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<GreekHouse>It appears that SBG is done with these game logs for the season, and I think I am too. At this point, it just seems like a chore and I don't really have a lot to say anyway. I'll step in with some NBA posts from time to time, but I'm not going to bother trying to come up with something insightful to say on a game to game basis. Let's face it, my commentary has been less than stellar as of late anyway.
Maybe I'll post a few game logs when I intend to watch the games, but I wouldn't expect anything too exciting. For old time's sake, here's one last game log.
</GreekHouse>
<GreekHouse> When I was a kid, I dreamed of being a professional athlete. However, in my fantasies of playing in the pros, I never thought about having to play out the ass end of a grueling schedule on a team that has lost its best player and has no hope of making the playoffs. The dream always centered around playing in the championship game/series of whatever sport I was thinking about. I imagine it's not the most fun for the Wolves right now, but I have to hand it to them--they've been playing pretty well. They came remarkably close to taking out the team with the best record in the NBA in their last game.
I'm not sure why, but Love seems to be getting his minutes cut in favor of Collins. FWIW, Love was +9 last game while Collins was -12. With Jefferson gone, a lot more weight is being put on Love's shoulders. His post up game isn't quite there yet, but he's still doing a tremendous job on the boards. </GreekHouse>
 GreekHouse  February 18, 2009, at 6:15 pm  - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired)  ACL repair, BAJ <SBG> Go Wolves! </SBG>
<GreekHouse>I've heard rumors that the Wolves are playing tonight, but I can't independently confirm these rumors. Question: If the Wolves play a game and no Wolves fans see it, does it still count as a loss in the standings?
BAJ had his surgery this morning and apparently everything went well. Coming back from knee surgery is no picnic, as many SBG Nation citizens know, but BAJ should be up to the task. A few years ago, I saw an episode of Beyond the Glory. I can't remember who it was, but at one point they tore their ACL. Being overly dramatic, the announcer said that he had to go through "6 months of extremely painful rehabilitation"--or something to that effect. I had to laugh a little bit at that. The rehab is tough, but it should really be that much worse than the type of workouts that he's used to. At first, it's just about regaining range of motion and some basic strength exercises. Then, you're basically just doing cardio and strength training. Once you get past the initial part, it's basically just like a normal workout, except that you're not as strong as you used to be. Once you get near the end, you start doing plyometrics.
The thing about the ACL is that without it, you can't make quick lateral movements. Without it, your knee can shift (Imagine the top half of your leg continuing to move, while your lower leg stays planted). For an NBA player, it turns out that lateral movement is quite important. For BAJ, it's even more important that it is for your average player because of the type of game he plays.</GreekHouse>
SBG February 10, 2009, at 6:00 pm - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) BAJ, Woe is Us
Toronto Raptors, 19-34
SRS: -2.13 (22nd of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 90.4 (18th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.5 (19th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 109.9 (25th of 30)
Minnesota Timberwolves, 17-33
SRS: -3.43 (24th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 91.9 (12th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.2 (21st of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 110.2 (27th of 30)
<SBG> There have been some dark days in Timberwolves history. The first really dark day that I can remember was when the Wolves ended up third in the 1992 lottery and missed out on Shaq and 'Zo, ending up instead with Christian Laettner. Then, there was the day that they drafted Isiah Rider. Or when it was announced that the club was being moved to New Orleans. Then, there was the Joe Smith fiasco. And the darkest of all days, when Malik Sealy was killed by a drunk driver. There have been more, of course... the drafting of Doodie Ebie, the Cassell and a #1 to the Clippers for Marko Jaric (hoodwinked by Elgin Baylor, for shame!), every day that Rickey Davis wore a T-Wolves uni, and of course, the day that they traded KG. With the exception of the Sealy tragedy, nothing has been tougher to stomach than watching BAJ go down with what was a torn ACL. Most of the other stuff was dumb moves or bad luck with ping pong balls. Just seeing the cornerstone hopping along the floor until he fell was an awful sight. BAJ has been the single brightest light through this dark time. He's a bona fide player in this league, the only truly above average player on this club right now. And now he's gone and the best that we can hope for is that he'll eventually come back and be the guy he is now. Meanwhile, there's going to be a lot of losing. But, we're T-Wolves fans. We're used to that. </SBG>
<GreekHouse>It's gonna be a tough end of the season for this club. Jefferson is out for the season. Foye is just 76 minutes away from his career high in minutes played and is clearly out of gas. Love should still be relatively fresh since he basically didn't get any PT under Wittman, but is still a rookie and could hit the rookie wall at any moment. The rest of the players on this squad are basically bench players or worse.
This team is in a really tough spot right now. Their players are all out of gas and they don't really want to make any kind of move that would jeopardize their future just to make up for this lack of depth. Buckle up and get ready for a lot of Maddog, Collins, and McCant for the rest of the season. It's not like the Wolves are going to be playing these players because they're trying to tank, they're doing it because it's what is best for the organization.
This team has got to be by far the worst squad in the NBA now. Even the crappy Thunder have more talent. With 32 games left to go, I'm willing to guess that I can count the number of games they'll win on one hand and would be pretty shocked if I couldn't.</GreekHouse>
SBG February 8, 2009, at 6:00 pm - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) BAJ, New Orleans Hornets
Minnesota Timberwolves, 17-32
SRS: -3.46 (24th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 92.0 (12th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.2 (22nd of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 110.1 (26th of 30)
New Orleans Hornets, 29-18
SRS: 2.82 (7th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 87.5 (28th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 109.6 (9th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 106.6 (12th of 30)
<SBG> The bloom fell a little further off the rose again last night, with the Wolves blowing an early 15 point lead, losing by 17 to the Rockets. The story of the game was BAJ for the Wolves, who scored 17 points in the first quarter and another 19 the rest of the way. He also nabbed 22 rebounds, eight of those on the offensive end. In his last 5 games, BAJ is averaging 26.8 points and 14.4 rebounds, with 5.2 of those rebounds coming on the offensive end. That's a pretty nice looking little line, but it's primarily about usage -- BAJ is shooting a respectable, but not otherworldly 55.5 TS% in those games. Nevertheless, BAJ is a keeper.
However, there isn't one other player on this roster right now that I would say absolutely not, don't move that guy. Love might be a nice player -- he's a rookie and he's young, plus, he seems to play hard and he has a nose for the ball. Foye is a meh in my book. Everyone else is a spare part. So, in other words, the euphoria is over. </SBG>
<GreekHouse>Last night's game was another tough one for the Wolves. This team just looked like it ran out of gas midway through the 2nd quarter. The spirit was strong, but their bodies just seem totally spent at this point. They've played so many games in the last few weeks, and I'm sure they were running on pure adrenaline during their stretch of good play during January. But then they lose a few games (as we all knew they inevitably would) and the adrenaline wears off and the fatigues starts to set in.
One weird thing about last night's game was that Carney didn't see any PT. I wonder if he was being reprimanded for something because you would think the Wolves would have liked him in there to guard McGrady or Artest. Instead, Foye wasted all his energy trying to stop Tmac and had nothing left on the offensive end. Particularly given that this team is running on fumes, you would have thought the Wolves would have gone more than 8 deep last night. I'm not sure what McHale was thinking.
It might be time to start giving PT back to our scrubs like Maddog and Collins--at least for these next two games before the break. It was nice to have that really great stretch where the Wolves won almost every game they played, but they're not making the playoffs this year. They shouldn't be putting all sorts of wear and tear on their young guys to pick up some rather meaningless wins in February. </GreekHouse>
SBG February 7, 2009, at 6:00 pm - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) Houston Rockets, Randy Foye
Minnesota Timberwolves, 17-31
SRS: -3.23 (24th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 92.0 (12th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.3 (21st of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 110.0 (23rd of 30)
Houston Rockets, 30-20
SRS: 2.19 (10th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 90.3 (20th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 107.8 (14th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 104.9 (5th of 30)
<SBG> The bloom has come off the rose a little bit lately as the Wolves have struggled with some good teams and frankly, just not played as well as they had over the month starting after Christmas. And really, I think that's to be expected. It's a long season, the Wolves were getting superlative results from Randy Foye, probably better than can be expected. I don't think that Foye is as good of a shooter as we were seeing through most of January. Over the last eight games, he's been putrid, with no games over 50% and a combined shooting total of 44-129 for a terrible 34.1%. His true shooting percentage over those eight games is 47.4%. When you consider that Foye's usage is pretty high, well, that's going to sink most clubs. Foye's PER is at 14.2, south of an average player's PER…. I would say that the rest of the season is time for Foye to show whether he's a valuable piece to the puzzle or if he just happened to have a hot stretch for a month. I think the jury is out. Well, color me unconvinced, at least. </SBG>
<GreekHouse> Go Wolves! </GreekHouse>
Atlanta Hawks, 27-20
SRS: 1.66 (11th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 90.2 (21st of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 109.2 (10th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 107.3 (14th of 30)
Minnesota Timberwolves, 17-30
SRS: -3.20 (23rd of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 92.0 (11th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.6 (19th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 110.1 (26th of 30)
<SBG> The Atlanta Hawks arrive in Minneapolis tonight to take on the T-Wolves. The Wolves catch a break tonight because Joe Johnson is not expected to play because of viral infection. The Hawks are a pretty good team, which is saying something about this recently awful franchise. This looks to be their first winning season after nine straight losing seasons, including a dreadful 13-69 campaign in 2004-05. They started the season strong, winning six straight before dropping a one point contest against the Celtics and kind of trash talking the defending champions. Seven games into the season, it looked like the Hawks might be making a giant leap into the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference. But, they've kind of struggled along at about .500 since and they are a long ways away from the Big Three in the East.
Still, though, they've made big strides. With a decent nucleus of players in Johnson, Josh Smith, Al Horford, Marvin Williams, and Mike Bibby, they have a team that can play with a lot of clubs most nights. They probably still need a number one guy in there (not easy to find, of course), but they are pretty good club and still pretty young (except for Bibby).
Still, though, this is a club that the Wolves should beat at home, especially without Johnson. I think that the Wolves can pull a little upset here tonight.</SBG>
<GreekHouse>The Wolves won last night, snapping a 3 game losing streak. Remarkably, this is the first time the Wolves have even lost back to back games since they lost 13 in a row back in mid-December.
I was looking through the Wolves remaining schedule and it seems like the hardest part of it is behind us. Unfortunately, I don't really see an extended run of "easy" games in the schedule any time for the rest of the season. Of course, when you are the Wolves, there aren't really any games you take for granted anyway. But the remaining schedule should be pretty well balanced from here on out, so we should really get a good idea how good this team actually is.</GreekHouse>
Minnesota Timberwolves, 16-30
SRS: -3.33 (23rd of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 91.8 (12th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.4 (21st of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 110.1 (26th of 30)
Indiana Pacers, 19-29
SRS: -1.29 (18th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 96.9 (3rd of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.7 (18th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 109.0 (18th of 30)
<SBG>The last three games have been against Detroit, the Lakers, and the Celtics. After tonight, the Wolves get the Hawks and then Houston. Perhaps one or both of those games are winnable, but they should be zeroing in on tonight's game as one that they have to get. That's all I'm going to say about that.</SBG>
<GreekHouse> Go Wolves! </GreekHouse>
SBG January 30, 2009, at 6:00 pm - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers, 35-9
SRS: 8.10 (3rd of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 94.3 (5th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 113.7 (1st of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 104.7 (4th of 30)
Minnesota Timberwolves, 16-28
SRS: -3.45 (23rd of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 91.6 (14th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.0 (21st of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 109.4 (24th of 30)
<SBG> Hide your daughters... Kobe Bryant is in town.
You might also want to scare up a perimeter defender, or two, or three. And you might want to tell BAJ to play defense, too. And put on your fast shoes. This Laker team likes to run and it's damned efficient on offense -- the best in the league. They are pretty good on defense, too.
In my opinion, the best way to beat the Lakers is to let Kobe get his (points), and take everyone else out of the game. The Lakers are best when Gasol and Bynum are killing teams. If Kobe takes 35 shots, you have a chance.</SBG>
<GreekHouse> Go Wolves! </GreekHouse>
Detroit Pistons, 24-19
SRS: -0.56 (17th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 87.6 (28th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.0 (21st of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 106.0 (11th of 30)
Minnesota Timberwolves, 16-27
SRS: -3.33 (23rd of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 91.8 (12th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.0 (21st of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 109.2 (23rd of 30)
<SBG> The Wolves entertain the Detroit Pistons in the second game of their annual two game series. The Wolves won the first game of the series 106-80 in Detroit, in what has been the second most startling development of the season for the Wolves (other than, you know, their play since Christmas). I mean, the Pistons have gone to the Eastern Conference Finals six straight years and the Wolves were 2-9 when they came to The Palace at Auburn Hills and absolutely took it to the Pistons. The Wolves were so energized by that win that they went out and won one of their next 15 games -- and that was on a game winning 3 pointer at the buzzer by Mike Miller against OKC.
It's become clear though, that this version of the Pistons is not your older brother's (or, for that matter, Flip Saunder's) Pistons. I love the intensity with which AI plays -- and I think he's one of the best little guys to ever put on an NBA uniform. But, this club ain't got it offensively, compared to when they were a perennial championship contender as recently as eight months ago. I still can't believe that Antonio McDyess, who was sent to Denver in the Chauncey Billups/AI trade and then cut by Denver, decided to go back to Detroit. The door was open in both Boston and Cleveland, but hey, why not fiddle around while basketball in the Motor City burns.
Even with the problems in Detroit and with the Wolves' improbable win earlier in the season against the Pistons, one month ago, it would have been unthinkable to suggest that the Wolves would be favored in this game. But, I think that they are. Go Wolves! </SBG>
<GreekHouse>I'm just going to post a link to this nice article over at ESPN.com about Love's uncanny ability to rebound. (with quote by SBG Nation Citizen Stop-n-Pop at the end!)
It is a lot of fun to watch Love out there. Every time a ball goes up, you get the feeling that Love feels like he deserves to get the rebound. Somehow, he manages to get his hands on balls that he should honestly have no business getting. I'm going to use my knowledge that I've acquired from this article in my IM game tomorrow and chase down every ball on the court.</GreekHouse>
Minnesota Timberwolves, 15-27
SRS: -3.64 (24th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 91.7 (12th of 30) â–ª
Offensive Rating: 106.3 (20th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 109.7 (26th of 30)
Milwaukee Bucks, 22-23
SRS: 0.00 (14th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 91.5 (13th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.9 (17th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 106.7 (12th of 30)
<SBG> There’s an old saying in the NFL that you are as good as what your record says. That’s baloney of course, especially in the NFL, which rigs the schedule so that crappy teams have easier schedules than good times (that was more the case before the divisional realignment a couple of years ago). Strength of schedule means something. I mean, getting to play the Lions twice a year is a lot easier, than say, drawing New England, pre-Tom Brady injury. Or the Manning Era Colts. In any event, I’m one who subscribes to more nuanced thinking about the impact of schedules on records, especially in the middle of a season. It wasn’t that long ago that I read Hollinger (I think) talking about how Milwaukee would be making a run in the second half of the season because their schedule was going to get a lot easier. Lately, though, the Milwaukee hype has cooled. Yep, Hollinger projects them making the playoffs yet, but I’m not so sure anymore, especially with the recent news that Michael Redd is out for the season. Things are suddenly not so good in Milwaukee.
Speaking of playoff projections, our own hometown five have a greater than zero chance of making the post season, according to Hollinger. Yep, that chance is pretty small (about 2% or so), but it’s non-zero. He projects them to have the tenth worst record in the league – and a quick look at the schedule the other day has me thinking that 35 wins is about right. I wonder if the Clippers are looking forward to getting our pick this year. I’m also thinking that the Wolves probably won’t tank this year… I think Glen Taylor would like to keep that extra money in his pocket.
But, hey, let’s not get negative. The more I see of this year’s draft bounty – Kevin Love – the more I like it. Yep, Mike Miller has been a total bust and he shoots threes these days like a certain HOF bound center hanging out in Phoenix these days (and I’m not talking about Amare Stoudemire, thankyouverymuch). And yep, I don’t like that he plays BAJ’s natural position. But, good grief does he look good out there. He’s getting better every single game. Rebounding, check. Passing, check (did you SEE that outlet right up the center of the court to Rodney Carney last night?!?!). Improved offensive game, at least around the basket, check. There’s a lot to like with this kid. I’m going to forget all about his path to Minnesota and just enjoy watching him play. Maybe, if Mike Miller goes to Cleveland for Wally S., I can enjoy a little Wally World (no D, declining shooting ability, no dribbling ability, false hustle, over the top enthusiasm, league leader in high fives among guys that actually play once in a while) and his expiring contract.
Okay, I just put down the crack pipe. Miller’s not going to take his brick laying anywhere, he’s staying right here. Sigh.
Anyway, this is another game that I think that the hometown five can win. Last night was a nail biter and it was fun to watch, but hey, Chicago shouldn’t really have been in that game. But, when you let Luol Deng take a bazillion uncontested 18 footers, you are going to be happy to get out with an overtime win. Let’s get another road win tonight. Go Wolves! </SBG>
<GreekHouse>So last week the Wolves went into LA and barely came out with a win against the hapless Clippers. It was a win, but not as satisfying as I would have liked. Last night's game was a bit the same, although not quite as bad. When you get down 20-4 against an NBA team (any NBA team) you can't expect to come out with a W very often. I expected the Wolves to handle the Bulls at home, but they did play well despite the poor start.
So this got me to thinking--it's been a long time since I've actually been disappointed with a Wolves win. Remember when the Wolves were 4-23? Any win was a good win back then. It just goes to show how much better this team has gotten that I now expect them not to just win, but to win handily.
Along those same lines, a lot of people are saying "Yeah, they've been winning, but look who they've beaten". It's true that the Wolves haven't had a whole lot of tough games on their schedule, but look at it this way. The probability of a team winning 2 games in a row in which they are 70% favorites is smaller than the probability of them winning a single game in which they are 50/50. The chances of winning 3 in a row as a 70% favorite are only about 34%. So even as a strong favorite, you should expect to lose quite a bit. People tend to underestimate how difficult it is to come out day after day and take care of business in the NBA, and the Wolves recent string of wins is actually quite remarkable. They haven't lost to what I would consider a bad team since they lost to Sacramento back in mid-December. So yeah, they haven't had a big win against great team during this stretch, but I'd take the Wolves recent run over a single victory over a team like the Lakers any day. What the Wolves have done shows an extended period of solid play. A win over the Lakers basically just shows that they got lucky and beat the Lakers one night.</GreekHouse>
Chicago Bulls, 18-26
SRS: -2.66 (22nd of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 93.4 (9th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 104.8 (25th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 108.5 (18th of 30)
Minnesota Timberwolves, 11-27
SRS: -3.66 (24th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 91.8 (12th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 106.2 (20th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 109.8 (26th of 30)
<SBG> This is a game that the hometown five should win. </SBG>
<GreekHouse>Does anyone know what happened to the Bulls? Just a few years ago, they seemed like an up and coming your squad with a lot of talent. Last year, they managed to luckbox their way into the #1 pick in the draft and they still kinda suck and don't seem to be heading in the right direction. Obviously, letting Chandler go to sign one of the most overrated players in recent basketball history was a mistake, but it doesn't seem like enough to destroy what was a promising future. On the other hand, maybe it was. They've still got Deng, Gordon and now Rose, but they lack any type of front court. BAJ should pretty much have his way with they tonight.
As DK pointed out at the end of the last game thread, the win over a shorthanded NO team was maybe not as impressive as it seemed. I didn't realize that NO would be without both West and Chandler for the game. But what was impressive to me about the game was not just that they won, but that the Hornets really had no business ever being close. They had Posey draining threes from 5 feet beyond the arc, Peja hitting ridiculous shots with a hand in his face, and Sean Marks somehow being useful. In a nutshell, the Wolves got much better shots throughout the game and would have won easily had it not been for some outstanding shooting by NO. Perhaps suitingly, in the end, it was Foye's ridiculously amazing play that sealed up the victory for the Wolves. </GreekHouse>
SBG January 23, 2009, at 6:00 pm - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) 2009 NBA Draft, New Orleans Hornets
New Orleans Hornets, 26-13
SRS: 3.68 (5th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 87.4 (29th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 109.8 (7th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 105.9 (10th of 30)
Minnesota Timberwolves, 13-27
SRS: -4.01 (24th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 91.9 (12th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 105.5 (22nd of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 109.4 (23rd of 30)
<SBG> This game is the last game of the first half of the season for our hometown five and what a strange, if not long, trip its been. To say that the Wolves stumbled out of the gate is to be extremely gracious. After 27 games, the Wolves were 4-23 and each game seemed like another opportunity for a non-competitive blow out. The one game that I attended, courtesy of Citizen E-6 was enjoyable because I got to visit with our esteemed friend and see KG play, but watching the Wolves get absolutely creamed was not part of the fun.
The last 13 games have been another story. The Wolves have been winning and when they don't win, they have been competitive. Yeah, the schedule has been relatively easy and there aren't a lot of games in that stretch where you can say, "Whoa! Great win!" The Phoenix win was nice, sure. But beating OKC, LAC, MEMX2, and GSW isn't exactly the sort of thing that screams out, "We have turned the corner!"
But, I thought their performance last time out against Utah was indicative of a team that is much better than they were the first two thirds of this first half. Utah came out blazing and bolted to a huge lead. The Wittman Wolves would have laid down and gotten beat by 25 to 30 points in this game. But, this club hung in there, played hard, and had a chance to win. Oh sure, they played less than spectacular at crunch time. Oh sure, this is the NBA, where good teams have bad nights and then win it at the end. Oh sure. But, with this club, we are seeing pretty consistent effort. With that consistent effort, one can start to see what pieces fit together on a potential winner in the future. It's time for another 1/4 pole piece, so GH and I will have to look at some of those pieces. But, wow, this club isn't embarrassing anymore. That's kind of fun.
In fact, one thing I'm worried about is that the club will continue to play well, so well that they will end up losing their lottery pick. The Wolves owe the Clippers a first round pick and this year, it's protected through the top ten spots in the lottery. The Wolves currently have the 24th best record in the league, meaning that the worst that they can end up in the lottery is 10th. Pick is secure. However, John Hollinger's Playoff Odds formula projects them to end the season 33-49. At that record, they are projected to end the season in a four way tie for 21st and just one game behind the 19th best team in the league. Those are positions that could cause the Wolves to forfeit their own #1 pick to the Clippers. I certainly don't want that to happen.
Tonight it is the Hornets. Now, a win tonight would be a "Whoa! Great Win!" The Hornets have the third best record in the West (and SRS has them 5th overall) and they have one of the best players in the league at point guard in Chris Paul. David West and Tyson Chandler may not play, but this is still a good club. It looks like they don't like to get into a running game (29th in pace), so I'm thinking the Wolves will want to push tempo. I wouldn't be disappointed if the Wolves played a really tight game and lost. Of course, a win would be nice, too. Let's just not let that draft pick end up in Los Angeles.</SBG>
<GreekHouse> As SBG said, the loss at Utah is nothing the Wolves need to feel ashamed about. They got down early, but battled their tails off and almost came back in the end against a very good team on the road on the second night of a back to back. At the beginning of the season, it just felt like the Wolves didn't have a chance of winning anytime they fell behind, and when they were ahead, I was always paranoid they would blow it. Now, I feel like they have a chance to win every game they play, even if they're down by 10. It's the kind of team I was hoping for at the beginning of the season. They play hard every night and are fun to watch, even if they don't win all the time.
As for the potential of losing our draft pick, I actually don't think it's the worst thing in the world. It's a pretty weak draft class and the Wolves have a ton of first rounders this year anyway. I'm not sure if this is one of those picks that becomes a 2nd rounder after a while, in which case losing it would be somewhat worse.
Tonight the Wolves get CP3 and the Hornets. CP3 has quickly risen to become one of the top players in the NBA and he is one of my personal favorites. He is an absolute joy to watch. I'll look forward to seeing him tonight, but hoping that he has an off night.  </GreekHouse>
Minnesota Timberwolves, 13-26
SRS: -4.03 (24th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 91.8 (12th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 105.3 (22nd of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 109.2 (22nd of 30)
Utah Jazz, 24-17
SRS: 2.25 (9th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 92.1 (11th of 30) â–ª Offensive Rating: 109.4 (9th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 106.0 (10th of 30)
<SBG> I bet one of my co-workers a can of soda that the Wolves would not win either of the Phoenix or Utah games last week, so with one game left, I've already lost that bet. I have enjoyed the way the club has been playing and if you look at the numbers I post for every game, you can see that the club has been steadily improving relative to the rest of the league. The Wolves were pretty bad on both ends of the court under Randy Wittman both this year and last. Under McHale, they've been improving on both ends fairly steadily and now rank 22nd overall in efficiency on each end. That doesn't sound like much, but they are showing improvement. They've also played at a much faster pace. I like that -- this club isn't going to beat anyone in a half court game (although they do have a great, and I mean great, low post scorer; the problem is that other than Jefferson, they aren't a good shooting club at all -- in fact, they are lousy), so moving the ball is a good idea. It should open up easier shots for them.
The Wolves are closing in on the halfway point of the season and if you look just at their record, they look like a team headed for a win total that's south of 30. That's not great at all, but I think that they can get above that number now (my beginning of the season number was 29). If they win, say, 35 games, a tall order to be sure, that would make this club about the equal of the last two KG teams, if you take away the deliberate tank at the end of the season in each of those years. Those clubs had KG, of course, but they were also hopelessly in salary cap hell and had such fan friendly types as Rickey Davis, Mark Blount, Marko Jaric, and Troy Hudson. Those clubs had no hope and it was just awful watching KG being wasted on those clubs. There's some hope with this outfit now (assuming they have a good off season). Maybe I've swung toward a manic phase of my manic-depressive relationship with this club (after all, 12 games ago, they were 4-23 and now I'm selling optimism). I don't know. But, I think that I'm a die hard.
Given my inability to just walk away from this club, I'm still not optimistic about tonight. Utah doesn't lose at home very much (they're 16-4 at home). A win tonight would probably get me to scan the remaining schedule to see if the Wolves can get to 40 wins. </SBG>
<GreekHouse>The Wolves barely survived the last game against the Clippers. It was a rather poor shooting performance as a whole, with some exceptions. Craig Smith showed exactly how good he can be against a team whose front line is decimated.
I thought that maybe they were holding back a bit and trying to save energy for tonight's game, but given that they only played a 9 man rotation, that's probably not the key. Still, they did manage to come through and had no real trouble finishing off the Clippers.
Tonight is going to be another tough match for them. Hopefully they can come through. </GreekHouse>
SBG January 19, 2009, at 1:30 pm - (Sorry, but the time to add LTEs has expired) Los Angeles Clippers, Malik Sealy
Minnesota Timberwolves, 12-26
SRS: -4.19 (24th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 92.0 (12th of 30)
Offensive Rating: 105.2 (23rd of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 109.4 (22nd of 30)
Los Angeles Clippers, 9-30
SRS: -6.77 (28th of 30) â–ª Pace Factor: 91.6 (13th of 30)
Offensive Rating: 100.2 (30th of 30) â–ª Defensive Rating: 107.8 (16th of 30)
<SBG> The Wolves take on the Clippers on a rare Monday afternoon game in Los Angeles. This game starts at 12:30 local time, which means the locals will probably just be getting out of bed around game time. Expect a light crowd at Staples Center. The Lakers are also playing a home game on Monday night, so if there are any folks who normally catch both, they might just skip this game.
As for the game itself, this is one the Wolves should win. The Clips snapped a 12 game losing streak last time out, beating the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night (ugly loss for Milwaukee), but in the process lost their best remaining player, Marcus Camby, to a sprained ankle. I haven't heard if he'll be playing today, but if he isn't, wow, the Clips will be short handed. They are already without Baron Davis, Chris Kaman, and Zach Randolf, so it's no stretch to say that the Clippers might be without their four best players. Let's take BAJ, Randy Foye, Kevin Love, and oh I don't know, Ryan Gomes off of this team and see how they look. This has been a horribly unfortunate season for a legendarily star-crossed franchise.
It's pretty cool that the NBA has a tradition of playing a full slate of games on Martin Luther King day, including day games. It's no secret that the league has a high number of African American players, and it's just a nice gesture to honor the day with by playing a lot of games all day long. Kudos to the league. In this game, a Wolves loss would surely be upsetting.</SBG>
<GreekHouse>One of my all time favorite Wolves memories is actually from the MLK day game back in 2000. The Wolves were playing the Pacers and were down by 2 with time running out. Malik Sealy banked in a three as the buzzer sounded to win the game and then went into convulsions on the floor. It was one of the most exciting finishes to a Wolves game I've ever seen and it becomes even more legendary because of his tragic death just a few months later.
I look forward to seeing this highlight tomorrow when I watch the game. They Wolves show it on their broadcast every year and will probably continue to show it as long as the franchise exists. I tried to find the video to share with you all, but couldn't find one online, so I guess you'll have to watch the game to see it. I am certainly glad to have this great Timberwolves memory and this great memory of Malik. </GreekHouse>
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Cup of Coffee  31 LTEs Lucy and I went for a walk last night and I pushed Miss SBG out in the stroller. It was a little cool, cool enough for a blanket for Miss SBG. But, wow, did the spring air feel good.
Retired WGOM Jokes
- "The Twins should have drafted Mark Prior."
Race to the Bottom: Highest Loss Totals in T-Wolves History 67: 1991-92
63: 1992-93
62: 1993-94
61: 1994-95
60: 1989-90, 2007-08
58: 2008-09
56: 1995-96
53: 1990-91, 2009-10
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Recent Letters to the Editor
In Response to Cup of Coffee: March 16, 2010,
Milt on Tilt wrote: What are you talking about? I'll buy a beer for the person that can first provide a link to the highlight of Sean Casey being thrown out at first from left field. Or Manny Ramirez's…
cheaptoy wrote: Poor Tim Duncan.
DK wrote: This doesn't just apply to sports, obviously, but I am so glad guys like Olney are here to tell me what news is. I'd have absolutely no idea without them.
Rhubarb_Runner wrote: The Yanks want Span? Well, then it's inevitable!
SBG wrote: And at this website, if you recall yesterday's COC.
SBG wrote: Eddie Griffin = … Eddie. RIP.
Andrew wrote: Shaun Kemp > Bill Russell
Milt on Tilt wrote: Buster Olney writes for the NY Post?
hungry joe wrote: span for hughes, eh? nah.
cheaptoy wrote: Its no wonder Jayson Williams has all those championships
In Response to Cup of Coffee: March 15, 2010,
SBG wrote: And, apparently, it is insured.
SBG wrote: Is Nathan's contract insured? Because if it is, then you have to readjust your calculus.
brianS wrote: that is awesome.
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Andrew wrote: I'm … My old roommate Adam and I always refer to Juan Dixon, formerly of Maryland, as The Illiterate Juan Dixon. Through him, my hatred for Maryland basketball is 3rd to only Purdue…
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In Response to The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat,
AMR wrote: That, plus the discussion, plus I've heard the FFs (Only Widow City) and I know their reputations.
FirstTimeLongTime wrote: What, the 4.14 rating gave you the impression it would be a bad video?
AMR wrote: Not as bad as I feared.
In Response to Patty Griffin - Mary,
AMR wrote: I bought it for my wife for her … two originals on it, but they're both very good. All of the songs are religiously themed. Some old gospel standards. Others not so…
E-6 wrote: I'm with you, AMR. Patty Griffin is awesome. I happen to think this is one of her best songs, too. And while I would also prefer she sang it solo, Ms. Maines doesn't exactly ruin…
AMR wrote: Awesome. One of her best songs. It and "Tony" were the first that drew me to her. One of the few things my wife and I can agree on, so she gets a lot…
In Response to Happy Birthday--March 16,
CarterHayes wrote: .
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