NBA notebook — Nov. 21

Associated Press Kevin Love sure knows how to make an entrance. His banged-up Minnesota Timberwolves never needing him more, Love made a surprise return to the starting lineup on Wednesday against Denver, nearly two weeks ahead of the rehabilitation schedule set for his broken right hand. The All-Star and Olympic gold medalist’s injury was announced on Oct. 18, two weeks before the team opened its most promising season in years. The team initially set a return of six to eight weeks. But Love was able to avoid surgery, and he quietly worked to get back at just under five weeks. Coach Rick Adelman deftly dodged a question about Love in his pregame media availability, hoping to keep a lid on the surprise as long as possible. But a few minutes later, the news got out. When he was introduced before the game, a stunned Target Center crowd erupted as they welcomed him to the 2012 season. “You feel great when you have your best player back,” Andrei Kirilenko said. “It’s always needed. I’m still worried about him a little bit because it’s a pretty hard injury. I’m sure he knows what he’s doing. He’s a smart player.” And the Wolves need their leading scorer and rebounder right about now. They started the season 5-2 despite missing Love and Ricky Rubio (left knee), then lost JJ Barea (left foot), Brandon Roy (right knee), Chase Budinger (left knee) and Nikola Pekovic (left ankle) to injuries that robbed them of six of their top seven players. But that spirited start gave way to some reality last week when the Wolves lost back-to-back home games against Charlotte and Golden State. Pekovic and Barea joined Love back in the lineup on Wednesday night against the Nuggets, giving the undermanned Wolves a sense that three weeks’ worth of slogging along without their star players was coming to an end.

NBA notebook — Nov. 21 November 22,2012 04:05 AM GMT Associated Press Copyright � 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,broadcast, rewritten or redistributed..

Nets’ Evans fined for flop

Brooklyn Nets forward Reggie Evans has become the first player to be fined for flopping by the NBA, penalized $5,000 for a second offense.

Evans was punished after exaggerating light contact from the Lakers’ Metta World Peace on Tuesday night, nearly crashing into a referee standing along the sideline a few feet away.

Evans had received a warning for going down with little or no contact while battling for a rebound against Boston on Nov. 15.

Celtics release Milicic

The Boston Celtics have waived center Darko Milicic.

Celtics general manager Danny Ainge said Wednesday that Milicic asked for his release to deal with a personal matter.

Milicic has played five minutes in one game this season.

Haslem sets rebound mark

Udonis Haslem is now the leading rebounder in Miami Heat history.

Haslem’s second rebound on Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks was the 4,808th of his career, one more than Alonzo Mourning grabbed in his tenure with the Heat.