Talkin Bout Playoffs

The playoffs start today and I can't recall ever being this pumped up about them. Most years, I'd largely ignore the 1st round as it's usually just a minor inconvenience for good teams until the real matchups start. But this year, you  have Utah vs. Denver, Kobe vs. Durant, Spurs vs. Mavs, Celtics vs. Heat, and a matchup of the 2 best defensive  teams in the league in the Magic and the dangerous Bobcats. Any or all of the 1st round series could be amazing in the same way that the Celtics vs. the Bulls was last year. All this without mentioning Lebron or the Suns, who are always fun to watch no matter who they play. This is only the 1st round I'm talking about! The matchups and intensity will only get better as we progress through the rounds.

If you are a fan of basketball, you better be tuned in to this rare and most awesome occasion. In honor of what promises to be an epic year for NBA playoff basketball, I'm going to take the approach of Switzerland and Bonecrusher and rep every player, team, side, conference, and whatever else (except the Lakers of course).

East

Saturday

Bull @ Cavs, ABC 2:00 PM US-CST

Bucks @ Hawks, ESPN 4:30 PM

Heat @ Celtics, ESPN 7:00 PM

Sunday

Bobcats @ Magic, TNT 4:30 PM

Make sure to read Britt Robson's Eastern Conference preview for SI.com

Scoop Jackson at espn.com has a great article on whether or not we've seen the last of KG as "Da Kid"

So the whispers are there. Some are about his age: He's 32, finishing up his 15th season in the league. Some are about his health: He hyperextended his right knee earlier this year, missed the playoffs (same knee) last season. Others, more disturbing, are about the one thing Garnett has always had over damn near every player in the NBA: his confidence.

It's fading, say the whispers.

I needed to not believe that. Not KG. But the signs are there. Could "The Kid" be gone?

-This article gives me hope that KG still has better days ahead of him. If you're a big fan The Big Ticket, this article is well worth a read.

West

Saturday

Jazz @ Nuggets, ESPN 9:30 PM US-CST

Sunday

Thunder @ Lakers, ABC 2:00 PM

Spurs @ Mavericks, TNT 7:00 PM

Blazers @ Suns, TNT 9:30 PM

Britt Robson's Western Conference preview

Read Bill Simmons' latest article for a look at everything he's learned from this past season and his take on the playoffs

Part 1 Here

Part 2 Here

Please Click "Read More" for a few bits of Wolves news and the Top 10 dunks of the season

The last game of the season is finally here! Soon we will be able to have sweet dreams about John Wall and Evan Turner and no longer have nightmares of Anthony Tolliver, Dorell Wright, and every other fringe NBA player who has terrorized our defense. Before you go start planning your NBA draft party and buying your Evan Turner T-Wolves jersey, we still have tonight's game to attend to. If the Wolves win, we make the playoffs...oh wait...what I meant to say is: If the Wolves win, we avoid tying the 1991-92 Wolves for the worst record in team history. Like anyone cares.

Sporting News game preview

Minnesota (15-66) has arrived at this ignominious position with a woeful two-month stretch, losing 28 of its last 30 dating back to before the All-Star break. One more defeat would match the 1991-92 Timberwolves, who finished 15-67 in the club's third season of play.

"If it happens, it was just meant to happen,' Wolves forward Al Jefferson said. "That's how I look at it. Of course we don't want it to happen, but it's life."

The young club doesn't seemed primed for a victory after losing its last six, including the last two by an average of 25.0 points.

Minnesota, which is guaranteed to finish with the league's second-worst record, allowed more than 130 points for the fifth time in a 133-111 defeat at San Antonio on Monday night.

The Wages of Wins Journal says that Corey Brewer is worse than he was as a rookie

When we look past scoring totals, though, we see that he has declined substantially with respect to rebounds and turnovers.  And although he is getting to the line more frequently, his efficiency from the charity stripe has declined as well.  When we put the entire picture together – via Win Score – we see that Brewer is actually offering less than he did as a rookie.

-Well I say that he has improved, so they can take their Win Score and shove it.

The Wolves will once again be participating in the preseason European tour

From the Associated Press

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be going overseas again.

The NBA announced on Tuesday that the Timberwolves will play a pair of preseason games in October as part of the league's annual European exhibition tour. The Wolves will face the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 4 in London and the New York Knicks on Oct. 6 in Paris.

-Sadly, we will not be playing against Ricky Rubio's Regal Barcelona team :(

Please Click "Read More" to see the rest of today's links and the best & worst videos on the interwebs this week

Continue Reading

New Orleans led by as much as much as 28 in the third quarter when Okafor's 6-foot hook made it 74-46, capping a 14-4 run that began with Okafor's 14-foot jumper and included a 3-pointer by Morris Peterson. The game was never in doubt after that as Minnesota got no close than 18 points.

New Orleans led 31-25 when the Wolves started to implode. Jefferson was called for traveling while attempting a reverse layup. Rambis didn't agree and drew two quick technical fouls, the first from official Eli Roe and the other from Ron Garretson, the second triggering the coach's ejection.

The Wolves have lost five straight and 21 of their last 22 games.

Minnesota (15-65), which plays Monday night in San Antonio, needs one win in its final two games to avoid matching the worst record in franchise history, set in 1991-92.

Former Timberwolves guard Isaiah Rider has been arrested in Arizona on suspicion of assaulting his fiancee and reneging on a $150 cab fare.

Mesa, Ariz., police say the 39-year-old Rider was taken into custody Thursday after an officer spotted him driving erratically in a vehicle with three small children inside.

Neighbors reported seeing Rider argue with his fiancee outside their Mesa home Sunday and engage in a tug of war over her purse. Police say Rider then took a cab ride to Phoenix and ran away instead of paying the driver.

A post game video including music from a high pitched female known as Miley Cyrus (Uphill battle) brought some perspective to the year. In the NBA things aren't always about today, and it's rare that a championship team can be built so quickly. The Hornets do appreciate their fans and obviously make every effort to improve.

Things are hectic around TWB right now as CW is out of town and having internet issues. The weather is beautiful here in Minnesota on this Friday night and makes for ripe conditions for throwing back a few cold ones. But alas, here are some Friday afternoon mini-links for the crazy diehard Wolves fans out there.

Here's the link to the forum game thread: Lakers @ Wolves

Sporting News Game Preview

Trying to avoid matching a season high with their third straight loss, the visiting Lakers look for an 11th consecutive victory over the lowly Timberwolves on Friday night.

It's uncertain if Bryant, averaging 27.1 points this season, will be given a second straight night off to rest his swollen right knee and aching right index finger. As a precaution, the All-Star sat out Los Angeles' 98-96 loss at Denver on Thursday.

Big Al will miss tonight's game

Ray Richardson/Pioneer Press

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Al Jefferson has been away from the team this week because a family member is hospitalized in the Twin Cities area, a team official said today.

Ted Johnson, Wolves senior vice president of communications, clarified Jefferson's situation after this morning's shootaround practice at Target Center but declined to address the family member or reason for the hospitalization. The Wolves had been saying Jefferson was away from the team to deal with a "personal matter."

In-depth Truehoop Q&A with Corey Brewer

Who's your least favorite player to guard?
"That would be Carmelo. He's all about going to that block. He's going to be there all night."

You set a team-record by hitting a 3 in 33 straight games. At what point did you become aware of that, and were you doing anything special?
"No one thought that would ever happen two years ago. I wasn't aware of it until we got to like 25 and everybody started talking about it. I was just playing. I just felt like my game was finally coming together. Everything was just flowing. My defense. My offense ... that was probably my best [stretch]."

Love is happy to be back in the starting lineup

Phil Miller/StarTribune

And despite 10 weeks of insisting that he's OK with coming off the bench, Love couldn't hide his delight at escaping the second unit.

"It definitely got me going. You've got energy, your legs are warm, you're feeling good when you start," said Love, who spent 35 minutes on the floor for just the second time since Jan. 11. "I was a lot more energized."

"At one point, I was sulking a little bit. ... I was tired," said Love, who admitted he sometimes complained -- causing Rambis to use him even less. Eight times since the all-star break, Love has been on the floor for less than half the game.

"I want to be great. I want to reach what I know I can be. So I had a few bad games, missed some shots, and laid my head down a little. But I got through it. I stood up and started playing some good games again."

That extra energy must be the reason he only gave up 34 points to Anthony Tolliver.

The Warriors, who averaged 116.5 points in their previous four games, should have better luck against a Timberwolves team that has lost 24 of 26 and is yielding 107.5 points. Minnesota (15-62) has given up at least 100 points in 16 of 18 games, and is 7-46 when allowing opponents to reach triple digits.

The Warriors have had little trouble getting their offense on track in winning the first two meetings of the season with the Timberwolves, including a 145-105 home victory Nov. 9. Golden State, which has won nine of 12 against Minnesota, hasn't swept a season series from the Timberwolves since going 4-0 in 1991-92.

Darko will play tonight: Phil Miller/StarTribune

"It's sore, but I'm not running on my jaw, so I'll be fine," Milicic joked about the shot he took to the face from Jamaal Magloire's inadvertent elbow during Saturday's loss to the Heat. "I will play [Wednesday]."

He could have played Sunday in Oklahoma City, he insisted, but the team's doctor recommended being cautious because Milicic showed signs of a mild concussion.

Ray Richardson at the Pioneer Press asks each of the Wolves how they cope with losing

"The players see that we care," Rambis said. "We want them to do well. We want them to get better, and their character adds a lot to that. It's been a very difficult situation for all of us, but the players are still trying and digging. They've accepted the challenge late in the season of using every practice and game as an opportunity to learn and get better."