"I missed playing (point guard)," said Billups, whose team plays the New York Knicks tonight at Target Center. "Now I feel like I've come home."

When Billups signed with Minnesota before last season, coach Flip Saunders said "the idea was a future at the point, ideally." Early in the season, however, Billups was starting at shooting guard because that's where he could play the most.

He had an explosive beginning to 2000-01, averaging 32.3 minutes and starting the first 31 games. But his scoring dropped from 16 points a game in November to 10.9 in December to 8.0 in January and 6.0 after Feb. 1. And after Jan. 1, he logged only 17.2 minutes a game, and started only two.

The problem? Confusion on offense, inconsistency on defense and frustration all over the floor.

"I think last year we kind of screwed him up a little bit on the things we did, moving him back and forth (between positions) so quick and not totally understanding what he was doing," Saunders said.

That's why the Wolves are aiming to keep Billups at point guard, behind starter Terrell Brandon, at least initially.

"Right now, we want him to stay focused on the point and learn all those situations, and then as the season progresses, we'll play him and get him more minutes at the 2," Saunders said.