The Wolves are all out of Love again, this time in New York City for a 4 p.m. game against the Knicks, the main event to this afternoon's Vikings-Texans prelim.

That means the Wolves will counter the Knicks' small starting lineup with one of their own.

Rick Adelman will start point guards Luke Ridnour and J.J. Barea in his backcourt and move Alexey Shved to a forward spot of sorts against a Knicks team that also starts point guards Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton and puts guard Ronnie Brewer beside faux-power forward Carmelo Anthony inthe frontcourt.

Adelman contemplated starting Dante Cunningham at Love's power-forward spot, but opted for the three-guard lineup instead.

Love did not travel to New York on Saturday because of an eye injury sustained when he got poked in it late during Thursday's victory over Oklahoma City.

A couple other things about today's game:

* Adelman said Ricky Rubio's minutes won't be increased for his fourth game back, which also is his first visit to Madison Square Garden where it was once assumed he wanted to play.

He said Rubio's minutes will stay right around the 18-minute mark, and then everybody will discuss before Wednesday's game against Houston about whether to increase them.

* How injury prone are the Wolves?

Even their GM is out injured.

President of basketball operations David Kahn couldn't travel, as he often does, to today's game after undergoing hernia surgery last week.

* Kirilenko draws his third tough defensive assignment in as many games today.

On Tuesday, he defended LeBron James. On Thursday, it was Kevin Durant.

And today it's Knicks star Carmelo Anthony, who is playing well enough to be considered an early contender for MVP.

I asked AK before the game if he's going to ask for a raise on that $10 million salary.

"Why?" he asked. "I get paid enough. I'm not greedy."