Chris Tomasson writes about last nights loss to the Timberwolves in Minnesota.  The Nuggets played well, and only lost by 6.

Steve Aschburner of the Star Tribune reports that the Timberwolves will let pass today's deadline for signing swingman Wally Szczerbiak to a contract extension, despite Szczerbiak's willingness to accept a deal for less than the NBA's maximum salary scale.

Szczerbiak, 25, is eligible through today for an extension of up to six seasons, worth as much as $84 million according to projected maximum guidelines. In the offseason, Szczerbiak, a fourth-year player, and his agent, Gary Wichard, said they would seek that amount. It is similar to deals signed by other top products from the 1999 draft.

But Szczerbiak told Wichard on Friday to come down from that figure. "Wally told me, 'Come off the max to get a deal done,' " Wichard said. "He said, 'I like Minnesota, I like the fans here and I want to stay here and play with Kevin Garnett.' "

Team owner Glen Taylor has said that other financial concerns -- the looming luxury tax, the possibility of Terrell Brandon's salary coming off the team's cap figure if Brandon retires, Garnett's possible extension -- have made Szczerbiak's deal a lower priority. "It isn't the agent, it isn't Wally," Taylor said. "Circumstances are just more difficult on that one."

Szczerbiak already is under contract for this season at $2.9 million. If he doesn't sign an extension by tonight, he will become a restricted free agent next summer. The Wolves would be able to match any offer Szczerbiak received to retain his services or sign him to a deal otherwise negotiated.

The Associated Press reports: Free agent point guard Rod Strickland will sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves by Saturday, his agent said.

``It's going to happen,'' agent Leon Rose said Friday afternoon, adding he expected a deal to be finalized in the next 24 hours.

Strickland, 36, played last year with Miami, his sixth team in 14 NBA seasons. He would add some vital depth to Minnesota's injury-depleted backcourt.

Veteran point guard Terrell Brandon, recovering from February knee surgery, is out indefinitely and guard Felipe Lopez will miss the season with torn ligaments in his left knee.

Strickland is likely to receive a one-year deal for the minimum.

Chip Scoggins of the Pioneer Press reports that Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves may be close to a contract extension. Timberwolves owner Glenn Taylor says he believes the team is close to locking up Garnett for the next six years.

Garnett has two years remaining on his $126 million contract and is eligible for a four-year, $139 million extension. The Wolves, however, initially were believed to have offered a four-year extension worth around $75 million.

Miller met with Garnett?s agent on Thursday. The meeting was described as positive by Miller who thinks a deal could be in place before the regular season begins. think we would have to have one more meeting to get it done," Taylor said. "I know even the smallest details can make these things fall through sometimes. But I'm optimistic we can get it done."

The Minnesota Timberwolves were close to reaching an agreement with free agent point guard Rod Strickland, his agent said Thursday, a move that would add depth to Minnesota's injury-thinned backcourt.

"It's getting close,'' agent Leon Rose said.

Terrell Brandon, recovering from February knee surgery, is out indefinitely and guard Felipe Lopez will miss the season with torn ligaments in his left knee.

The Timberwolves' season opener is Wednesday against Denver, and right now they've got only four healthy guards -- Troy Hudson, Kendall Gill, Anthony Peeler and Igor Rakocevic. Maurice Evans and rookie Marcus Taylor, Minnesota's second-round draft pick out of Michigan State, were waived Thursday.

Roman Modrowski of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Bulls may be willing to part with Jamal Crawford in an attempt to bring in some frontcourt help. An anonymous general manager told the Sun-Times that it appears as if Jerry Krause is seeking to trade Crawford.

The Bulls are looking for help in their frontcourt, but there is not much out there. Someone like Marc Jackson of the Timberwolves may be available, but the Bulls may want more in return for Crawford. ''He was a very high draft pick and is a very valuable member of this organization,'' Krause said.

Crawford may be available because of Jay Williams? emergence as the team?s starting point guard. Coach Bill Cartwright had been rotating starts between Williams and Crawford, but after Williams started the last two preseason games and Cartwright announcing that he wants to get his regular rotation set before the season starts, it appears as if Williams may have won the starting job.

In other Bulls "trade" news, Jalen Rose was a bit upset at the New York Posts? Peter Vecsey who wrote that Chicago is looking to deal Rose because of his "me-first" attitude. Krause and a team source denied the story, but a general manager speaking on the condition of anonymity said he heard Rose was available, although he didn't hear that from the Bulls.

Rose believes Vecsey's friendship with Pacers coach Isiah Thomas inspired the story. Indiana traded Rose last season after Rose and Thomas developed a bitter feud. ''I would be surprised [by a trade], but at the same time, that's the nature of the business,'' Rose said. ''I am an employee, not a boss.''

Krause said all general managers try to get a feel for what their players' trade value is. ''I ask teams in the league who they like on our team,'' Krause said. ''And so does every other general manager. But that does not mean I'm trying to trade somebody.''

Injuries are creating huge problems for the Minnesota Timberwolves.  

They?ve already lost Terrell Brandon with a bad knee.

And Joe Smith (groin pull), Wally Szczerbiak (dislocated toe), Randy Livingston (ankle sprain) and Troy Hudson (groin pull) also are unavailable or only to do limited practice.

Now Felipe Lopez is gone for the season.

Steve Aschburner of the Star Tribune reports that Lopez suffered tears to the medial collateral and anterior cruciate ligaments in his left knee in a collision with Boston guard Paul Pierce.

Lopez is in the last year of his contract.  He worked hard this summer and had been having a good training camp.  Coach Flip Saunders said, ?Personally, [I] feel terrible because he's worked so hard.  He's had a great camp. We've been able to play him at a lot of different positions.?

Saunders suggested that the NBA might want to schedule fewer preseason games -- most teams play seven or eight -- and not book them a mere week after training camps open.  Amen.

Mike Wells of the Pioneer Press reports that the Minnesota Timberwolves are trudging through a long list of injuries. Felipe Lopez was added to that list last night after spraining his knee in the Timberwolves 95-83 loss to the Celtics.

Lopez was the starting point guard for the Timberwolves last night because of injuries to Terrell Brandon, Troy Hudson and Randy Livingston. After Lopez collided with Boston?s Paul Pierce and was removed from the game with 6:04 left in the first quarter, it left the Wolves with a backcourt of rookies Marcus Taylor and Igor Rakocevic for most of the game. With Kendall Gill, who started at shooting guard, in foul trouble most the night, Taylor and Rakocevic often were in the backcourt together.

"I think when Felipe went down, it took a little bit of wind out of us because he had a great training camp," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said. "It made my stomach sick to see him go down; it took a lot of wind out of us. I thought we went through a stretch where we didn't compete as hard as we should have. Even though you miss a lot of guys and have a lot of injuries, you have an obligation to step on the floor and try to get better. I don't think we were committed to doing that."

The Wolves (3-2) already were without Troy Hudson (groin), Wally Szczerbiak (toe), Joe Smith (groin), Terrell Brandon (knee) and Randy Livingston (ankle). Anthony Peeler also missed Saturday's game because his fiancee's grandmother died.

"It's something we have to deal with," Garnett said. "Injuries are part of the game. We as players have to continue to play and try to adjust. Practice time is probably more crucial now."

Lopez was carried off the court by teammates Reggie Slater and Marc Jackson. He is scheduled to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging exam today in the Twin Cities. "He went down pretty hard," Saunders said. "We'll hold on to hope that it's nothing too serious. I wouldn't say we're real optimistic right now."