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Game previews:
From the Associated Press:
Timberwolves point guard Sebastian Telfair has a bruised thigh.
Coach Kevin McHale said after Tuesday’s practice he’s “hopeful” Telfair will be able to play Wednesday against Detroit. Telfair participated in all activities, but McHale said it was a light workout.
Telfair took a knee to his leg and left late in the fourth quarter of Monday’s win at Milwaukee.
The last time these two teams played, the Timberwolves delivered a November victory at Detroit so unexpected but so convincing that Al Jefferson now says he immediately envisioned a glowing future.
He was right.
It only took a coaching change, a month and a 13-game losing streak to get there.
“After that game, I knew we could do it,” he said. “I was just surprised, really surprised that it didn’t happen sooner. We beat a team like Detroit like that on their home floor and then we come back and play like we never played this game before in our life.”
Guard Randy Foye, who had a team-high 23 points and 14 assists in the Nov. 23 win over Detroit, said his performance and the team’s were the result of Wittman loosening the reins on his players.
“He just simplified a lot of things,” Foye said. “He just ran less plays and we went out there and played, played freely. We just were playing. If a guy was open in the post, you gave it to him. If I could create on a pick and roll, he let me do it. It just was fun. That was probably one of the funnest games I had this year.”
So, why couldn’t the Wolves keep it up and continue playing like they have for the past month?
Foye said he and the entire team had a completely different attitude at the time.
“The way we were playing, we weren’t even playing mediocre basketball,” he said. “We were basically playing win one game, lose six. Win one, lose six. And every time we won a game, it felt like we won a championship. Now if you look around here, if you look at these games right here, we’re supposed to beat these teams. Now if we lose, we’re upset with each other. It’s a different attitude.”
Thompson said he’s not surprised by McHale’s recent success as a coach.
“I expected it; Kevin’s the kind of coach everybody would love to play for,” Thompson said. “He understands the game through and through. He commands instant respect because he’s a three-time (NBA) champion. He’s been there, done that. And, he allows the players to play their game. He understands the strengths and weaknesses of players, and he coaches toward those strengths and weaknesses.”
McHale, however, didn’t have success when he ran the Wolves’ front office.
“He made a couple of mistakes there,” Thompson said. “Passing up Brandon Roy was his major mistake. But he has an eye for talent. It wasn’t his fault that Stephon Marbury didn’t want to play with Kevin Garnett.”