Is there a certain poetic justice, you think, to this?:

If the Wolves’ losing streak, which reached 13 tonight at San Antonio, continues just two games longer, they will have the chance to tie the club record for longest losing streak Monday against Memphis and you-know-who at Target Center.

O.J. Mayo, of course.

Mayo leads all NBA rookies in scoring. Kevin Love, for whom he was traded on draft night, made a free throw tonight and ended his scoreless streak at two games.

The Wolves trailed by 16 points late in the third quarter and got it to just three points with less than three minutes, but couldn’t get any closer. Afterward, Kevin McHale lamented the officiating. Among the calls he questioned: A ball he thought went off Manu Ginobili that was awarded to the Spurs and a foul that went from two free throws to an offensive foul when an official ruled Sebastian Telfair kicked out his leg on a drive to the hoop.

“We were dying to get one call go our way,” McHale said.

When Al Jefferson was asked about the officiating, he said, “All I’ll say is a lot of mistakes weremade, and not all of them were made by us. If I get in trouble for saying that…I know they’re not perfect. They makes mistakes like we make mistakes.”

Jefferson’s 28 points and Randy Foye’s 26 points and 16 rebounds while playing shooting guard most of the night couldn’t overcome Tony Parker’s 36 and Tim Duncan’s ho-hum 19 and 12 night.

Foye’s 16 rebounds were by far a career high and the most ever by a Wolves guard. He surpassed:

15  Isaiah Rider      Mar  3, 1996 vs Miami
14  Wally Szczerbiak  Nov 17, 2001 vs Orlando
14  Tony Campbell     Feb  2, 1990 vs Boston
13  Micheal Williams  Dec 19, 1992 at Golden State
13  Gerald Glass      Dec  3, 1991 vs Phoenix
13  Tony Campbell     Nov 30, 1990 at Utah

“I think I had 15 in college before, but not the NBA,” Foye said. “I want to apologize to Al Jefferson and Craig Smith for stealing all their rebounds.”

Even though McHale is desperate for practice time after the Wolves played eight games in his first 15 days as coach, he has given his players Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off before the team flies to New York City Thursday night for Friday’s game against the Knicks.

Foye and Love, to name two players, flew home with the team after tonight’s game and then basically will straight back to the airport for early flights East. Love is going early to visit friends in New York, Foye is headed home to Newark.

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