SRB/RUS - Teodosic back with a bang!

MINNESOTA (Euroleague/NBA) - Serbia sorely missed their talismanic playmaker, Milos Teodosic, at EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia where they scraped their way into the 24-team field for next year's FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Teodosic wasn't able to play because of a calf injury he suffered late in the 2012-13 campaign with CSKA Moscow and Serbia ended up seventh in Ljubjana.

For those who may have forgotten how the 26-year-old can impact a game, they should consider what the Valjevo-born star was able to do for CSKA at the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night in a pre-season warm-up for both teams.

Teodosic excelled, with CSKA coach Ettore Messina even using the former Euroleague MVP at off-guard.

He scored 26 points and came up an assist shy of a double-double in CSKA's 108-106 triumph.

Teodosic, who buried four of seven attempts from the arc, also made a couple of game-tying free-throws with 7.5 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.

Messina made it clear in his post-game remarks that Teodosic had performed extremely well.

"You should say good words about Teodosic, who played shooting guard tonight," Messina said.

"We will use him at this position often this season, I think he can make up a good duo with (Jeremy) Pargo.

"Teodosic looked very well tonight after a long break."

Messina played down the importance of the victory.

"We got the win, but you should not exaggerate it," Messina said.

"Minnesota used its rotation actively, its reserves got a lot of playing time.

"The opponents only started to prepare for the season recently and they are not in their best shape."

Any time a club in Europe can beat an NBA team, even if its in the pre-season, it's important back home.

Messina said it had been a good night for his players.

"On the other hand, our team deserves some praise because the opponents had to bring their leaders back on the floor to cut the difference in the first half," Messina said.

"I don’t think that coach Rick Adelman planned to use his leaders for more than 25 minutes, because it increases the risk of injury at this stage.

"They were able to cut our lead in just five minutes. But our players did not play for 40 minutes as well. Anyway, I am happy. We improved CSKA's image in America. We played a good game not only for ourselves but for the fans, too."

Former CSKA guard Alexey Shved had a performance he'd like to forget.

The second-year Timberwolves man made just two of 12 shots from the floor and finished with six points.

He was also guilty of the foul that allowed Teodosic to knot the contest late in regulation.

FIBA