Pacers-Timberwolves Preview

By KEVIN CHROUST

(AP) -- The Indiana Pacers are coming off their worst shooting night in four seasons, but their next opponent has allowed plenty of offense to just about everyone they face.

Frank Vogel's struggling squad will try to win for just the second time in 12 games Sunday night when visiting the similarly injury-plagued Minnesota Timberwolves, who are in danger of posting their third losing streak of at least five games.

Indiana (8-19) fell 76-73 in Denver on Saturday while shooting a season-low 30.7 percent for an eighth straight road loss. It was its worst shooting night since also making 30.7 percent on April 13, 2011, and the team could now lose nine straight road games for the first time since Dec. 1, 2010-Jan. 8, 2011. Overall, the Pacers have lost 10 of 11 while shooting 40.9 percent.

"We competed at a high level, got a lot of great looks," Vogel said. "I wasn't unhappy with the quality of shots we got. Tough shooting night. I think our whole team was ineffective."

David West led the team with 19 points and 10 rebounds for a second straight double-double, but he was 8 of 22 from the field.

Center Roy Hibbert was 0 for 4 and is shooting 36.4 percent over eight games.

C.J. Watson missed the game because of a sinus infection, adding to a depleted backcourt that's still awaiting the return of George Hill.

Hill, who has yet to play this season because of a left knee injury, won't face the Timberwolves but could return Tuesday against New Orleans.

"George Hill is close," Vogel said. "He's been practicing but he's not going to play tonight or tomorrow. We'll see where he's at when we get back home."

With Watson out, a backcourt of Donald Sloan and Rodney Stuckey combined for a 5-for-21 shooting night and 13 points.

The Timberwolves (5-20) are allowing 108.8 points per game and 49.6 percent shooting, both league highs. They haven't been any better over the last 10 days, going 0-4 and allowing those teams to shoot 50.0 percent.

In Friday's 114-98 loss in Boston, the Celtics connected on 56.5 percent.

"We played hard, got to the sixth-minute mark and we had a couple sequences where ... we turned it over," Minnesota coach Flip Saunders said.

The Timberwolves remain without Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic, and they just dealt Corey Brewer to Houston and center Ronny Turiaf to Philadelphia in a three-team deal. Minnesota got seldom-used point guard Troy Daniels and two second-round picks from Houston, so depth could be more of an issue in the coming games before any of the key trio returns.

The Timberwolves have, however, had a boost offensively lately from Shabazz Muhammad. The 22-year-old scored 26 points against Boston and is averaging 25.0 and shooting 60.4 percent in his last three games.

Andrew Wiggins has struggled in those games, shooting 29.0 percent while averaging 10.0 points after going 2 for 10 for five points against Boston.

The teams have split their two games each of the last two seasons with the home team winning all four games. The Timberwolves have won seven of the last nine in Minnesota.

Of the 10 starters in the last meeting - a 104-91 Timberwolves win in Minnesota on Feb. 19 - only West, Hibbert and Minnesota's Chase Budinger will be available. Paul George, Hill and Rubio are injured while the other four players have moved on.