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MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves cant afford any more lazy starts like the one that got them beat two nights ago. They cant afford any more losses to teams with inferior records. Their one last, desperate playoff push begins right now. The Detroit Pistons are in the same boat. But they sure arent playing like it. Kevin Love had 28 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, and the Timberwolves led by 31 points in the third quarter en route to a 114-101 victory over the Pistons on Friday night. Kevin Martin scored 24 points and Ricky Rubio added 11 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Timberwolves, who trail the Dallas Mavericks by five games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West with 21 games to go. "We have to have more discipline in what we do," said coach Rick Adelman, referring to the Wolves letting the Pistons back into the game in the fourth. "I dont care what the score is. We have to learn. Its hurt us in the past and it will hurt us again if we dont know the time and score." Greg Monroe had 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Will Bynum scored all 17 of his points in the fourth quarter for the Pistons. But Detroit shot 40 per cent and lost for the ninth time in 11 games, yet another demoralizing performance for a team that started the night just three games back of eighth-place Atlanta in the East. "Tonight our lack of defence, especially in that first half, dictated our offence," Pistons coach John Loyer said. "Its pretty hard to really have great pace and play with offensive pace if youre so lackadaisical on the defensive end, which we were." Nikola Pekovic had 17 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota (31-30), which matched its win total of last season and led by 28 when the final quarter opened. But Bynum got going in the fourth, and his driving layup cut the lead to 112-101 with a minute to play. But the deficit proved too big for the Pistons to overcome. "Sometimes coach has to make a hockey substitution and put all five (starters) back in," Martin said with a smile. "Were just happy we got a win." The Timberwolves came home from an 11-day West Coast road trip that included four wins in five games to move them one game above .500 and 4 1/2 out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the demanding Western Conference. A four-game homestand against struggling opponents had them cautiously optimistic that they could sneak back into the mix. But they opened the crucial stretch with a clunker, falling behind 15-2 en route to losing on to the woeful New York Knicks on Wednesday night. The loss stung even more when Phoenix, Dallas and Memphis, the three teams right ahead of them in the playoff chase, all lost before the Wolves hit the floor. "We learned our lesson, we played aggressive tonight and everyone did a good job," Rubio said. With almost no margin for error the rest of the way, the Wolves jumped on the Pistons from the get-go. After struggling mightily from the field and playing tentatively in his previous two games, Martin came out very aggressive in the first quarter. He hit three of his first four shots and attacked the basket with a layup that gave the Wolves a 29-11 lead. The battle under the boards between two of the most physical, tenacious rebounding front lines in the league never materialized. Monroe picked up two quick fouls and a technical in the first quarter that limited his effectiveness early and Andre Drummond, who was averaging 13.0 rebounds per game and leads the league in offensive rebounds, had just two points and one rebound while playing 15 minutes over the first three quarters due to foul trouble. Drummond finished with six points and seven rebounds before fouling out. "There are a lot of young guys and a lot of players on this team that havent been able to experience the post-season," said Pistons forward Josh Smith, who had 13 points on 4-for-14 shooting. "They wont understand it until they get in and they get that feeling. Thats when that addiction starts to creep in." NOTES: Brandon Jennings had 17 points, five assists and five rebounds for the Pistons, but did not play in the fourth quarter. ... Wolves backup PG J.J. Barea, the subject of boos from the home crowd against the Knicks, had another rough game, with four points on 2-for-8 shooting. ... The rock band Arcade Fire, including basketball aficionado Win Butler, was in attendance. Pittsburgh Penguins Gear . Alfredo Simon lowered his ERA to 0.86, and the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Friday for their 16th win in their last 17 games at the Friendly Confines. Alex Galchenyuk Jersey . An unconventional night for Texas-El Paso nearly led to the Miners getting a huge upset. Down by 14 with 2:21 left, the Miners went on a frantic closing spurt that fell just short, and UTEP was beaten by No. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ . I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video. Casey DeSmith Jersey . The 25-year-old Lu, a regular on the Japan LPGA Tour after giving up her LPGA Tour membership in 2010, shot an 8-under 64 in windy, wet conditions at Kintetsu Kashikojima. Nick Bjugstad Jersey . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left.Scott Arfield struck after just 58 seconds to ensure Burnley will remain on top of the Sky Bet Championship this weekend after beating Leeds 1-0 at Turf Moor. The recently-capped Canada internationals early goal took the Clarets on to 80 points, four ahead of Middlesbrough and five clear of Brighton, stretching their unbeaten run in the division to 18 games.It was Livingston-born Arfields eighth of the season and it came in front of watching Scotland boss Gordon Strachan, whose reluctance to bring him into his international fold led to the winger seeking recognition with Canada. For Burnley, it was another result they had to grind out as they edge closer to a top-flight return, and Leeds should have come away with a point as Chris Wood spurned two glorious second-half opportunities.The divisions top scorers had endured a frustrating 90 minutes here in midweek when Cardiff kept them at bay during a third successive draw, but, less than one minute in, Arfield beat the recalled Marco Silvestri in the visitors net. Mustapha Carayol tangles with George Boyd at Turf Moor The move started at the opposite end with Tom Heatons long kick found Sam Vokes who beat Sol Bamba in the air to find Andre Gray, who turned away from Liam Cooper and fed Arfield to fire a shot home across Silvestri.Bamba endured an eventful start to the game, drawing Heaton into a save before getting caught out of position again defensively as Matt Lowton struck an attempt at Silvestri when released by Gray.Leeds settled down after that frantic start, although they were fortunate that George Boyd rifled wide in an attack that was reminiscent of the opener, with Bamba again caught out as he rushed to clear. Leeds United manager Steve Evans gives his post-match thoughts after his sides defeat to Burnley Whites forward Wood lashed one effort over the crossbar from way out and should have done better when Stuart Dallas cross went over Michael Keane and reached the New Zealander.ddddddddddddIt was then an unmarked Bamba that was involved in the halfs final chance as he failed to properly connect with a corner sent in by Mustapha Carayol, with the defender punching the air in disappointment as the hosts cleared. Scott Arfield of Burnley celebrates the opening goal against Leeds with his team-mates Steve Evans side were growing into the contest, though, and after Wood smashed another shot over, he was presented with a second-half chance which really should have ended in the equaliser.Lurking behind Ben Mee, the striker reached Carayols cross only to divert it inches past the post with his shoulder.The Clarets needed to rally and they did with a move down the left. Arfield left the ball to the leagues leading marksman Gray and he fired into two Leeds defenders. Burnley manager Sean Dyche gives his thoughts after his sides 1-0 win over Leeds. Gray may have been having an off-day but Woods afternoon turned even worse when he somehow headed wide from six yards out 69 minutes in having been totally unmarked from Charlie Taylors centre.The visitors would not have another decent opening in the last 20 minutes - certainly not one as clear-cut as the chance Burnley substitute Ashley Barnes sent wide from close range in stoppage time - as the Clarets kept their spot at the summit ahead of their final five fixtures. ' ' 'r did all of last season in japan. He took the loss. ' ' '