Randy Foye didn’t make the trip on Sunday. Kevin McHale said it’s still possible Foye could play one last time in Wednesday’s season finale against Sacramento because “he still wants to play.”
It says here, though, that you’ve seen the last of No. 4 for the season. He missed his eighth consecutive game Monday.
All Minnesota’s Kevin Love may do after being snubbed by assistant coaches in voting for the rookie-sophomore game at All-Star weekend is finish in the top 10 in the league, not just among those at the kids’ table, in rebounding and barely miss averaging a double-double. And that doesn’t begin to factor in the immeasurable asset of an advanced court IQ. Love has had too many shots blocked, a predictable issue for a power forward lacking the athleticism to burst off the floor, but he’s at nine rebounds a game in just 25.3 minutes, and only Orlando’s Howard collects offensive boards at a higher rate. “He’s one of the best rebounders I’ve seen come into our league in years,” Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale said.
Kevin Love, as I noted back in January, has been the top rookie this season. Although the T-Wolves are touting Love for Rookie of the Year, Love has not been mentioned as a favorite for this award (neither Thomsen nor Stein list him among the top three rookies). So how about 6th man of the Year?
Love certainly qualifies. Minnesota may believe he should be Rookie of the Year, but they have not often thought of him as a starter. For the season Love has only started 35 games. Despite not starting, Love has produced 10.3 wins (prior to Saturday night). So this places him ahead of Odom and Andersen. Plus Love – as Table Two indicates – is above average as a scorer (at least for a power forward). So maybe the media should give Love a second look (for both awards).
Joel Brigham/Hoopsworld lists Kevin Love at #6 on his list of candidates for rookie of the year.
#6 – Kevin Love – Minnesota Timberwolves (24-56) – 11.1ppg, 9.0rpg, 1.1apg – Quietly led all rookies in rebounds for game, which in any other year would put him in the top four or five rooks. He’s a banger, and will be for a while.
Isiah Thomas is on the verge of starting his coaching career over at Florida International.
The former New York Knicks coach is deliberating whether to take over FIU’s basketball program, a person with knowledge of the school’s search told The Associated Press on Monday night…
Among the other candidates on FIU’s list: Former Miami Heat players Ed Pinckney and Tim Hardaway, both of whom continue to have strong ties to South Florida. Pinckney is an assistant coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves but still maintains a residence in the Miami area; Hardaway briefly coached the now-defunct Florida Pit Bulls of the American Basketball Association.
The NBA’s board of governors will meet this week in New York where owners will hear an update of the league’s interest in negotiating a new collective-bargaining agreement with the National Basketball Players Association…
The owners meeting will be the first under newly appointed BOG chairman Glen Taylor, the Minnesota Timberwolves owner who replaced Miami Heat owner Micky Arison as chairman this year.
Former Timberwolves forward Kirk Snyder was indicted today on charges stemming from a break-in at a neighbor’s home last month in Lebanon, Ohio.
Snyder, who was indicted on aggravated burglary, assault and felonious assault charges, played for the Wolves last season but wasn’t re-signed and spent this season in China.