Called a game-time decision whether he’d even play or not, former Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio returned to Target Center Sunday and shot his Utah Jazz team to a lopsided 121-97 victory over his former team in just what might have been the biggest game this season for both teams.
With playoff spots and positioning on the line, Rubio made his first four three-point attempts, he shot 9-for-14 from the field and scored 23 points for a Jazz team that now is 25-5 in last 30 games.
By winning, Utah moved past the Wolves in the Western Conference on a night when the Wolves slid from fifth place to seventh after both the Jazz and Oklahoma City won in a playoff race that has been dizzying close for seven teams chasing five spots.