 90-86 home loss to Memphis. Minnesota missed a chance to win three straight, and its four losses have come by a combined 13 points.

"We're young, we know, and of course we're going to improve, but we have to do it right now," Rubio told the Timberwolves' official website. "It depends on us. We have to improve, we know it."

The Timberwolves committed 17 turnovers, and are last in the league with 19.3 per game.

"They were way too lax in their approach," coach Rick Adelman said.

With Irving and Rubio taking the spotlight on the perimeter, the focus on the interior will be on Kevin Love. The fourth-year big man is second in the league with 15.0 rebounds per game with double-doubles in every contest.

Love is the first player to have at least 20 points and 12 rebounds in each of his team's first six games since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975. Love averaged 22.0 points and 18.5 boards as Minnesota swept two games from Cleveland last season after losing the previous nine when LeBron James was with the Cavs.

Cleveland continues to rebuild around young players without James, with rookie Tristan Thompson joining Irving as a player vital to its future. Thompson, the fourth overall pick, had his worst game Wednesday by missing all five shots for one point and three rebounds.

"I thought he didn't play well at all," coach Byron Scott said. "But he isn't the only one. Looking at that scorecard, we didn't have many guys that played well."

I don't think it's fair to compare Rubio and Irving at this point. Ricky has so much experience in pro ball and international play, and Irving barely played any games at all in college. Ricky should make Irving looks foolish in this game on more than a few occasions.

We must and will win this game.

Adelman must realise that this is a tipping point game. If we win we gain confidence in our ability to put away lesser teams. If we lose we fall back into the mindset of last year in not beleiving in ourselves.

I expect a massive game from Michael Beasely this week. His confidence matched with Clevelands taletn level is the perfect storm for a scoring outbreak.

this game is a must win. The problem is if we start the game relaxed thinking we are the better team... if we come focus and ready to play it has to be a easy win.
Go Wolves!!! aroooooooooooo

I agree, this is a must win game. I was surprised to see the Cavs with three wins until I saw who they played. Aside from Indiana, this is probably their toughest game. Pretty much the opposite of our opening schedule.

Irving vs Rubio should be fun to watch. We could see Thompson vs Williams too.

southern wolf wrote:I agree, this is a must win game. I was surprised to see the Cavs with three wins until I saw who they played. Aside from Indiana, this is probably their toughest game. Pretty much the opposite of our opening schedule.

Irving vs Rubio should be fun to watch. We could see Thompson vs Williams too.

East teams have a far easier schedule this year because there are so many garbage teams in the East and the games against the other conference are reduced to a minimum.

Foye wrote:

southern wolf wrote:I agree, this is a must win game. I was surprised to see the Cavs with three wins until I saw who they played. Aside from Indiana, this is probably their toughest game. Pretty much the opposite of our opening schedule.

Irving vs Rubio should be fun to watch. We could see Thompson vs Williams too.

East teams have a far easier schedule this year because there are so many garbage teams in the East and the games against the other conference are reduced to a minimum.

Yeah, it's been like that for too long. At least it's slowly starting to change with Dallas and San Anton on their last legs as contenders.

This season it's even worse, though, because there are far less games against the other conference.

cpfsf wrote:

You messed with the wrong guy kid.

I wish this game had been yesterday already. Got home looking for it only to find out it's going to be today

cpfsf wrote:

You messed with the wrong guy kid.

LMAO

Hard to declare games as must-win at this point of the season for a team with no playoff expectations in the first place, but for just for the psyche of all involved, this game needs to be won, no doubt about it.

southern wolf wrote:

Foye wrote:

southern wolf wrote:I agree, this is a must win game. I was surprised to see the Cavs with three wins until I saw who they played. Aside from Indiana, this is probably their toughest game. Pretty much the opposite of our opening schedule.

Irving vs Rubio should be fun to watch. We could see Thompson vs Williams too.

East teams have a far easier schedule this year because there are so many garbage teams in the East and the games against the other conference are reduced to a minimum.

Yeah, it's been like that for too long. At least it's slowly starting to change with Dallas and San Anton on their last legs as contenders.

What are you talking about.

This can do nothing but hurt the eastern conference teams.

Taking the record today Cleveland would have the 18th pick while Dallas would have a pick in the lottery. Having crappy eastern teams make the playoffs only gives better teams in the West better chances of getting talent.

broseph wrote:Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams were the top picks in last year's draft, but the potential matchup to watch Friday night when the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Minnesota Timberwolves is between Irving and Ricky Rubio.

Link it or delete it

Klomp wrote:

broseph wrote:Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams were the top picks in last year's draft, but the potential matchup to watch Friday night when the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Minnesota Timberwolves is between Irving and Ricky Rubio.

Link it or delete it

Maybe he wrote it himself. Eh? Eh?

Esohny wrote:

Klomp wrote:

broseph wrote:Kyrie Irving and Derrick Williams were the top picks in last year's draft, but the potential matchup to watch Friday night when the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Minnesota Timberwolves is between Irving and Ricky Rubio.

Link it or delete it

Maybe he wrote it himself. Eh? Eh?

Is Wikipedia credible?

I'm pretty confident Adelman will have the troops ready to play tonight. He seemed pretty pissed with the team's lax attitude last game.

C.lupus wrote:I'm pretty confident Adelman will have the troops ready to play tonight. He seemed pretty pissed with the team's lax attitude last game.

This. If betting were legal, I would've already put some cash on the Wolves to win and cover tonight. They need to start end this homestand with a good win and Adleman knows that.

There is no such thing as a "must-win game". Each night, each game is a new opportunity, but it won't come easy. As Adelman stated, you cannot come into any game relaxed. You must always play hard and smart, but in the NBA, it will never come easy.

MarkRemme Mark Remme
#Twolves injury update: guard JJ Barea says he's out tonight vs. Cavs; forward Anthony Tolliver expects to play.