Minnesota Timberwolves (1.16.09)

vs. Phoenix Suns


Season Record: 12-26


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Due to the late nature of tonight’s game, unfortunately I do not have the time to do a full blown “Musings of a Wolves Fan” article.  Instead, we’ll just go over some boxscore and game observation bullet points.  It’s the weekend anyways, and traffic is significantly lower I just want to go to bed before 3 AM for once.  What an exciting, frenetic, and fast paced game that was tonight.  Like every most Wolves fans, I feared the worst and thought we were going to blow yet another game, as seems to be our norm against “better” teams this season.  To the chagrin of Suns fans, we were finally able to pull one out down in ‘Zona.  The Cardinals better not hope this is an indication of things to come.  And now, some bullet points:

  • Did you know this was our first win in Phoenix in three (!!!) years?!?  Good for the Pups.
  • Hey, we finally beat a team with a record above .500 in 2009.  We can build on this.  Did you hear me?  We can build on this!
  • Honestly, looking over the stats, I have no idea how we won.  The Wolves shot 43% and had an eFG% of 39.7%  That’s absurd!  But it gets better.  The Suns shot 50% from the field, with an eFG% of 48.8%  No team should ever win under these conditions.
  • So seriously, how did we win?  Well… we had 19 offensive rebounds to 9 for the Suns (thanks K-Love), and only 9 turnovers to their 12.  Those two stats are honestly all that I can find in our favor in which you could point to having a positive statisically significant outcome on the game.  I keep going back to the eFG and FG percentages, and it boggles my mind that our team won under those conditions.  We lost 13 straight at one point this year!  Egads!
  • I love the newfound propensity of this team to swing the ball around to the open man.  The plethora of passes that we are initiating on some possessions is just beautiful.  It’s basketball the way it was meant to be played.  Apparently McHale has them practicing this drill where they have to pass it 10 times before they can shoot it.  Say what you want about K-Mac (I still think he’s a horrible coach), but he’s got these guys playing much better.
  • Is Steve Nash not the worst multiple MVP winner in the history of the NBA?  I say he is.  What a crock that he won twice.  I hate to throw the “reverse racism” card out there, but I’m just sayin…
  • Between Big Al, Love, Smith, and Amar’e Stoudamire; that was some of the saddest post defense I’ve ever seen.  None of those guys can or will play defense.  Shaq was the best defensive big man on the court tonight and he’s like 47 years old.  Did anyone else literally laugh out loud (LLOL) at the sight of Love guarding Shaq?  I hope that situation does not happen many more times this season.  Hey Front Office, can we please get a real center to play alongside Al/Love?  Please?
  • Gomes had a… ummm… not that great game.  I’ll just move on.
  • Please trade Craig Smith NOW.  After god knows how long, he finally put forth a decent effort tonight.  Mr. Redundant really doesn’t fit in on our squad, and along with draft picks, I think we could move him for a useful asset.
  • Trade Mike Miller while we’re at it.  Another awful 2-6 shooting game.  Hell, it looks like he’s allergic to shooting the ball.  He’s having his worst statistical season by far, and his bloated salary is detrimental to our rebuilding future if he continues to play like he is.
  • Big Al didn’t exactly dominate like he has done against Phoenix in the past, but 22 and 12 is nothing to sneeze at.
  • Randy Foye had a very rough start and only a “decent” game, but heck, it’s still better than I had come to expect from him earlier this season.  I really can’t complain, especially since we got the W.
  • Telfair had another rough game, but from what we’ve got to choose from, he’s our PGotF (PG of the future.)  Keep playing him and good things will happen.
  • “Hot” Rod Carney.  I love the dunks and threes he’s been hitting.  He brings some much needed athleticism to this squad.  He is making the decision to resign him at the end of this season much, much harder than anyone would have ever guessed when we traded for him.  I like to see this, especially since I vouched for him before the season started.
  • Love was probably our player of the game.  His timely offensive rebounds were probably the deciding factor that won it for us.  OJ Mayo who?  Just kidding, I’d still take Mayo.  But at least he’s helping make the trade not look “too” horrible, especially with the flameout that has been Mike Miller.
  • Shaqovich has been revitalized baby!  I love it!  I love Shaq!  He’s one of the coolest dudes in the entire NBA.  If you had to pick ONE guy in the entire NBA to go party with for one night, the correct (and only) answer is obviously Shaq.  He’s getting back to his dominant ways.  Everyone was ready to write him off after last season, but I had faith and drafted him in our TWolvesBlog Fantasy Basketball League.  Shaq baby!
  • J-Rich had an off day, but I still think it was a great trade for the Suns.
  • Barbosa was very solid.  He’s got to be the quickest guy in the entire NBA.  Telfair is quick going north and south, but not laterally like Barbosa is.  He truly is a blur.  My old man eyes can hardly keep up with him on a 50″ tv… even in HD.
  • Rashad McCants = DNP!  YESSSSSS!!!!  Now that is something I can rally behind!  Go Wolves, no more McCants, we’re winning games… WE CAN BUILD ON THIS!
  • Next game is Monday vs the LA Clippers.  We had better not lose this one after beating this Suns squad.  What a letdown that would be.
  • I like the Pittsburgh Steelers at -6 and the Arizona Cardinals at +4 this weekend.  Should be some exciting games.  I can’t believe such a lackluster team (Eagles or Cardinals) is going to be representing the NFC in the Superbowl.  Wow.  If only the Vikings had a quarterback…

    CW