MINNEAPOLIS -- Kevin Love had just finished carrying his Minnesota Timberwolves over .500 for the first time since Nov. 23, playing the entire second half and over 43 minutes to make it happen. So naturally, he hit the weight room after the game. Without his Bruise Brother Nikola Pekovic by his side for at least another week, Love knows hes going to be tested like he rarely has before. Love had 30 points and 14 rebounds to help the Timberwolves grind out an 88-77 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. "I was a little upset with myself with some of the shots I took that I felt like I couldve made," said Love was of 11 of 26 and 1 for 6 on 3-pointers. "The ball didnt feel great tonight. Thats the way it goes sometimes. If I can do that and we can win without Pek, thats a good sign." Kevin Martin added 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting and six boards for the Timberwolves (23-22) in their first game without Pekovic, who is expected to miss at least a week with bursitis in his right ankle. They still managed to get over .500 after failing in their previous 10 chances to do so. Al-Farouq Aminu had 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Pelicans, who were missing star forward Anthony Davis with a dislocated left index finger. They shot 35 per cent and managed a season-low 35 points in the first half to snap a three-game winning streak. Davis was injured in the victory over the Cavaliers on Tuesday night, but coach Monty Williams said he was playing it safe with his franchise player and expected him to return on Saturday against Chicago. "He can knock down the mid-range shot down so a lot of their bigs were in the paint just helping and we had to go up against a big every time," said Pelicans guard Tyreke Evans, who had 11 points on 4-for-15 shooting. "So it was pretty tough." In an ugly game for both teams, the Pelicans managed to hang around and trailed by five heading into the fourth. But Love, who played the entire second half, scored six straight points during an 8-0 burst to open the quarter and help the Wolves win for the fifth time in six games. "With Pek out, we really have to find a way to relieve the pressure off (Love), move him around and stuff," Wolves coach Rick Adelman said. "We know teams are going to come at him. ... So we have to find ways to figure it out." Both teams looked lost without their lynch pins in the paint in the first half. The Pelicans, who also are missing Jrue Holiday and Ryan Anderson, hovered around 25 per cent shooting for most of the first quarter and were still at 30 per cent late into the third quarter against a Wolves defence that has been among the worst in the league from a field goal percentage basis. Without Pekovic commanding double teams and bulling his way to the basket, the Wolves have had to focus more on the defensive end. That left Love to go to work on the offensive end, and he was more aggressive looking for his shot than he has been with the big fella next to him in the frontcourt. In his first game at home since he was voted in as an All-Star starter for the Western Conference, Love came out firing, taking nine shots and attacking the glass. And when point guard Ricky Rubio went to the bench early in the third quarter with four fouls, Love started distributing more, picking up five assists to help the Wolves push back against the plucky Pelicans. "I know some of our guys are a bit overwhelmed with trying to play at a high level, but we had our chances," New Orleans coach Monty Williams said. "This is when you have to step up and we just didnt do it tonight. That happens." NOTES: Eric Gordon scored 14 on 5 for 17 shooting for New Orleans. ... Before the game started, Love grabbed the mic and thanked the Wolves fans for voting him as a starter in the All-Star game. He posted his NBA-leading 27th game with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. ... Greg Stiemsma started in place of Davis and finished with three points and 12 rebounds and has grabbed at least 10 boards in two straight games. Adidas Zx 4000 4d Kopen . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., who trains out of San Diego, will fight bantamweight champion (Rowdy) Ronda Rousey on July 5 in the co-main event of UFC 175 in Las Vegas. Adidas Continental 80 Korting . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Defensive Depth TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun is reporting the Toronto Maple Leafs have considerable interest in unrestricted free-agent defenceman Dan Boyle. http://www.nmdbelgie.com/. On Thursday theyll learn even more. Despite the cloud of uncertainty that has followed them around from the moment general manager Masai Ujiri was brought in to put his stamp on the franchise, the Raptors have surpassed all pre-season expectations. Adidas Zx 9000 Kopen . The Maple Leafs will play on the road for the first time this season after dropping home contests to Montreal and Pittsburgh to begin the campaign. After losing a one-goal decision to the Canadiens on Wednesday, they were bested 5-2 on Saturday by the Penguins. Yeezy Boost 350 v3 Belgie . Kamloops, B.C., the host city of this years Tim Hortons Brier, is where he won his first Canadian mens curling crown in 1996. SEATTLE -- Lloyd McClendon is bringing an entirely new coaching staff to Seattle, although a number of his additions have ties to the Mariners organization. McClendon announced his coaching staff on Monday, with only two of his hires coming from outside of the club. Instead, McClendon is promoting a number of coaches from the minors and still holding out the possibility that one coach may return from the previous staff under Eric Wedge but in a different role. "Obviously, there is some advantage to having some guys from within the organization," McClendon said. "If you have the opportunity to promote from within, No. 1 its healthy for the organization, and No. 2 if those guys are qualified individuals it becomes an A-plus. ... All those guys fit that bill." Howard Johnson, the former New York Mets third baseman, will take over as Seattles hitting coach after serving in that role for the organization at Triple-A Tacoma last season. Hell replace Dave Hansen who was with the club for only one season but may return as Johnsons assistant. Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said Hansen has an offer to return as the clubs assistant hitting coach if he does not find another major league job. Rick Waits will move from minor league pitching co-ordinator to Seattles pitching coach, while John Stearns will be the third-basse coach and Chris Woodward will be the infield coach.dddddddddddd Stearns finished the 2013 season as Tacomas manager after Daren Brown was added to the major league staff, while Woodward was a roving minor-league infield co-ordinator. McClendon said he was impressed by Waits and his view of how a pitching staff should be handled. "He really blew me away from the interview process," McClendon said. "(He) represented everything I wanted in a pitching coach." McClendon is bringing in Andy Van Slyke (first-base coach) and Mike Rojas (bullpen coach) from outside the organization. Van Slyke has been out of coaching since 2009 when he left the staff in Detroit, where he worked with McClendon. He reached out to McClendon to express his interest in returning to coaching in Seattle. "He was excited for the opportunity to coach with me again," McClendon said. "Andy Is probably the most impressive practice coach I have ever been around." McClendon previously announced that Trent Jewett will serve as his bench coach. The team said that bullpen catcher Jason Phillips and Scott Budner (left-handed batting practice pitcher) would return, and Zduriencik said if Brown does not find another major league job he has already signed a contract for a minor league position in the Mariners organization. ' ' '