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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves sent Kevin Love off to NBA All-Star weekend with a complete performance and a critical win. Aaron Burbridge Jersey . The Denver Nuggets played as though they were already relaxing on a tropical beach. Love started practicing early for All-Star festivities, making six of 11 shots from 3-point range and totalling 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Timberwolves to a 117-90 victory over the Nuggets on Wednesday night. "Its always a tough game before the break to come out with a lot of energy, and we did," Love said. "We were excited to play. We knew we needed a win." Love, chosen as a first-time starter for the Western Conference team, will also take part in the 3-point shooting contest this weekend in New Orleans. In five February games, Love has averaged 32.6 points. He sat last week because of a stiff neck, and then with a bruised left quadriceps, but his banged-up body hasnt hindered his production when he is on the court. "I was pretty sore before the game still, but once we got going I felt good," Love said. "I was definitely happy we got the large lead, and I really, really needed to sit down those last eight minutes." Corey Brewer added 22 points, J.J. Barea pitched in 18 points on 8-for-8 shooting, and Ricky Rubio had 11 points, 12 assists and a season-high seven steals for the Wolves, who had coach Rick Adelman back on the sideline. He missed the previous game on Monday, an absence he said was related to his wifes health. The Wolves, still missing Nikola Pekovic (right ankle bursitis) and Kevin Martin (broken left thumb) stopped a four-game losing streak. "We needed a game like that after having a tough stretch," Rubio said. The curmudgeon coach wasnt quite satisfied, calling timeout at one point in the second quarter when a turnover gave the Nuggets a fast-break dunk off a lob pass from Randy Foye to Jordan Hamilton. That cut the lead to 47-29. "I dont know, 40 would be nice to be ahead by," Adelman said. "Id relax then. We have a tendency to give up points quickly." The Wolves trail eighth-place Phoenix by six games. Hamilton led the Nuggets with 16 points and seven assists, and J.J. Hickson added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Reeling from injuries, the Nuggets (24-27) have dropped nine of 13 and four games in a row to fall behind the Wolves (25-28) and into 11th place. "Theres really only one thing to say, and thats thank God for the All-Star break," coach Brian Shaw said. Foye, forced into a point guard role because Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson are out, said he has been playing with a strained hamstring. He then sustained a nerve injury in his leg. "It was extremely painful, but I fought through it," said Foye, who inadvertently elbowed Rubio in the chin in the first quarter. Rubio returned after receiving five stitches. The Nuggets, who have given up the third-most points per game, left shooters open all over the court. The Wolves made them pay with 52.3 per cent shooting from the floor and 20 fast-break points. "Were getting torched by everybody from the beginning of the game to the end of the game," Shaw said. The Wolves were ahead 19-3 before the Nuggets were even warmed up, and they built their lead as big as 61-37 late in the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Chase Budinger, who finished with 12 points. The Nuggets never came closer than 17 points after halftime. Brewer had an uncontested dunk and then caught another laser-like outlet pass from Love like a wide receiver streaking down the football field. Brewers twisting layup rolled off the rim, but Rubio stole the ball right back for another try that Brewer converted for a 98-64 lead. "It all starts with defence," Hickson said. "If you look at the top teams in the league, all of them are top five or top 10 in defence, and thats not us right now." NOTES: Adelman has no special plans for the All-Star break. "Im just going to sit here and watch the snow," he said. Pekovic will be ice fishing again, but Adelman expressed no interest, only a bit of advice: "I hope he puts his foot in the water and ices it a little bit." ... Hickson has a double-double in 16 of the last 29 games. ... Martin said his hope is to be cleared to play on the five-game trip that starts Feb. 22. He will be re-evaluated the day before. Horace Richardson Jersey . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. Trinity Benson Jersey .J. -- The Houston Astros had the No. http://www.cheapbroncosjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-jake-rodgers-jersey .com) - The Milwaukee Bucks will try to get another win on this homestand Thursday night when they welcome the Utah Jazz to the Bradley Center.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Yadier Molina got the loudest boos during pregame introductions. The five-time All-Star catcher got booed again as he rounded the bases for his game-turning homer. On opening day, he was driving them batty in Cincinnati again. Molina broke a seventh-inning time with a home run and made a pair of slick defensive plays on Monday, leading the defending National League champion St. Louis Cardinals to a 1-0 victory over the Reds. Everyone knew the star of this one. "Matt Holliday said it best when we were coming in shaking hands: Yadi wins," starter Adam Wainwright said. It wasnt all Molina. The Cardinals impeccable pitching was in top form, too. The Reds were blanked on opening day for the first time since 1953, ending the second-longest streak of scoring in at least one run in season openers in major league history. The Phillies went 62 years without being blanked in an opener from 1911-72. Wainwright used his refined sinker to finally get the best of the Reds, who have hit him like no other team. Wainwright allowed three hits in seven innings, fanning nine. "Ive never pitched great against the Reds," said Wainwright, who threw 105 pitches. "Today I wanted to make the emphasis on executing pitches. I tried to simplify it as much as possible." St. Louis escaped a threat in the eighth, when the Reds had runners on first and third with nobody out. Trevor Rosenthal retired all three batters in the ninth, finishing a three-hitter. "We werent able to get a hit there," said Bryan Price, who lost his managing debut. "It was disappointing, but there will be more disappointments along the way." During pregame introductions, Molina got by far the loudest boos from the crowd of 43,134 -- the second-largest for a regular-season game in Great American Ball Park history. Fans still havent forgiven the five-time All Star catcher for a 2010 brawl at home plate with Brandon Phillips. They were booing again after his first-pitch homer in the seventh, his second career off JJohnny Cueto (0-1). Jeff Holland Jersey. It was one of only three hits off Cueto in seven innings. Not that the catcher noticed all the commotion from the stands. "I come over here and try to win games," he said. "Thats why Im here." Molina also fielded Joey Vottos grounder in front of the plate to start a double play in the third inning, part of an impressive game all-around. "Im biased, but I think hes the best Ive ever seen at that position," Wainwright said. Wainwright won 19 games and finished second in the NL Cy Young Award voting last season, when he had his biggest trouble with the Reds. He went 1-3 in four starts with a 7.77 ERA against Cincinnati, getting knocked around so much that he called it a "head-scratcher." Wainwright (1-0) refined a sinker in spring training and was in control on a breezy, 64-degree afternoon. He fanned new Reds leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton four times. The Reds best chance came in the eighth, when the Cardinals committed two errors. Phillips became the first Reds runner to reached third base, but was caught in a rundown on Jay Bruces grounder. Carlos Martinez fanned Todd Frazier for the final out, stranding a runner at third. Cuetos third straight opening-day start was a reminder that its a matter of staying healthy. He was on the disabled list three times last season, limited to 11 starts. He changed his delivery slightly to try to avoid injury, and was on the mark on opening day until Molina connected. There were no close plays that merited replays. NOTES: Cincinnatis last shutout loss on opening day was a 2-0 loss to the Milwaukee Braves. ... Former Reds SS Barry Larkin and Dave Concepcion threw ceremonial pitches. ... Cueto was hit on the left wrist by Matt Carpenters comebacker on his fifth pitch of the game. A trainer checked him, and he made a few practice throws. ... Hits king Pete Rose attended the game. ...