The opponent has an NBA-worst 1-15 record, has lost 13 straight games and already is on its second coach of the season.
If there were any such thing as a sure thing for the Timberwolves, it would seem to be tonight's game at Oklahoma City ... unless they come out and play like they did in the first quarter of Wednesday night's 110-102 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Coach Randy Wittman made that clear while bemoaning his team's failure to jump on a Suns club that was playing the second of back-to-back road games.
"See, our young guys just don't quite understand, I think, the mental makeup of the league," Wittman said. "You jump on them in the first quarter, and you know what? They're headed home. ...
"Just as the game on Friday. (If) we think we're going to walk into that building and win because they've lost 13 games in a row, we're kidding ourselves. Their one win is against us! ...
"If we think because they've lost 13 in a row that all we need to do is show up, then it's going to be trouble for us."
Forward Ryan Gomes said he doesn't need any reminders. He hasn't forgotten the Wolves' 88-85 loss at Oklahoma City earlier this month or the 25 second-chance points and 19 offensive rebounds that made it possible.
Tonight's rematch moved to the top of his list as soon as Wednesday's lackluster loss to the Suns was in the books.
"It's disappointing, and now we've got to look forward to playing Oklahoma City, which got its only win against us," Gomes said. "I'm pretty sure they're going to be ready, and we're going to be ready because we shouldn't have lost to them the first time."
The Wolves could say that about a few games this season, but the bottom line is they are 3-10 and not much better than the talent-challenged Thunder, who are 0-3 since interim coach Scott Brooks replaced the fired P.J. Carlesimo.
Coming off a surprising 106-80 road win Sunday over the Detroit Pistons, the Wolves were hoping to build on that momentum against the Suns.
Now they're just trying to avenge one embarrassing loss and avoid another, while trying to explain how they could look so bad three days after playing so well.
"I guess we like playing on the road. I don't know what to tell you," point guard Randy Foye said. "We've just got to keep working. That's the main thing. We have to keep working on the little things."
Briefly: Thanksgiving was nothing more than a travel day for the Wolves, who didn't practice before leaving for Oklahoma City.
