Wolves Updates 12/17

Written by SG

Thursday, 17 December 2009 02:27

From Hoops For St. Jude:
This year, NBA players such as Shane Battier, Pau Gasol, Rudy Gay, Danny Granger and Kevin Love have pledged to donate to St. Jude for every point they score this NBA season. And NBA coach George Karl has also joined in the fight against childhood cancer by pledging his support of Hoops for St. Jude.

From Ray Richardson/Pioneer Press:

Gomes has been unable to practice since the injury. He had treatment Wednesday and will have more today. Gomes said the ankle was still sore.

"I can't do much with my lateral movement or sliding," said Gomes, who was injured in the second quarter of the Wolves' game at Sacramento Saturday night. "It's getting better each day, but I want to be able to do things without pain before I try to practice with the guys."

Gomes is averaging 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds a game. He said he has never had a high ankle sprain.

From Phil Miller/Star Tribune:

Funny he should mention speed, because that's one of the biggest effects the second-year center seems to have had on the Timberwolves. The running game, sometimes all but nonexistent in November, has become one of the Wolves' best weapons, and the improvement occurred -- not so coincidentally -- almost from the day Love stepped on the court.

"The way he rebounds and feeds us outlet passes," said point guard Ramon Sessions, "the big guy really gives us a better starting point."

Minnesota averaged only 13.3 fast-break points per game while Love was out, almost 3 1/2 points fewer than its opponents. But in Love's seven games, entering Wednesday? The average was 19.4, and five games eclipsed 20 points. Minnesota, 23rd in fast-break scoring last season, ranked seventh this season.

From Jonah Ballow and John Focke/Timberwolves site:

Jonah Ballow and John Focke discuss the Wolves' road trip, the All-Star voting situation, and the top five teams in each conference. (AUDIO)

From RandBall: How are all those dispatched ex-Wolves players doing?

From Pat Borzi/MinnPost: With tough economy and team 'rebuilding' efforts, both Wolves and Wild face new business challenges

That's the nature of the Twin Cities market, and the economy. Wolves President Chris Wright acknowledges that consumers have fewer discretionary dollars and more choices on where to spend them. "It could be another sports team, it could be the Ordway, it could be the movies, it could be a lot of different things," he said. So the Wolves must be more creative and more aggressive, at least until the team starts winning more.

Wright says the Wolves begin with research to determine the traits and likes of their fan base. He divides Wolves fans into five groups: superfans; party people, who love hoopla; traditionalists, attracted by superstars and marquee franchises; experientialists, who want something more than a game for their ticket buck; and naysayers, who someone less diplomatic than Wright might call front-runners — former ticket-buyers not interested in watching a bad team.

"We don't go fishing in that pond very often," Wright said. "What will change their opinion is when the team becomes successful."

From Tom Powers/Pioneer Press:

In fact, before the game he had a funny quote about his team's progress. He said: "I've seen the light come on in their eyes, dim as it may be. They're understanding more." The point, though, was that the Wolves really were making progress.

Then everything went screwy — or returned to screwy — on Wednesday night. After holding a two-point lead after the first quarter, the Wolves inexorably deteriorated. Rambis was correct in his assessment of the team's defense.

"Just absolutely awful," he said. "Very poor tonight."