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Minnesota takes road win streak into matchup with Denver

Minnesota Timberwolves (37-23, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (37-23, fourth in the Western Conference)

Denver; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Minnesota will try to keep its three-game road win streak intact when the Timberwolves play Denver.

The Nuggets are 21-12 against Western Conference opponents. Denver is fourth in the Western Conference with 28.2 assists per game led by Nikola Jokic averaging 10.5.

The Timberwolves are 22-17 against Western Conference opponents. Minnesota is fifth in the Western Conference with 33.4 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 7.5.

The Nuggets make 49.2% of their shots from the field this season, which is 3.0 percentage points higher than the Timberwolves have allowed to their opponents (46.2%). The Timberwolves average 14.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.8 more makes per game than the Nuggets allow.

The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Nuggets won the last meeting 142-138 in overtime on Dec. 26. Jokic scored 56 points to help lead the Nuggets to the win.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jokic is averaging 28.7 points, 12.6 rebounds and 10.5 assists for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray is averaging 24.6 points and 6.6 assists over the last 10 games.

Julius Randle is scoring 21.7 points per game with 6.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists for the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards is averaging 30.4 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 48.9% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 4-6, averaging 123.5 points, 48.1 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 8.0 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.0 points per game.

Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 118.6 points, 43.3 rebounds, 25.0 assists, 8.7 steals and 6.5 blocks per game while shooting 49.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.7 points.

INJURIES: Nuggets: Tamar Bates: out (foot), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring), Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).

Timberwolves: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

NYPD says dozens rescued from human trafficking during World Cup

▶ Watch Video: Inside look at security preparations for World Cup Forty-three people, including seven minors, were rescued from human traffickers during the World Cup matches in the New York City area, according to the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit.The rescue operations were carried out between June 11 and July 19 by specialized NYPD detectives who arrested 89 individuals."The surprise was really the outpouring of support behind the mission and the collaboration with all our partners," said Inspector Gary Marcus, commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit.Those rescued, largely the victims of sex trafficking, are now being supported with an array of social services for the victims, including food, housing and counseling.The 87 operations carried out during the World Cup have generated new leads, officials said, and law enforcement agencies are building more cases based on the investigations already underway."We have ongoing investigations now as a result of these operations," an NYPD official told CBS News.Major sporting events are known to law enforcement as hotbeds of human trafficking.Years in advance, the NYPD devoted significant resources to preparing for the World Cup. Eight matches were played at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, including the final on Sunday."When we talk about the outreach and the prep we do, a large part of that involved visiting the known sex offenders, particularly the known human traffickers, in our registry," Marcus said. "Whether they're on parole or probation for human trafficking, we visited them to make sure they're compliant with the terms of their release, and secondly, to let them know that the NYPD is watching."The matches were held in multiple cities around the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Preparations to secure those games and prepare for crimes like human trafficking were coordinated between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.Police departments in many locations that hosted World Cup matches have made arrests and rescues connected to human trafficking, including in Georgia, New England and Missouri. Nationally, there were more than 673 arrests on human-trafficking charges made during the World Cup, and 61 adults and 13 minors rescued, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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