The Wolves are firming up the third-best chance in the NBA draft lottery after losing their fifth consecutive game on Tuesday in Charlotte. Trailing by 18 points in the second quarter and by five in the final minute, the Wolves had two chances to lead or tie in the final 1.4 seconds, but squandered both: Randy Foye’s pass for Al Jefferson on a pick-and-roll was behind the big guy and went off his hands out of bounds with 1.4 seconds left. They still had life and the ball back with .7 seconds left, but Jefferson’s baseline jumper hit the front of the rim and bounded away.

Wolves coach Randy Wittman called upon veteran Greg Buckner — remember him? — to play 31 minutes, his most since Nov. 9 at the Los Angeles against the Lakers. It was a message to a young team — and specifically to Rashad McCants — about professionalism and preparedness. McCants played three minutes in the first quarter, committed two fouls in that time and didn’t play again in his return home to North Carolina while Wittman rode Buckner to the exclusion of McCants and Kirk Snyder (who played five minutes).

Wittman said Buckner’s play was the only reason the Wolves had a chance to win.

“(Buckner) came off the bench and hadn’t played in six months,” said Al Jefferson, who scored 28 of his 40 points (that matched a career high set Jan. 27 against New Jersey) after halftime. “I had to step my game up because my teammates were doing a helluva job. I just had to get going. I’m a scorer. That’s what I do. There should be no excuse why I’m turning the ball over or missing some shots.”

The Wolves flew home after the game and face Chris Paul and the Western-leading New Orleans Hornets — losers at home to Utah on Tuesday — tonight at Target Center.

If the Hornets hang on to win the West, Paul is my pick to win the league MVP, with Kevin Garnett a close second, following by Kobe and LeBron.

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