| 11 December 2009
Click here for the forum's thread for tonight's game at the Lakers
Game previews:
Rambis hasn't let it affect the players as the losses stack up around their high-tops.
"I think we're all up and keeping everything positive," said Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love, in his second season out of UCLA. "In the end, we still only have three wins, but in the past week or two, we've really played well. We've had chances to win. We just need to find ways to close out games."
Love considers himself a Rambis convert despite being upset that former Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale was fired in June.
"I think we're all up and keeping everything positive," said Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love, in his second season out of UCLA. "In the end, we still only have three wins, but in the past week or two, we've really played well. We've had chances to win. We just need to find ways to close out games."
Love considers himself a Rambis convert despite being upset that former Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale was fired in June.
From Broderick Turner/Los Angeles Times: Lakers' Phil Jackson and Timberwolves' Kurt Rambis will reunite for a night
Now Rambis is the coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves and they play the Lakers for the first time this season tonight at Staples Center.Rambis will get his championship ring during a pre-game ceremony.
Then the game will start and Jackson will do what to his old friend?
"You try to bust them really hard. Give them no quarter," Jackson joked.
The Wolves lost 15 consecutive games after a season-opening victory and now have won two of their past six. They lost those last four by an average of 2.7 points after losing the 11 before that by an average of 18.8 points.
Part of that is because of the return of Kevin Love from injury, part of it is a team learning a complex system bit by bit, day by day.
"They look like they started to get it about a week and a half ago," Jackson said. "They're starting to play better. It's nice to see his team starting to play well and be competitive. They've gotten over the hump, so to speak, so I'm warning our guys not to take them lightly."
Part of that is because of the return of Kevin Love from injury, part of it is a team learning a complex system bit by bit, day by day.
"They look like they started to get it about a week and a half ago," Jackson said. "They're starting to play better. It's nice to see his team starting to play well and be competitive. They've gotten over the hump, so to speak, so I'm warning our guys not to take them lightly."
Rambis said he and Jackson still connect via phone and text messages, and that the Lakers coach has offered encouragement, and ideas, regarding the Wolves' difficult start. Through 22 games, Minnesota is 3-19 and tied a franchise record with a 15-game losing streak.
"Some of the ideas have worked, some haven't," said a smiling Rambis. "It's always heartening in a situation like this, losing as many games as we've had, to get his input. He has been very positive."
"Some of the ideas have worked, some haven't," said a smiling Rambis. "It's always heartening in a situation like this, losing as many games as we've had, to get his input. He has been very positive."
From Elliott Teaford/Inside The Lakers: Jackson talking about Rambis
Q: Kurt had a lot of opportunities to coach elsewhere. Did you support his decision to go to Minnesota?A: "Whatever he wanted to do, I was supportive of it. There were a couple of them that were rumored. I was hopeful last year that Chicago would have been an opportunity. Then there was the Sacramento job and the Minnesota job. Except for the fact that it's cold up there and it's a whole different climate, and Kurt has been a Californian his whole lift, it's going to be a good fit for him, I think."
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