The Minnesota Timberwolves announced today that center Theo Ratliff
underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Tuesday
(Dec. 18). Dr. James R. Andrews of the Alabama Sports Medicine &
Orthopedic Center in Birmingham, Ala. performed the operation and
repaired cartilage. Ratliff is expected to miss the next six weeks as
he rehabs from the surgery.
 
 
I understand Witt is competitive, and increasingly frustrated. These
losses are like water drips from a faucet when you’re trying to
sleep–they’ll drive you temporarily crazy. But calling out a team is
the coaching equivalent of firing a bullet–there are only so many
chambers in that gun, and he needs to use them wisely. The season is 24
games old–58 to go–and the Wolves were without Foye, Ratliff, Walker,
Jaric (felled by the flu) and Buckner tonight, while Craig Smith and
Corey Brewer were both reportedly feeling ill.
 
 
 
Rick Alonzo/Pioneer Press on Troy Hudson: 
If his basketball career is finished, he will have more time to focus on his other passion, his music career.
"It’s going good," Hudson said. "It’s slow motion. The music business is like the real estate business right now."
 
 
Walker missed his third consecutive game. "I came back too soon," said
Walker, who reaggravated the injury Friday against Seattle. "It’s too
early in the season. I’m not going to try that again."
 
 
Speaking with my friend Rick Alonzo at halftime, as well as after the
game, I asked him if he’s able to write 99% of his articles before the
games even begin. He, along with Jerry Zgoda, joked that all they had
to do was shift sentences around and add new quotes after each game.
 
 
 
The Timberwolves, 3-21 this season after a 111-98
loss to Golden State on Wednesday, are on pace to become the NBA’s
all-time worst team. That 61-year distinction currently belongs to the
Philadelphia 76ers, who finished 9-73 in the 1972-73 season.
 

"Don’t be telling me what that record is," Wolves coach Randy Wittman said Wednesday. "I don’t want to know it."