Our 9-29 TWolves take on the 31-6 Spurs Tuesday night at Target Center, for the fourth and final time this season. We've lost the first three games by only a combined 13 points, but have blown 15+ point leads on multiple occasions. I believe the Wolves had a 9 point lead Sunday before finally succombing in San Antonio, but of course the game wasn't on TV so who knows for sure.
Word on the street is that Beasley is going to try to play on his recently re-aggravated ankle injury, so that should help us if he's ok. Personally, why risk it? I'd sit him out a few games and let him get it right. No sense rushing him back in this wasted season.
Get the ball to Darko and KLove, it's our only chance. We can hang with these guys in an up-tempo game.
Tons of TWolves/NBA/Other sport discussion in the TWolves Blog Forums! Check it out for some great convo.
Lastly, but definitely not leastly (just made that word up?), I did another Gameday Q&A with Jeff from the always spectacular Project Spurs. Check out my responses to his questions over at PS, and please click "Read More" below to continue on with Jeff's responses to my questions...
And take it away Jeff…
College Wolf: Despite the relative closeness of our three games so far this season (TWolves have lost by 13 combined points), how do you keep beating us? Why can't we hold leads against the Spurs?
Project Spurs: Simple. A veteran team like the Spurs will always find a way to get the win. For example, Monday's game. The Spurs went to the free-throw line 25 times as opposed to Minnesota's 12 trips to the line. Defensively, the Spurs always crank it up in the fourth. Again in Monday's game, the Spurs held the TWolves to 39.6% shooting. The list goes on and on but our bench has out performed Minnesota's.
CW: We've been debating this here in the TWB Forums, but is Rambis the right man for the job? Or is it too early to tell?
PS: Personally I do not think he is. He doesn't have a spectacular track record and hasn't proven he can get it done as a head coach. Remember his days with the Lakers as a head coach? (CW Edit: Remember them? Not really… and that's probably not a good sign. Insert sad face here.)
CW: Darko seems to get up for Spurs games this season. He's averaging 13 points, 8 boards, 3 assists, and 4 blocks per game against you guys. What's up with that? Or perhaps you just let him do his thing and worry more about other players beating you?
PS: Big reason: Spurs are not deep with big men. Quality big men that is. Blair is undersized, Duncan can do all he can do, Bonner is not a defensive specialist, McDyess is old but serviceable. It's no wonder Darko and Love have huge games against the Spurs. If I was Rambis, I'd constantly be making it a half-court game and pounding it in the paint.
CW: Who from the TWolves worries you? Anyone at this point? Do we have any players that could potentially steal this win away?
PS: Darko and Love. Those two worry me the most if Rambis slows the game to a halt and plays big. Do that and you will have the Spurs on the ropes. I point to the last Spurs-Lakers game. In that game, Jackson started to go to Bynum in the post and he was getting a lot of easy looks at the rim. Why? He had an undersized Blair guarding him.
CW: Probably the only important question here, do the Spurs make it 4 straight seasons of sweeping the TWolves on Tuesday night?
PS: Yea but the Wolves are not going down that easily. To beat a team in a back-to-back situation like this will be difficult.