Consider the Wolves’ 129-125 double-overtime loss to San Antonio on Wednesday — a night when they didn’t have to face Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker torched them for a record 55 points anyway — something of a basketball Rorschach test.

Did you see the same, old Timberwolves team from a season ago, unable to seal the deal against an aging San Antonio team that arrived at Target Center with an 0-3 record for the first time since Sven Nater played for them in1973, their first ABA season in the city, and was missing star Manu Ginobili?

Or did you see the first real glimpse this season of the future, a lineup that featured Mike Miller (25 points, including 5 threes) being assertive for the first time, Kevin Love playing himself one step closer into that inevitable starting job alongside Al Jefferson and Sebastian Telfair returning from his three-game suspension by playing the point down the stretch until he fouled in the first overtime, with 10 assists?

To be sure, the Wolves again kicked away plenty of chances to win: Al Jefferson missing a late free throw in regulation that would have made it a three-point game and prevented Tim Duncan from making a a two-point basket that forced overtime. Randy Foye bouncing the ball on an inbounds pass straight to Bruce Bowen when they had a couple of seconds and the chance to win the game after Duncan had tied the game. Foye called for traveling with the game on the line right after Telfair fouled out with 1:30 left in the first overtime. The Wolves’ inability — whether they threw 6-9 Corey Brewer or point guards Telfair and Foye at him — to stop Parker from making 22 of 36 shots, many of them the jump shots they wanted him to take.

But also…Miller finally shot the ball, and scored, after spending the preseason and the first three regular-season games deferring to teammates. Love played 37 minutes, 15 more than any of his first three, and seems to be a heartbeat away from moving into the starting lineup, perhaps as soon as Friday at Sacramento. Randy Wittman said he felt the team’s pulse changed instantly when he subbed Love and Telfair into the game midway through the first quarter. Seeking better starts to games and second halves, Wittman sent Love out there for Ryan Gomes with the starters to begin the second half and for the first time Love became a crunch-time player, playing down the stretch in regulation time, most of the first overtime and much of the second while demonstrating hustle and energy if not always efficiency (4 for 13 shooting).

‘Telfair also ran the show, often with Foye playing off the ball with him, until he fouled out trying to defend Parker. Foye made a couple of big shots near the game’s end, but still struggled much of the night. I wouldn’t be surprised to find both Love and Telfair in the starting lineup come Friday in Sacramento.

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