ATLANTA -- Dwight Howard is expected to return to the Atlanta lineup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, but the Hawks showed at Oklahoma City that they can win without their new center.Forward Paul Millsap took Howards position in the middle as the Hawks went small on Monday, and he provided 30 points and 11 rebounds in the 110-108 victory over the Thunder.I just tried to frustrate the guys as much as possible, said the 6-foot-8 Millsap, who played center in high school and college. I had some help down there rebounding. It wasnt all me. I had a lot of help.The victory was the second in three games for the up-and-down Hawks (14-14) and they can get back over .500 with a home victory against the Timberwolves.Howard said after missing the Thunder game because of back tightness that he expected to play against Minnesota (8-19).Its nowhere near anything long term, he said. In the Toronto game (Friday), its been bothering me since then. It started flaring up after the last game (Saturday). Instead of allowing it to keep going and playing through it, rest it and I should be ready to go Wednesday.In addition to Millsap, the Hawks got a big game from point guard Dennis Schroder against the Thunder.Schroder, adjusting to the starting role after Jeff Teague was traded in the offseason, had 31 points and eight assists at Oklahoma City. It was his second 31-point outing in the past 10 games and he also had a 33-point effort.Schroder struggled with turnovers and decision-making during the Hawks seven-game losing streak, but has responded after some tough love from coach Mike Budenholzer.I just tried to do everything I can to win games, Schroder said. He got on me. He said do this, do that, do this. I just try to compete out there.The victory at Oklahoma City snapped a six-game losing streak by the Hawks against Western Conference team and they face another in the Timberwolves.Minnesota won both games against the Hawks last season, including a 117-107 victory at Atlanta in which Andrew Wiggins scored 33 points.Karl-Anthony Towns had 28 points, Wiggins scored 26 and Zach LaVine contributed 23 points as the Timberwolves defeated Phoenix 115-108 in Minnesota on Monday.The Timberwolves are the only team in the NBA with three players averaging at least 20 points -- Towns (22.3), Wiggins (22.0) and LaVine (20.8). That hasnt translated to anything close to a winning record, though, in Tom Thibodeaus first year as coach.Its all about improvement, Thibodeau said Each and every day, do the right things. The big thing for me is, Im disappointed in losing, but Im not disappointed in our team. I see the way theyre working. I see the improvement. Were trying to build habits.Wiggins and LaVine are just in their third year in the NBA and Towns his second. It takes time to learn to win.Its not like were getting blown out or getting killed by other teams, Wiggins said. Were playing good games. Were just not finishing. George King Suns Jersey . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Kevin Johnson Jersey .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. http://www.officialsunsfanstore.com/grant-hill-suns-jersey/ .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Charles Barkley Suns Jersey . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. Shaquille ONeal Suns Jersey . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands -- Greg McDermott isnt ready to think about No. 22 Creightons place in the national polls just yet.Ill worry about that come March, the Bluejays coach said.Creighton is riding high, though, after beating N.C. State 112-94 on Sunday night to advance to the championship game of the Paradise Jam tournament.Cole Huff had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and six other players finished in double figures for Creighton (4-0), which had its highest offensive output in a regulation game since scoring 115 points against Indiana State on Jan. 19, 1985.The polls dont mean anything to me right now, McDermott said. They will in March, but not right now. We just have to continue to get better.Im proud of the fact that coming off an emotional win like we had against (No. 9) Wisconsin, weve been able to put together two pretty good performances back to back. Thats a credit to this team.Khyri Thomas added 16 points and Marcus Foster had 15 among the seven Bluejays (4-0) in double figures. Creighton led by 24 at one point in the second half.Terry Henderson scored 28 points and three other players finished in double figures for the Wolfpack (3-1), who battled to six ties and eight lead changes in the first half.Dennis Smith Jr. added 21 points, Torin Dorn had 16 and Abdul-Malik Abu had 13 for N.C. State, which last led 47-46 with 2:43 remaining in the first half on Smiths 3-pointer.Creighton closed out the half with an 8-2 run for a 54-48 lead, then opened the second half with another 8-2 stretch for its first double-digit lead.The Bluejays biggest lead, 24 points, came when Huff hit a pair of free throws with 5:17 remaining for a 103-79 lead.No. 1, theyre a really good team and theey can score the ball, N.ddddddddddddC. State coach Mark Gottfried said. We had a hard time stopping them from scoring. I liked a lot of things we did -- we scored 92 ourselves -- but we just really couldnt slow them down, much less stop them. That was the difference in the game.Maurice Watson Jr. scored 15 points for Creighton, Isaiah Zierden added 12, Zach Hanson had 11 and Justin Patton had 10.BIG PICTUREN.C. State: Henderson scored more than 20 points for the second time in four games this season after missing nearly all of 2015-16 with an ankle injury.Creighton: The Bluejays are 4-0 for the fifth time in the past six seasons under McDermott. The only blemish on that run was a 3-1 start in 2015-2016.STAT SHEETN.C. State made a season-best 14 of 28 3-pointers and shot 45.6 percent from the field (31 of 68). But Creighton countered with a season-best 60.6 percent shooting (40 of 66) and made 13 of 27 3-pointers.FOUL TIMEN.C. State and Creighton were whistled for 45 combined fouls, including a pair of technical fouls (on Foster and Patton) in the second half for excessive celebration. Beejay Anya fouled out for the Wolfpack, and six others (four for N.C. State, two for Creighton) finished with four fouls.POLL IMPLICATIONSWith the Top 25 rankings coming out Monday morning, Creighton should head into that evenings Paradise Jam championship game having moved up several spots following back-to-back 100-point games.UP NEXTN.C. State: Will play Saint Josephs in the tournaments third-place game Monday.Creighton: Will face Mississippi in the championship game Monday. ' ' '