This past year after working extremely hard to recover from microfracture surgury, I found myself coming of the bench being the sixth man and the second leading scorer. The only bad part about it was that I could have been twice as productive with more minutes. I would have been able to meet my individual goals, we could have won more games, and I'd be on my way to being a respected player in the NBA.

Naturally, I immediately went over to basketball-reference.com to check out this assertion.  The results: I think McCants is misremembering his season.  Here's what I found:

1) McCants's minutes barely dipped at all after being moved to sixth man.
The change was made right around February 1 of last season.  McCants had started 24 of 40 games up to that point, including 11 in a row; he wouldn't start again after that date.  Hence, this is the obvious dividing line between the two halves of the season.  And what the numbers show is this: Before the move, McCants was averaging 28.1 minutes per game.  After coming off the bench, he averaged 25.7 minutes per game.  Somehow, I don't think that extra two minutes, twenty seconds per game was really enough time for McCants to change much.

2) McCants wasn't any less - or more - effective coming off the bench.
In the first half of the season, when he was starting regularly, McCants averaged 15 points per game, or 0.53 points per minute.  As the sixth man, he averaged 14.7 points per game - or 0.57 points per minute.  This extremely small fluctuation in points per minute can be explained by two things: as the sixth man, McCants shot slightly more (0.482 FGA/min, versus 0.455 FGA/min in the first half) and made a slightly higher percentage of his shots (46.4% from the field, vs. 44.4%).  In other words, he was almost exactly the same player in either role.

3) There's no evidence that more minutes would have helped anything.
Let's put it this way: McCants had a PER of 14.65 last season, and John Hollinger normalizes that statistic so that 15.00 is the league average.  He wasn't a future superstar stuck on the bench - he was a league-average shooting guard.  Playing McCants 10% more minutes would, for the most part, have meant 10% more points - not twice the productivity.

Basically, the move to sixth man meant for McCants that he missed out on the first two minutes of the game.  After that, he was a regular part of the rotation; even after the move, he only played less than 20 minutes in a game seven times in 35 games, and nine times in those 35 he played more than 30 minutes.

I appreciate that McCants has confidence in his own abilities; I think most NBA players believe that they could help the team, if only they could play more.  However, I'm not sure there's any evidence that McCants has much right to complain - not only did he see the floor almost as often after the move as before, he didn't do anything either before or after the move to convince the team that it had made a mistake. 

Unfortunately for Wolves fans, this time of year has been the most exciting over the past three seasons.  It's a time to speculate on what steps your team can make to get back to the playoffs and start making some noise.  In negative news, the Wolves and their "braintrust" got the 3rd pick in an advertised two-man draft.  In positive news, we have positive debate in the forums on what to do with the pick and it's good to hear we don't have to listen to a country-music station to listen to the Wolves next year.

With all of the debate raging over what to do with the draft pick, it's important to remember that the Wolves have to make some decisions on its existing roster.  Here at the Twolves Blog, we want to continue the discussions about this teams direction with in our series, the "Blogprint for the Future," which will include contributions from various TWolvesBlog contributors and guests, as this team transforms during the off-season.


Contributors to this edition:

College Wolf from TWolvesBlog
TheOldLogo from TWolvesBlog
Jon Mathaler from TNABACG
Stop-n-Pop from Canis Hoopus

Previous Editions of the Blogprint:

#1: Our #3 overall Lottery Pick and Wolves Free-Agents.
#2: What is the time frame on the Wolves becoming contenders?

In today's edition, my esteemed colleagues and I reexamine our thoughts on what the Wolves should do with the #3 pick in the NBA draft, which happens to be next Thursday night.  Should we trade it?  If not, after dissecting a plethora of workout information and new findings about the various prospects, has anything changed in our decision(s) about who the Wolves should draft?  Also, as a special little bonus for the KG and the Boston Celtics winning the 2007-08 NBA Finals, we discuss where KG now stands in the annals of history.


Please click "Read More" for the analysis of this edition's topic.

  College Wolf's Open Mailbag...

I’m stoked to be bringing this to you all again.  Thanks in advance to everyone that submitted questions for this edition of the Mailbag.  Keep em coming and I will gladly answer.  Anyhow… as usual there is a very diverse variety of topics from: Discussion on the future of our team, The 2008 NBA Draft and whom the Wolves should take, What’s wrong with Corey Brewer, KG’s legacy, The Wolves new jerseys, The NBA Playoffs/Finals, And just what exactly is College Wolf’s purpose in life (?!?), among many other topics...

Feel free to leave any comments and/or email me questions for the next Mailbag. ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )  

(Click "Read More..." to dive into the MailBag.)

Unfortunately for Wolves fans, this time of year has been the most exciting over the past three seasons.  It's a time to speculate on what steps your team can make to get back to the playoffs and start making some noise.  In negative news, the Wolves and their "braintrust" got the 3rd pick in an advertised two-man draft.  In positive news, we have positive debate in the forums on what to do with the pick and it's good to hear we don't have to listen to a country-music station to listen to the Wolves next year.

With all of the debate raging over what to do with the draft pick, it's important to remember that the Wolves have to make some decisions on its existing roster.  Here at the Twolves Blog, we want to continue the discussions about this teams direction with in our series, the "Blogprint for the Future," which will include contributions from various TWolvesBlog contributors and guests, as this team transforms during the off-season.


Contributors to this edition:

College Wolf from TWolvesBlog
DeROK from TWolvesBlog
TheOldLogo from TWolvesBlog
Anthony from TWolvesBlog
Jon Mathaler from TNABACG
Stop-n-Pop from Canis Hoopus

Previous Editions of the Blogprint:

#1: Our #3 overall Lottery Pick and Wolves Free-Agents.

In today's edition, myself along with four esteemed colleagues, discuss just exactly how long it could realistically take for our squad to compete for a NBA Championship... as well as our picks for this year's NBA Champion!

Please click "Read More" for the analysis of this edition's topic.

 

Invitation to the Mailbag Party...

Time for the next TWolvesblog Open Mailbag for anyone that is interested in sending any questions and/or thoughts, and I'll anwer them as soon as I get a sufficient amount of submissions. Don't be afraid to send stuff in (I don't want to have to make stuff up!) Heck, I promise that I'll even answer them all... I'm like an Equal Opportunity Employer.

There might not be a ton of Timberwolves related discussion pieces right now, but there are still plenty of things to write in about:  The NBA Finals/playoffs so far, The Wolves roster conundrum, to keep or not to keep our various free agents, the amazing leadership of our franchise Head Coach/Front Office situation, the upcoming NBA draft and what the Wolves should do, OJ "stud" Mayo -vs- Brook "stiff" Lopez, what you like or don't like, nights out on the town, random crap... the possibilities are endless!

Or you can just email me and tell me that I suck.  It's all good.

Email all inquiries/Mail Bag questions/comments/hate mail to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Unfortunately for Wolves fans, this time of year has been the most exciting over the past three seasons.  It's a time to speculate on what steps your team can make to get back to the playoffs and start making some noise.  In negative news, the Wolves and their "braintrust" got the 3rd pick in an advertised two-man draft.  In positive news, we have positive debate in the forums on what to do with the pick and it's good to hear we don't have to listen to a country-music station to listen to the Wolves next year.

With all of the debate raging over what to do with the draft pick, it's important to remember that the Wolves have to make some decisions on its existing roster.  Here at the Twolves Blog, we want to continue the discussions about this teams direction with this Blogprint for the Future, which will include contributions from various TWolvesBlog contributors and guests as this team transforms during the off-season.  In today's edition, College Wolf, DeROK and I will step into our virtual jobs in the front office and offer our takes on what we would do with the draft picks and our thoughts on the Wolves free agents.

Please click "Read More" for the analysis.

I asked a couple of the contributors to send me their gut reactions to the third pick.  Here's what we have:

Derok:  The Minnesota Timberwolves:  Where repeated kicks to the crotch happens.

College Wolf:  I'm devastated.  Seriously, it took me a few hours to even make my way back to the computer.  I have a million thoughts racing through my head and none are good.  I feel like I was tied to a tree for a week and anyone could come up and kick me in the groin as many times as they wish.  David Stern did so approximately no less than 4 thousand times.  Actually, I'm beyond devastated.  I didn't have my hopes up going into the lottery, but then when I  found out we'd be top 3 I was overjoyed.  I thought we were destined for a top 2 pick for sure.  Guaranteed.  Alas, no such luck.  We never have such luck.  I want to cry.  I'd rather have us slipped to 6th instead of 3rd.  3rd is almost the worst possible scenario because we were sooooo close, yet so far.  I don't know if I can stand a month of craptastic speculation regarding what clown we draft at number 3.  At least I can take solace in the fact that McHale will actually have to earn his paycheck this upcoming month rather than select Rose or Beasley.  Not much of a consolation feeling right there.

All I feel is devastation.

The Old Logo:  I felt somewhat like I did in January 1999 when Gary Anderson missed that field goal against the Falcons.  I went to NBA City to watch the draft and, since this team has left me with a pessimistic view, I tried not to get excited when the teams were announced for picks 14-7.  Even when the Bulls moved up, I still didn't mind too much.  When the Knicks got 6th, I clapped.  When the Grizzlies got 5th, I started pounding on the bar.  When the Sonics were fourth, I was yelling and hollering like everyone else.  The telecast went to commercial and the whole bar was full of smiles and possibilities.  ESPN returned from commercial and...BOOM.  Wolves, 3rd.  It was like a gut shot.  I liken it to expecting a Voltron at Christmas and getting a sweater.

Expect the worst and hope for the best -- that seems to be the attitude of most Wolves fans coming into tonight's NBA Draft Lottery.  In the short history of the franchise, we have yet to move up in a draft lottery, but surely, there's a first time for anything...right?  Uh, right guys? 

Whelp, get out your lucky charms and buckle up, because this is gonna be a nerve-wracking evening.  And, by the way, thanks for following along with the live blog.

*About an hour ago, I started to get a funny feeling.  While it may have simply been the heartburn that resulted from the lunch buffet at Boca Chica, I think it's more likely an inkling that this is the year we finally get lucky.  I don't want to jinx anything, but I'm a bit more optimistic than I usually am about our chances at moving up in the draft.  We're overdue for some good fortune, dammit!

*If you need a quick history lesson on the many Draft Lottery misadventures in the history of this franchise, here's a great article from T'Wolves Blog contributor Jon Marthaler that's worth a read.

*Screw Jay-Z...Beyonce should have been the Nets' representative at the lottery.

*Avery Johnson's on the ESPN pregame panel -- pretty cool.  Reminds me of something I saw a couple weeks ago: I was browsing in a Borders, and noticed a book written by Avery in the "new releases" section of the store.  Talk about terrible timing to release a book; Cuban had just given him the axe before his book was shipped to stores.

Click "Read More" to continue.

NBA DRAFT LOTTERY PREVIEW

I can only recall one period of time after my age reached double digits where a stuffed bear meant anything to me.  In the fall of 1991, at the age of 11, I asked for a  Kirby Bear when the Twins won the Western Division Pennant and I proudly displayed it on the desk in my room throughout and after the ALCS and the World Series.  I thought I would be done putting stock in a teddy bear, but apparently not.  Tonight, at 6:30 pm, I'm hoping our non-elected Mayor and his teddy bear can drop a little fortune on a franchise devoid of luck.

I have been following this team since its inception in 1989, and I can only remember two instances where I felt luck was on our side.  The first was in 1994.  Does anyone remember, back when the Wolves wore the beautiful old royal blue and green, that this team was sold to a group that planned on moving them to New Orleans?  Well, the first instance of fortune in this franchise's history was that the NBA Owners shot down the sale and the currently much maligned Glen Taylor "saved" the team.  The second was a more gradual process.  In 1995, the Wolves used their (again, lottery losing) fifth pick to select Kevin Garnett, a kid most people knew only as the high schooler on the cover of Sports Illustrated.  Like most NBA lottery prospects, Kevin had a lot of skills and a high ceiling above him.  The Wolves lucked out in that KG worked hard, did everything in his power to reach his ceiling, and made a city care about a team (at least for a while) that no one cared about at all.  So, in almost 20 years of existence, the team has had luck on its side twice.

I also remember the draft lottery day in 1992.  I was 12 and eagerly anticipating the end of 6th grade.  I had either the Strib or Press sports page (I don't recall which, it was 16 years ago...) and on the cover was Shaq and Alonzo Mourning.  We had the most chances, we ended up third and drafted Christian Laettner.  Like then, this is touted thus far as a two person draft.  One of the greatest statistical players in college history with all of the physical and skill tools to make an NBA player, and a point guard unfairly compared to a combination of Chris Paul and Deron Williams are the prizes.  So, can a Teddy Bear bring the requisite luck?  Is it enough luck?  Do we need a 4-leaf clover?  Maybe we can borrow a horseshoe from Big Brown.

The Wolves percentage chance for picks:

1st - 13.8%

2nd - 14.24%

3rd - 14.54%

4th - 23.82%

5th - 29.05%

6th - 4.55%

Please check out the podcasts and the posts/forums throughout the day and this evening for TWolvesBlog reactions to the NBA draft.