Sixers 4 guidos hosts round 4 of the blogger MVP/ROY rankings. 
 
 

Minnesota ranks 24th in total defense, giving up about 102 points per
game. Offensively, the Wolves are 29th in scoring, at about 93 points
per game. That’s a combo platter for a fairly poor record, which the
Wolves have at 5-31, the NBA’s worst record. But the defensive woes
were the subject of my conversation with McHale. I asked him where the
breakdowns begin.
 

"It starts with you as an individual. That’s the number one thing, and
not rely on help as much," McHale said. "I think there are times with
our guys who say, ‘I’ve got help here. I’m going to push them to my
help.’ No, you contain your guy and get better. It’s a process."
 
 
Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune on Rashad McCants: 
That idleness and a propensity to find foul trouble pushed him out of
the starting lineup for a month before he reemerged in time to help
push the Wolves to victory last week over Miami. He disagrees with
Wittman’s contention that he becomes smitten with the three-pointer.
 
"Not at all," he said. "I felt in our offense, I was taking what I was
given" — and yet acknowledges he has become much more active since
breaking out against the Nuggets 11 days ago.
 
 
Wittman said injured center Theo Ratliff likely
would return to the Twin Cities by the end of the week. Ratliff has
been in Atlanta rehabilitating his right knee, which underwent surgery
Dec. 18. Ratliff is expected to be sidelined until early February.
  
 
 
Previews of tonight’s game against Golden State:
 
Click here for the forum’s game thread 
 
 

The NBA experienced a full eclipse last week.

The Boston Celtics were the first team to 30 wins.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, the first team to 30 losses.
 
 
Gerald Green, Michael Doleac, and Sebstian Telfair helped kids diagnosed with diabetes prepare diabetic friendly meals at the Way Cool Cooking School 
 
 
From NBA.com:

NBA China will be governed by a Board of Directors that will include
representatives of the strategic investors as well as Indiana Pacers
owner Herb Simon, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor and NBA
executives Adam Silver, Deputy Commissioner and COO, Heidi Ueberroth,
President of Global Marketing Partnerships and International Business
Operations, and Commissioner Stern.
 
 
The Wolves are at #29 in this week’s ESPN power rankings:

How giddy were the Wolves to see Miami last Tuesday? In the eight games
that preceded the Heat’s visit, all of them losses, Minnesota knew what
it felt like to play with a lead for only 68 of a possible 384 minutes.
 
 
Update:
Timberwolves Today has posted episode #14 of their Kissing Marney Gellner podcast.