The swingman is going to the doctor for a second opinion on a back injury that has bothered him since last spring. http://0rz.tw/Zm9vt Rookie forward Wes Johnson and backup point guard Sebastian Telfair both expect to play in the Timberwolves' season opener, but the team will play on without swingman Martell Webster on Wednesday night against Sacramento and quite possibly well beyond. Webster returns to the doctor Monday for a second opinion on a back injury he initially termed muscle spasms but now, he said, could require surgery. "I don't know," he said. "That's what the meeting will entail. I'll keep my fingers cross. Maybe not." Webster said the injury dates to last spring's playoffs, when he was undercut and fell hard in a game against Phoenix. He said it bothered him last summer and he had it examined "a couple times." The pain grew progressively worse during training camp and preseason games. "It's just one of those things that starts to nag and you don't want to make it worse," said Webster, who was acquired from Portland on draft night last summer, the Wolves hoping he was the athletic, versatile, sweet-shooting wing player they lacked. "It's definitely not long term. I'm not worried about it because I'm a very optimistic person." Webster missed the final two preseason games. Johnson and Telfair also missed Friday's preseason finale at Milwaukee. Bassy is back Telfair expects to practice fully Monday and Tuesday after he, Webster and Johnson sat out most or all of Sunday's practice. Without him healthy Friday, veteran point guard Luke Ridnour played 39 minutes against the Bucks and looked like a walking ice bag afterward. "That's a lot of minutes," Telfair said. "I'll be out there to help him out Wednesday. Definitely." Telfair sprained his shoulder last week against Indiana when he unwisely faked Pacers 7-3 center Roy Hibbert into the air -- and the big fella came down hard on him. "Somebody 7-6 landing on a guy 6 feet tall is not a pretty picture," Telfair said. "That's the last guy on the whole court I want to run into, besides big Pek [teammate Nikola Pekovic]." Hanging on Johnson said he will be ready to play against the Kings after resting his ailing hamstring the past four days. It's an injury that has bothered him since July. Wolves coach Kurt Rambis rested Johnson after he noticed the first-round draft pick was running with a shortened stride to protect that muscle. "I'm really frustrated, but I'm trying to stay positive," Johnson said. "I talk to a lot of vets and they tell me it's a nagging injury that can hurt you the whole season if you don't stay on top of it. The last couple games, I really couldn't open up the way I wanted to, couldn't run really. But it's feeling a lot better." No worries Newcomer Michael Beasley had an awfully quiet preseason. Now that the regular season is here, the Wolves hope he can transform into the player that Kevin Love calls the team's "assassin" and potential "monster" scorer. "Mike's fine, he'll be fine," Love said. "He's what, 21 years old? So he'll figure it out. The game comes to him so easy. He'll be more than OK. He's going to score in bunches. He's going to have nights where he's going to be spectacular." Etc. ‧ Rambis said there's a "slight, slight, slight" chance the Wolves will make a move either through a trade or signing by Monday's deadline to set their roster for Wednesday's opener. "Something might happen, but this is the team as you see it," Rambis said, referring to a 15-man roster that includes former Michigan State guard Maurice Ager. ‧ When asked if Wayne Ellington is his starting shooting guard come opening night, Rambis said: "I don't know where I stand on that. He has been playing well. He has been doing a great job." Ellington played with the first unit at practice Sunday. --

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