Click here for the forum’s thread for this evening’s game against Houston
Game previews:
The Minnesota Timberwolves are discouraged again. Coach Kevin McHale is trying to get them in a good mood.

After a 20-point loss at home to Portland, the Wolves went through a long, spirited practice on Saturday. McHale said a “here-we-go-again” attitude negatively affected his team’s energy and effort the night before. The Wolves have lost 13 of their last 15 games. Since star Al Jefferson’s knee injury, they’re 1-7.

McHale said his players bounced back with a strong practice Saturday.
Gomes said he believes Friday’s atypical effort was a one-game thing.
“I think our spirits are up,” he said. “Of course, we don’t like losing, but we have to come in here and look at it as another day. Today was another day for us to get better and focus on Houston. We all have to have each other’s backs, and hopefully we can turn this thing around. That’s got to be a goal for us just to try to finish this thing off strong.”
That won’t be easy against the Rockets, who are 2-0 against Minnesota this season and took a season-high six-game winning streak into Saturday night’s game at Chicago.
Although the circumstances weren’t ideal, Brown’s 15 points (on 6-for-8 shooting) in 17 minutes was his coming out party in Minnesota.
He had played just nine minutes total in the previous two games with the Wolves. His 15 points were the most this season since scoring a career-high 21 on Nov. 23.
Prior to Brown’s showing against the Trail Blazers, Wolves coach Kevin McHale said he was aware Brown could do some “stuff.” Just what that is became a little more clear after Friday.
From The Star Tribune: Catching up with Pooh Richardson: ‘Fans were crazy’
Veteran guard Jason Williams’ request to be immediately reinstated to the NBA after his voluntary retirement before the season has been denied, ESPN.com has learned…

The six teams that voted against letting Williams return this season, as revealed to all 30 teams via league memo, were Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Minnesota, San Antonio and the Clippers themselves, who would have regained exclusive rights to the 33-year-old had he been reinstated.

STAR TRIBUNE’S STAR OF THE WEEK
Ryan Gomes, forward: The fourth-year forward has moved from starting small forward to power forward in Al Jefferson’s absence and stepped forth with his scoring. Wednesday’s 24-point night against Utah was his fifth consecutive 20-point game.
Dave DeLand/St Cloud Times includes Mike Miller on his list of the current most overpaid players in Minnesota.