In London, Kirilenko Feeling Fresh And Healthy Heading To Minnesota

It's probably only a matter of time before Kevin Love and Andrei Kirilenko sit down for high tea in London during the Olympics.

What better way to discuss the Minnesota Timberwolves' upcoming season and how the AK-47 piece of the puzzle fits into David Kahn's masterplan. Keep in mind Love was the one that said weeks ago that the Wolves need some fresh blood in Minnesota's locker room, and the veteran small forward from Russia is about as red as they come.   His blood is pumping coming off an impressive Turkish Airlines Euroleague and Russian League season.   Back in the NBA and feeling fresh -- that's Kirilenko's status these days. It may have take time for Kirilenko to decide between returning to CSKA Moscow, taking the Brooklyn Nets on-going offer or settling into a unique situation with the Wolves, but in the end Kirilenko knows he made the right move and even while at the 2012 London Olympics, this return to the NBA has him ready to go.  

"I feel great...I'm running like a young deer," Kirilenko told Sports Illustrated, about feeling physically renewed thanks to his season playing back with CSKA.   "We had a pretty good schedule -- we only play twice a week. But I feel I'm ready to play because we had a lot of practices...I would rather play games than practices.''
 

Right now in London, Team Russia has been making easy practice of their play at the Olympics.

Kirilenko finished with 16 points and 9 rebounds to lead Russia to a 73-54 win over China on Tuesday. Russia moves to 2-0 in Group B play, with AK-47 averaging 25.5 points in those two games.   At 31-years old, Kirilenko has a lot of game left and continues to excel on the international stage.   And Minnesota is better of for it.   [follow]