Note: I know I said I’d have a Wolves recap for you Monday, but with all the playoff ball consuming my time (not to mention other writing projects–my editors know what they are) I now realize I’m never going to get this done unless I break it into parts. So, here’s Part 1, which deals … Read more
Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) Game #66, Home Game #34: Los Angeles Clippers 90, Minnesota 99 Season Record: 16-50 1. Pick and Roll Call The Clippers without Chris Kamen are a feel-good victim for a ballclub ready to generate some springtime momentum despite its inevitable trip to the lottery. Wolves … Read more
Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) Game #59, Home Game #32: Charlotte 109, Minnesota 89 Season Record: 12-47 1. Getting the Message It is just early March, with more than a fourth of the season’s games still to play, but the Minnesota Timberwolves are counting ping pong balls a lot more … Read more
Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) Game # 58, Home Game #31: Seattle 111, Minnesota 108 Season Record: 12-46 1. An Improving Beast During Kevin Garnett’s dozen years with the Wolves, I wrote a slew of game recaps which included as a stock phrase the caution that people shouldn’t take the … Read more
(AP Photo/Jim Mone) Game #55, Home Game #30: Utah 100, Minnesota 111 Season Record: 12-43 1. The Beauty of Teamwork It’s been a long time–certainly a year, maybe two–since fans of the Minnesota Timberwolves have seen this kind of 48 minutes from their ballclub. There have been some really nice wins thus far this season: … Read more
Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) Game #52, Home Game #27: Philadelphia 88, Minnesota 104 Season record: 11-41 1. Spread the Credit It’s been a habit of these three-pointers to isolate players for individual praise or criticism, rearranging members of the roster like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle that someday will … Read more
Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) Game # 47, Home Game #23: Houston 92, Minnesota 86 Season record: 10-37 1. Telfair and Jaric Stake Their Claims It may be a long time before Randy Foye earns the starting point guard position. The blueprint has it that Foye will be at … Read more
Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) Game #41, Home Game #19: Phoenix 107, Minnesota 117 Season record: 7-34 1. About That Small Lineup… I can argue that three players are operating away from their natural position, that the defense is terrible, that opponents who play fundamentally sound "playoff style" basketball will … Read more
Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) Game # 38, Road Game #19: Minnesota 95, Phoenix 115 Game #39, Road Game #20: Minnesota 108, Denver 111 Game #40, Road Game #21: Minnesota 109, Golden State 108 Season record: 6-34 First of all, apologies for the near-weeklong absence. I wrote a fairly detailed … Read more
Home Game #9: Los Angeles Lakers 116, Minnesota 951. Losing Reason To CareGames like tonight’s undressing by the Lakers and last Saturday’s (blissfully blacked-out from television) pratfall on the road in Memphis are the sort of energy-suckers Wolves’ fans and the team’s PR department feared in the wake of the Garnett trade: That the ballclub … Read more