Six games into the season, the new look Timberwolves finally have their first win. What made this possible is despite early offensive struggles and a long series of turnovers that had me wondering if the ball was slippery for every pass to be sliding off of the intended recipient's hands (the Kings oddly didn't experience this phenomenon), and despite some terrible lapses in perimeter defense and in the low post, the Kings still couldn't pull away from the Wolves. They played enough solid team defense to slow the Kings down, and Al Jefferson and Rashad McCants scored enough to keep the Wolves nipping at the Kings' heels, both shooting over 50% for the game and scoring more than half of the Wolves 108 points. To break the deadlock, the Wolves needed a third scorer, and with Craig Smith (aka The Rhino) nursing an ankle injury and an ill Greg Buckner playing limited minutes off the bench, Antoine Walker got an extended amount of playing time for the first time this season. In the second half Walker came up big as a third scorer on a night when few Wolves were able to score from the field. The Wolves didn't start strong as they have in previous games, but they also didn't experience the same drop-off and when they got a burst in the fourth quarter to take a commanding lead, they held it, making free throws, slowing the Kings down, and keeping their heads above water. Sebastian Telfair came up limping as well, meaning Marko Jaric saw even more time at point guard but came through with some of the critical free throws needed to ice the game, which is good since he's the only healthy guard who can play the point. I love Jaric, because he's like a box of chocolates: delightful in morsels, but messy in the hot sun.
I was surprised to see former Timberwolf Beno Udrih on the court tonight, scoring 17 and giving fits to Marko Jaric. For anybody who doesn't remember Udrihs's tenure with the Wolves, a week or two ago the Timberwolves traded a protected 2nd round pick to the San Antonio Spurs for Udrih and a pile of cash, then cut him before he ever arrived in Minnesota. I'm surprised given the Wolves' lack of depth at point guard that there wasn't somebody who could go in Udrih's place, like stiff center Michael Doleac, easily disoriented slam dunk champion Gerald Green, or rookie Chris Richard, none of whom have contributed significantly and may be destined for retirement or Europe. The trade was in actuality a way to make a little money off San Antonio, who gave the Wolves enough to buy out Udrih's contract and keep a little for themselves, while the pick the Wolves offered in return was a symbolic gesture: it's protected if the Wolves finish outside the top four. a statistically predictable event for a team that started 0-5. Once Randy Foye returns nobody's going to be reminiscing about Beno Udrih and what could have been, and the last thing they need to do is cut big men, but it's still annoying when somebody has a "Remember cutting me, dumbasses?" kind of night.
Anyways, the first of what are sure to be many wins... like maybe 19 more in the next 5 months.
No comments:
Post a Comment