MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves sent Kevin Love off to NBA All-Star weekend with a complete performance and a critical win. The Denver Nuggets played as though they were already relaxing on a tropical beach. Love started practicing early for All-Star festivities, making six of 11 shots from 3-point range and totalling 32 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Timberwolves to a 117-90 victory over the Nuggets on Wednesday night. "Its always a tough game before the break to come out with a lot of energy, and we did," Love said. "We were excited to play. We knew we needed a win." Love, chosen as a first-time starter for the Western Conference team, will also take part in the 3-point shooting contest this weekend in New Orleans. In five February games, Love has averaged 32.6 points. He sat last week because of a stiff neck, and then with a bruised left quadriceps, but his banged-up body hasnt hindered his production when he is on the court. "I was pretty sore before the game still, but once we got going I felt good," Love said. "I was definitely happy we got the large lead, and I really, really needed to sit down those last eight minutes." Corey Brewer added 22 points, J.J. Barea pitched in 18 points on 8-for-8 shooting, and Ricky Rubio had 11 points, 12 assists and a season-high seven steals for the Wolves, who had coach Rick Adelman back on the sideline. He missed the previous game on Monday, an absence he said was related to his wifes health. The Wolves, still missing Nikola Pekovic (right ankle bursitis) and Kevin Martin (broken left thumb) stopped a four-game losing streak. "We needed a game like that after having a tough stretch," Rubio said. The curmudgeon coach wasnt quite satisfied, calling timeout at one point in the second quarter when a turnover gave the Nuggets a fast-break dunk off a lob pass from Randy Foye to Jordan Hamilton. That cut the lead to 47-29. "I dont know, 40 would be nice to be ahead by," Adelman said. "Id relax then. We have a tendency to give up points quickly." The Wolves trail eighth-place Phoenix by six games. Hamilton led the Nuggets with 16 points and seven assists, and J.J. Hickson added 14 points and 13 rebounds. Reeling from injuries, the Nuggets (24-27) have dropped nine of 13 and four games in a row to fall behind the Wolves (25-28) and into 11th place. "Theres really only one thing to say, and thats thank God for the All-Star break," coach Brian Shaw said. Foye, forced into a point guard role because Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson are out, said he has been playing with a strained hamstring. He then sustained a nerve injury in his leg. "It was extremely painful, but I fought through it," said Foye, who inadvertently elbowed Rubio in the chin in the first quarter. Rubio returned after receiving five stitches. The Nuggets, who have given up the third-most points per game, left shooters open all over the court. The Wolves made them pay with 52.3 per cent shooting from the floor and 20 fast-break points. "Were getting torched by everybody from the beginning of the game to the end of the game," Shaw said. The Wolves were ahead 19-3 before the Nuggets were even warmed up, and they built their lead as big as 61-37 late in the second quarter on a 3-pointer by Chase Budinger, who finished with 12 points. The Nuggets never came closer than 17 points after halftime. Brewer had an uncontested dunk and then caught another laser-like outlet pass from Love like a wide receiver streaking down the football field. Brewers twisting layup rolled off the rim, but Rubio stole the ball right back for another try that Brewer converted for a 98-64 lead. "It all starts with defence," Hickson said. "If you look at the top teams in the league, all of them are top five or top 10 in defence, and thats not us right now." NOTES: Adelman has no special plans for the All-Star break. "Im just going to sit here and watch the snow," he said. Pekovic will be ice fishing again, but Adelman expressed no interest, only a bit of advice: "I hope he puts his foot in the water and ices it a little bit." ... Hickson has a double-double in 16 of the last 29 games. ... Martin said his hope is to be cleared to play on the five-game trip that starts Feb. 22. He will be re-evaluated the day before. Cheap NFL Jerseys . Ouellette, from Montreal, already has three Olympic gold medals since joining the team in 1999. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. http://www.cheapjerseyschinanfl.us.... . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. [url=http://www.cheapjerseyschinanfl.us.com/]Cheap Jerseys China . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments.MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica -- Canada booked a World Cup ticket with a 5-0 win against Jamaica at the CONCACAF Under-17 Womens Championship on Thursday. Marie-Mychele Metivier, Emily Borgmann, Jessie Fleming, Sarah Kinzner and Marie Levasseur scored for Canada, which advanced to the CONCACAF final Saturday. Theyll face Mexico, who earlier knocked out the United States 4-2 on penalty kicks to also earn a World Cup spot. The win also earned Canada a berth at the FIFA U-17 Womens World Cup next year in Costa Rica. Canada is the only CONCACAF nation to have qualified for all four editions of the World Cup. "Im really happy," said Canadas coach Beverly Priestman. "The girls stuck to our game plan and deserve the win." Metivier opened the scoring just four minutes into the match on a hot evening at Catherine Hall Stadium. Her shot was deeflected off a defender into the net, giving her a tournament-leading six goals.dddddddddddd Canada would strike again in the 27th minute, when Borgmann collected a pass from fellow attacker Marie Levasseur to guide the ball across the line. Priestman said it was the second goal that gave Canada the momentum they needed. "We knew that we had to put a few away to take the momentum of the game and quiet the crowd," she said. Three minutes later, Fleming made it 3-0 with a shot into the top of the net from outside of the 18-yard box. Kinzner scored her first of the tournament in the 48th minute. Racing to collect a pass from Fleming she out-battled her defender, stretching for the ball and directing it past Jamaicas on-rushing keeper. 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