It may have only lasted four minutes, but Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders benched Sprewell for the start of Wednesday?s 108-79 loss to Phoenix for missing the team flight home from Milwaukee the previous night.

"Spree, we had communication problems, and he missed our plane coming back," Saunders said. "We just didn't start him because of that."

Sprewell left Target Center without comment. There was no word as to whether he will return to his starting slot Friday against Houston, but all signs point to yes.

"It's not a big issue, really," Saunders said.