Paul Coro

The Republic | azcentral.com

Monday’s game: Suns (17-49) at Timberwolves (21-45)

Tip-off: 7 p.m.

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM 98.7

Orange Slices

* In official NBA box scores, Alex Len has been a power forward for the past eight games because he has been starting alongside center Tyson Chandler.

But the numbers to the right of his name in those box scores have been as strong as any center in the NBA for that time.

Only Miami’s Hassan Whiteside has a longer active streak of double-digit rebounding games than Len, who has grabbed at least 10 rebounds in each of the eight games since he joined Chandler in the starting lineup. During that time since. Feb. 27, Len’s average of 13.5 rebounds per game trails only Detroit’s Andre Drummond (15.5), Utah’s Rudy Gobert (13.8), Whiteside (13.7) and the Los Angeles Clipper’s DeAndre Jordan (13.7).

Len had been in a shooting slump until his 26-point, 13-rebound game Saturday night at Golden State, where he made 10 of 18 shots. But even with the shooting slump, his scoring average of 18.3 points per game has been the fifth best among centers since Feb. 27. He has done it over that eight-game stretch by getting to the line for 8.7 free throw attempts per game, which ranks as the sixth most of any NBA player in that time.

Len’s progress was shown in an early-game play when he came off Andrew Bogut defensively to help on Draymond Green, who had been left alone in the post. Green passed to a cutting Harrison Barnes, whose missed shot was affected by Len sliding over to challenge him. And he grabbed the rebound.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr called Len’s play “fantastic.”

“I think Alex has overcome that wall very quickly,” Suns interim head coach Earl Watson said. “He played well. He played great. Unfortunately, he got in some foul trouble.”

* With another bottom-five team visiting Phoenix, the Suns’ status for the draft lottery is becoming more prominent with only one-fifth of the season remaining.

The Suns currently have the NBA’s third-worst record, only one game worse than Brooklyn. The difference between the two spots is a 15.6 percent draft lottery chance at No. 1 in the third spot or an 11.9 percent chance in the fourth spot.

Minnesota currently has the fifth-worst record with four games separating them and the Suns entering Monday night’s game. The teams meet again in Minnesota on March 28.

The Suns also have the rights to Washington’s first-round pick (top-nine protected) and Cleveland’s first-round pick (top-10) protected. With the Wizards’ five-game losing streak, that pick currently would be 12th in the draft lottery order and the Cavaliers pick would fall at No. 28.

RELATED:NBA schedule and scores | NBA stats

* The Suns could be officially eliminated from mathematical playoff possibility with a loss to Minnesota or a Houston home win against Memphis.

* The Suns-Wolves games features two of the league’s three highest scoring rookies of 2016. Minnesota center Karl-Anthony Towns has averaged 19.1 points since Jan. 1 while Suns guard Devin Booker has averaged 17.7 points in that time. They were Kentucky teammates last season. Philadelphia’s Jahlil Okafor has averaged 17.8 points since Jan. 1.

* Minnesota is 5-6 with its current starting lineup.

* The Timberwolves’ under-21 group of Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine and Tyus Jones is averaging 53 points per game.

* The Timberwolves beat the Suns 117-87 to end a nine-game losing streak on Jan. 17 in the teams’ previous meeting in Minnesota. The Suns allowed the Timberwolves to shoot 56.5 percent and fouled them 29 times.

* Coveted draft target Ben Simmons will be represented by agent Rich Paul, according to Yahoo. Paul also represents Suns point guard Earl Bledsoe.

* Cole Mickelson’s Stone Cole Fact o’ the Day: The Suns’ 116 points in at Golden State on Saturday was the second highest opponent scoring total during the Warriors’ NBA-record 48-game home winning streak. Denver scored 126 at Golden State on April 15.

* The last word goes to Len on the Suns challenging the Warriors on Saturday in a 123-116 loss: “It was big for us because we’re trying to rebuild and build something in a better direction. We’ve just got to keep playing the same way and try to get better from here.”

Projected starting lineups

C: Tyson Chandler … Karl-Anthony Towns

PF: Alex Len … Gorgui Dieng

SF: P.J. Tucker … Andrew Wiggins

SG: Devin Booker … Zach LaVine

PG: Brandon Knight … Ricky Rubio

Key Timberwolves reserves: Shabazz Muhammad, Tayshaun Prince, Adreian Payne, Nemanja Bjelica, Tyus Jones, Greg Smith.

Key Timberwolves injuries: Nikola Pekovic (ankle) is out; Kevin Garnett (knee) is doubtful.

Follow Coro at www.twitter.com/paulcoro.