Columnists
Sonia Grover started her Wolves site, "I Heart KG", in 2006. In the wake of the big trade, she moved over to TWolves Blog and brought her column,
"Wolves Daily News"
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Derek Hanson, the founder of TWolves Blog, delivers his optimistic and often inspiring take on the Wolves in his column,
"DeROK's One Shot"
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Dave Kelsey, life-long Wolves fan, season ticket holder, and forum post champion gives his humorous take on the Wolves and life in general in
"Club Seating with College Wolf"
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Jeremy Knutson packed up his stuff from the Old Wolves Logo, drove over to the TWolves Blog, unloaded the car, and now invites you to come along for a ride through the NBA in his
"Hoop De Ville"
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Rob Brewer and Neil Olstad launched the first-ever Minnesota Timberwolves podcast back in 2007. After acheiving critical acclaim with "The Kissing Marney Gellner Show", the duo decided bring their act to TWolves Blog.
"Timberwolves Today"
Jon Marthaler considers Mark Madsen to be the absolute height of comedy - high praise, since he's been observing Timberwolf follies for almost two decades. When not watching Mad Dog brick free throws, he writes at TNABACG. Now you can find him here on TWolves Blog with his column,
"Both Teams Played Hard"
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Minnesota Timberwolves Daily News
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Posted by SG
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Wednesday, 07 November 2007 |
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The Wolves lost needed scorer Rashad McCants because of a sprained
ankle 11 minutes into the game, never to return on a night when his
team once again built a big, early lead it couldn't keep and once again
was overwhelmed by the free-throw discrepancy.
The Wolves led 13-4 after four minutes, trailed by as many as 16 points
early in the fourth quarter and scratched within a basket with six
minutes remaining before veteran Orlando shooter Rashard Lewis finished
off what blossoming, young teammate Dwight Howard had started.
McCants, the Wolves' leading scorer this year with an average of 18
points, was hurt when he drove the baseline and was tangled up with two
Magic players under the basket.
After shootaround, head coach Randy Wittman told us he thought Theo
Ratliff would play. Well, he's not playing, due to the flu.
Unfortunate, too, because Dwight Howard is going to be tough to deal
with tonight for Jefferson (starting at the five), Gomes (starting at
the four) and Craig Smith off the bench. So, the starters are: Telfair,
McCants, Greg Buckner, Gomes and Jefferson.
The Wolves' Al Jefferson had a difficult time
guarding Howard. At one point in the second quarter, Jefferson
purposely fouled Howard about six feet from the basket before Howard
even had a clear shot. Then Jefferson tried to draw a charge against
Howard by flopping, but that didn't work.
Jefferson clearly was overwhelmed by Howard, a bigger and more physical center. It was a difficult test.
Center Al Jefferson scored 12 of his 25 points in
the fourth quarter Tuesday night in the Wolves' 111-103 loss to
Orlando. He said he was thrown off because Orlando didn't double-team
him much compared with opponents in the first two games.
Another thing I feel the need to mention is the play of team scapegoat Marko Jaric. The stats look nice with 10 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds in the game. Certainly, this is the best game from Jaric in awhile, but I want to give him credit for a different reason. On two occasions in the first half, Jaric was able to find rookie Corey Brewer for three-pointers. Hitting those shots early helped to build Brewer’s confidence, although his stats did not run away very much after hitting those shots.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 07 November 2007 )
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Posted by SG
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Tuesday, 06 November 2007 |
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Wolves coach Randy Wittman said this morning he expects to center Theo
Ratliff, who missed Monday’s practice because of flu-like symptoms, to
start tonight against young Orlando star Dwight Howard in the middle.
Gerald Green, suffering from an infected toe, is a game-time decision
as to whether he sits on the bench most of the night or all of the
night.
Van Gundy mentioned how much he respected Al Jefferson in the paint,
talked about never underestimating an NBA team and discussed how Hedo
Turkoglu has been able to be effective of late. He also ruled reserve
guard J.J. Redick out for the evening.
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Posted by SG
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Tuesday, 06 November 2007 |
Click here for the tonight's game thread in the forum.
But the last part of me thinks this: Kevin McHale, if you didn't have
the players and coaches you thought could do your bidding well then go
out and get some who will. Get your "smashmouth" players already.
And you know what? I think he did. He made one of the boldest trades in
NBA history, and got himself an old-school smashmouth scorer in Al
Jefferson. The roster is super-young. But this might be the first time
in a long time that the roster, the coach, and front office are all
roughly on the same page. It might not be nearly as fun as making the
Western Conference Finals with Kevin Garnett. It might not even be
smart. But at least it's somebody's vision, and not just Kevin Garnett and his ever-changing patchwork quilt of sidekicks.
That's not to say
Minnesota doesn't appreciate Richard's game; far from it. Wittman loves
his physical play. And vice president of basketball operations Kevin
McHale, a former legendary forward with the Celtics, tutors Richard
after every practice.
Minnesota has him listed at power forward and center.
"I need to learn both spots because I'll be playing the five (center)
except when Theo (Ratliff) or Mike (Doleac) are in the game," he said.
"I have to learn two positions at the same time. In college I just
played the five and that's it.
"The hardest thing to me has been the adjustment to the referees and
learning the defense. Offense is offense, but the defense here is
completely different. All the principles are the opposite of what we
learned in college."
Players such as Eduardo Najera and Ryan Gomes make huge impacts on their respectiveteams. Without players doing the dirty work, life becomes harder for the stars on the court.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 06 November 2007 )
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Posted by SG
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Tuesday, 06 November 2007 |
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The Wolves, who play host to the Orlando Magic
tonight at Target Center, are shooting 54.5 percent in the first
quarter while holding opponents to a measly 31.8 percent from the
floor. Conversely, they have been outshot 70 percent to 42.2 in the
second quarter while being outscored 47-34 in the fourth.
Yet no statistic is more revealing than the
disparity at the free-throw line. The Knicks took 29 more foul shots
Sunday night than the Wolves, who only have 39 free-throw attempts to
their opponents' 77.
When the Timberwolves play host to Orlando tonight, chances are Howard
and Jefferson will find themselves pushing and shoving one another up
and down the Target Center court much of the time. Nothing new there.
These two guys know each other pretty well. Both are sons of the South,
both graduated from high school the same year, both opted for the NBA
draft the following spring, both got picked in the first round, with
Howard going first overall.
If the Wolves can play as hard in the next 80 games as they did in the
first two, who knows? Maybe the die-hards in 'Sota who've been stripped
of their beloved KG will develop a bit of a soft spot for the new kids.
In this sense, can't we again lessen the blame on McHale for the
Wolves' struggles? McHale is old school, tough, and he played to punch
people in the mouth. That was his vision for the team that never
emerged. Similarly, Isiah is trying to build an organization in
correspondence with his status as a player: Zeke is doing anything he
can to get ahead, continuously adjusting on the fly, snatching up
malcontents who just want to score, anything to get a few more points
on the board. Bottom line is: Just because RC Buford got creative and
started sending scouts to Tajikistan, it doesn't mean there's anything
wrong with McHale and Isiah being trapped in Reaganomics basketball.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 06 November 2007 )
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Posted by SG
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Tuesday, 06 November 2007 |
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He doesn't sound good so we sent him home. I hope (he will be able to
play tomorrow), but if it's the flu you don't know. We'll just have to
see. Gerald (Green) has got an infected toe; he didn't practice today.
Team officials said Ratliff was suffering from flu-like symptoms; Green
has an infected toe. It’s not known whether either player will be
available for a home game Tuesday...
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Posted by SG
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Monday, 05 November 2007 |
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–Craig Smith, Ryan Gomes and Al Jefferson are
beastly. When they lift, the weights should say “underappreciated” on
them. Jefferson ate Zach Randolph for breakfast—quite a role reversal,
I know—in the first quarter. Getting ahead of myself here, but if the
Wolves can land a Derrick Rose or OJ Mayo in next year’s draft, the
young beasts in the Target Center will be on point. Literally.
–Really, I just wish Bassy could a freaking
jumpshot. I’m pulling for him and I feel bad for him because it would
make his life so much easier and his future a lot less European.
The Wolves are playing good team basketball. They definitely have some
guys that can score and put some points on the board. I've noticed
that, but this is my first game so I'm just enjoying it.
No. When you get a bunch of young guys together you expect to see
exciting basketball. We all knew Rashad McCants could play. It’s all
about confidence when you get to this level because everybody’s
basically the same talent.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 05 November 2007 )
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Posted by SG
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Monday, 05 November 2007 |
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Telfair said he had a chance to sign an extension after being traded from Boston, but opted to play out this year.
I can’t even begin to describe the lost expressions of Antoine Walker.
He was sitting a couple of feet away from us, and probably wishing he
was 1,000 miles away on a beach. Or maybe just a couple of blocks down
34th Street at the McDonald’s drive thru window. Seriously, he didn’t
look happy in a very limited role.
Minnesota outrebounded the Knicks 41-34. "That was as strong of a
rebounding team, all around, that I have probably played against in my
three years in the NBA," Lee said.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 05 November 2007 )
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Posted by SG
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Monday, 05 November 2007 |
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Big Al Jefferson cashed in at the 11th hour, agreeing
to a five-year deal with the Timberwolves for $65 million. The deal
starts at $11 million in 2008-09 and rises $1 million annually for the
five years. As if that's not enough, an industry source indicated there
also are bonuses that could add another $1 million per year to the
salary, although the league has deemed them not likely to be attained.
Unlikely bonuses are usually things like playoff bonuses, viewed as
unlikely given Minnesota's performance last year (and, most likely,
this year as well).
Sound observations from others: Jim Petersen commented about how
sluggish the pace became when Marko Jaric subbed in as point guard for
Telfair. Pete also ripped Jaric for perpetualy whining attitude and
unhappiness over his role on the team. And KFAN/Vikings/Canterbury
voice Paul Allen pointed out the nastier enforcement edge the Wolves
seemed to be adopting after a flagrant foul by Jaric was followed by a
hard foul by Buckner.
The Wolves placed the injured Randy Foye and Mark Madsen and rookie
Chris Richard on their inactive list for the game. Madsen has practiced
with the team fully for almost a week and Wittman said his game return
from summer shoulder surgery is "around the corner."He's another guy
who brings energy," Wittman said.
Antoine Walker talks to Bob Sansevere/Pioneer Press about being a "big fried chicken guy," stealing honey buns from a store as a child, and his former coach:
(Miami Heat coach) Pat Riley is a real
stickler for body fat. It's a different kind of system he runs. I was
very disappointed that it got out in a negative light like that, that
people would think I would come into camp out of shape. (Riley
suspended Walker briefly last season over his body fat measurement, and
he held Walker out of the first day of training camp last month for the
same thing.)
Timberwolves Today has posted episode #5 of the Kissing Marney Gellner podcast.
Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman said he can't
imagine what New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas is dealing with. But
Wittman told Thomas, a longtime friend, before Sunday night's game that
he is there for him.Wittman and Thomas played two seasons together in
college at Indiana, winning a national championship in 1981. Their ties
run strong.
Taylor's execution left a
little to be desired, but the idea was one that should be adopted by
all owners. Never mind that Garnett, Saunders and Billups may have
different memories -- "Yeah," Billups told the Detroit News, "I don't
remember it happening like that." -- the fact that Taylor was willing
to at least give his side of what happened is nothing short of
refreshing.
“Absolutely, this is the best place to play,” Wolves coach Randy
Wittman as he surveyed the empty sections of differently colored seats
at the team’s morning shootaround. “No better setting to play in here,
no better place to win in here. Nothing like it.”
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Last Updated ( Monday, 05 November 2007 )
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Posted by SG
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Monday, 05 November 2007 |
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Ryan Gomes scored 19 points for the Timberwolves, who fell to 0-2 in their first season since trading longtime star Kevin Garnett to Boston over the summer. The Wolves had won four in a row and 10 of 12 against New York.
Al Jefferson, also acquired in the Garnett deal, added 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Ahead by 10 points in the first quarter, down by eight with five
minutes left in the game, the Wolves pushed the Knicks to the final
shot on a night when the free-throw disparity was 39-10 in attempts and
30-6 in shots made.
32 Consecutive minutes Antoine Walker sat on the bench before he
entered for a potential game-tying three-pointer that missed in the
final seven seconds.
That the outcome was in doubt during the final
seconds despite a huge free-throw disparity speaks to the Wolves' solid
play in other areas.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 05 November 2007 )
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Posted by SG
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Sunday, 04 November 2007 |
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Ten game tickets and big, fat opportunity await Timberwolves point
guard Sebastian Telfair tonight when he returns to New York City and
Madison Square Garden to face his hometown Knicks and cousin Stephon
Marbury.
Click here for a preview of tonight's game at New York.
Jefferson doesn't see it as a one-man show, and basketball is a team sport. But now that he's the highest-profile member of a group that
lacks stars, fans will expect him to play well when it matters most.
One knock against Garnett was that he couldn't deliver late in the
fourth quarter.
To avoid a similar label, Jefferson must be
consistent throughout the grind of a six-month season. And beyond that,
he must make key plays and hit big baskets when the outcome is in
doubt. He doesn't have much experience playing that role because his
first three years in the NBA were spent watching Boston's Paul Pierce
taking the clutch shots.
The word that keeps coming out now is how bad the chemistry was last year and how a lot of players only played for themselves.
"You could say so," McCants said. "You could say our chemistry is better, our camaraderie, leadership, just the whole intensity.
These Timberwolves now have real NBA talent -- Al Jefferson, Corey
Brewer, Randy Foye, Antoine Walker -- and something those early Wolves
teams didn't: a chosen direction.
Also from Zgoda:
STAR TRIBUNE’S STAR OF THE WEEK: Al Jefferson, forward/center
The
big event was late Wednesday night, when Big Al drove hurriedly to
Target Center and signed his five-year, $65 million contract extension
just before an 11 p.m. deadline.
In his blog On The Wolves, Zgoda tells more stories from the team's early years.
The Timberwolves, who were purchased by Glen Taylor 12 years ago for $88 million, have had just one cash call for limited partners during that period.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 04 November 2007 )
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