Bright White Future: The 2012-13 Minnesota T'wolves Season Thread

[tremonthustler1]

7-14 FT's. You know what's worse than having Dwight Howard at the line? 12 Dwight Howards at the line.

 

[Akata Man Bromo]

Bad shot Shevd But I'll take the half time lead

 

[tremonthustler1]

Up at the half. 3's are falling and Shved and Josh have really stepped up for the wings. 4th quarter it'll be all Pierce and KG. I don't know if we have the manpower to stop them, but hey, just keep playing like this.

 

[Akata Man Bromo]

Can Howard play the 2? If so when we are healthy I would love to see him there. With Shevd coming off the bench and closing games.

 

[tremonthustler1]

Can Howard play the 2? If so when we are healthy I would love to see him there. With Shevd coming off the bench and closing games.

Not really. We need him at the 3 for now. Maybe in a pinch.

 

[Akata Man Bromo]

These announcers

 

[tremonthustler1]

Love is infuriating me right now. If you're hurt, don't play.

 

[Nick Barnes]

fukk this game.

 

[tremonthustler1]

I'm gonna go in on these free throws in a sec. This is inexcusable.

 

[tremonthustler1]

Wolves lose at Boston 94-104. Wolves now 8-9. 3 major things hurt the team other than running out of gas: Free throws, Love, and Pek. It's not even an off night with those two. Really really annoying, and it makes you wonder how Rubio can win games in spite of Love sometimes.


The good:
Josh Howard: 12 points and he's really been good since coming here. Not sure where we'd be without him.

Dante: 7 and 7. Hustling all the time.

Lastly, Shved didn't shoot well, but I think he's showing he's getting more comfortable as a n NBA player.


the bad:

14-30 FT's. Really, this is costing us games and it's ridiculous. If you're missing more than 2 FT's and you didn't shoot more than 10, sit em. This is on most of the team. Even the somewhat good FT shooters will miss at crucial times. I don't know what Rick needs to do, but more attention needs to be focused on how they lost a game by 10 and they missed SIXTEEN FREE THROWS!!!!


Love:19 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists. Pretty good right? Right now he's the biggest liability they have. His hand is not 100% and it shows in his shooting (6-15 FG, 1-5 3PT, 6-12 FT) and in his ability to hold onto the ball (5 turnovers). Aside from a couple of games, he's been crappy since he's been back and what makes it worse is that there is a reinforcement backup for Kevin Love in Derrick Williams that Rick can use to ease Love back or sub for him altogether and he's not using him. STOP PLAYING HIM IF HE'S HURT RICK! I'm getting tired of his shyt. The sense of entitlement, the overuse of Love, everything. I'm glad Rubio plans on coming back when he's 100% unlike Kev.

Pek: 14 and 9 but a sieve defensively. I'm not even mad. I'm disappointed. He really hasn't looked like a max player so far this season. He's missing easy buckets. He's hesitating instead of being demonstrative. He's not sneaking up on people anymore as a player and I don't know if that's affecting him. Whatever it is, he needs to snap out of it before the team makes a rash decision on him. Not that I think Rubio is a miracle worker, but I hope his presence eases everyone to where they can just play their game. Right now Pek isn't doing that.

Next game: vs. Cleveland.

 

[tremonthustler1]

Kahn's unusual shootaround media availability is to address trade rumors, I'm told. Ricky is not playing tonight, AK game time decision

Kahn basically said there's nothing to trade rumors, says he hasn't talked to Lakers, calls it unfair to players


Kahn said BRoy will be back with team Sunday after spending last couple weeks in Pacific NW, but that doesn't mean he'll practice Sunday

-JerryZ

and AK will play tonight. Rubio will not, but they'll hold him out til next week.

 

[tremonthustler1]

The Scoops: Derrick Williams' agent has asked Wolves about trade | 1500 ESPN Twin Cities ? Minnesota Sports News & Opinion (Twins, Vikings, Wolves, Wild, Gophers) | Sportswire: Minnesota Timberwolves

If agent Rob Pelinka had a personal Twitter account, he might echo his client's claims from last February.

It was then that Minnesota Timberwolves forward Derrick Williams tweeted, "Anybody ever felt like a caged lion?"

According to a team source, Pelinka has voiced his displeasure with Williams' lack of playing time. He hasn't gone as far as to request a trade, but he has inquired about the possibility that one will come.

The Wolves' stance from the source: "We told him to wait for our team to come together. Wait for Derrick to play with Ricky (Rubio). When they played together last year, Williams benefited greatly."

As for when Rubio will make his season debut, the source said he was angling to play on Friday night against Cleveland. However, the source said the medical staff and coaches will have final say.

The more likely scenario is Rubio first plays in another home game on Dec. 15 against Dallas. He does want to have his first game be at Target Center.

Trade talk

Timberwolves president of basketball operations David Kahn is casually talking to other general managers, but nothing is percolating.

As for the ESPN report that they offered center Nikola Pekovic and Williams for Lakers center/forward Pau Gasol, a team source said numerous conversations happened this summer. Gasol very much remains on their radar, but no offer was made recently.

Until Gasol is moved, count the Timberwolves as heavily interested. In fact, the source said ownership is willing to go over the luxury tax for the 2013-14 season if need be. Gasol is guaranteed $19,285,850 next year.

The source was pretty convinced any Gasol trade is way more likely to include a third team.

• Wolves guard Brandon Roy was expected back at Target Center for Friday's game. A few people in the organization have talked to the doctor who performed his most recent knee surgery. According to the doctor, it's on Roy how much pain he can tolerate. The source said he'd be surprised if Roy retired. But as indicated in last week's column, it has been loosely discussed.

• Expect an announcement soon on the grievance the team filed with the league over the Martell Webster trade with Portland. The Wolves hope to be compensated by Portland with a draft pick and potentially money.

• The source admits it's clear All-Star Kevin Love's injured hand isn't all the way back. His shot isn't right.

• The source, when it was suggested retaining Pekovic could take a long-term deal worth around $12 million annually: "12 sounds like a lot." In other words, there's definitely a healthy internal debate about whether it makes sense to pay him big-time. The alternative is to include him in a trade, which isn't out of the question.

• Forward Nemanja Bjelica, who missed five games with a calf injury, is back for Caja Laboral. There's a decent chance that he's on the Timberwolves next year.

• The source isn't overly concerned about forward Andrei Kirilenko's back but, like everyone else, is surprised he's missed four games already. Kirilenko has told the team that he's had the same injury in the past and knows how to treat it. Even if he returns in the next few days, this injury could linger throughout the season.

I see what Pelinka's saying and yeah Derrick will get moved once Rob gives the word. The team doesn't like pissing off agents.

I like that they'll go over the lux if need be.

I just pray for Roy. Either way he should be getting spot minutes at best and behind Shved.

If Bjelica is on the team next year then there's no way Derrick is on the team next year. That kid is slow footed but he's talented as fukk. He could learn a thing or two from AK

 

[Akata Man Bromo]

Good start....We need to hit these FTs tonight

 

[Akata Man Bromo]

Doing bad on FTs already

 

[tremonthustler1]

So far not bad at all. Other than FT's, Wolves are doing what they should do against another team that's missing their backcourt.


Just can't let this team hang around and think they can win because then they will.