The last game of the season is finally here! Soon we will be able to have sweet dreams about John Wall and Evan Turner and no longer have nightmares of Anthony Tolliver, Dorell Wright, and every other fringe NBA player who has terrorized our defense. Before you go start planning your NBA draft party and buying your Evan Turner T-Wolves jersey, we still have tonight’s game to attend to. If the Wolves win, we make the playoffs…oh wait…what I meant to say is: If the Wolves win, we avoid tying the 1991-92 Wolves for the worst record in team history. Like anyone cares.
Sporting News game preview
Minnesota (15-66) has arrived at this ignominious position with a woeful two-month stretch, losing 28 of its last 30 dating back to before the All-Star break. One more defeat would match the 1991-92 Timberwolves, who finished 15-67 in the club’s third season of play.
“If it happens, it was just meant to happen,’ Wolves forward Al Jefferson said. “That’s how I look at it. Of course we don’t want it to happen, but it’s life.”
The young club doesn’t seemed primed for a victory after losing its last six, including the last two by an average of 25.0 points.
Minnesota, which is guaranteed to finish with the league’s second-worst record, allowed more than 130 points for the fifth time in a 133-111 defeat at San Antonio on Monday night.
The Wages of Wins Journal says that Corey Brewer is worse than he was as a rookie
When we look past scoring totals, though, we see that he has declined substantially with respect to rebounds and turnovers. And although he is getting to the line more frequently, his efficiency from the charity stripe has declined as well. When we put the entire picture together – via Win Score – we see that Brewer is actually offering less than he did as a rookie.
-Well I say that he has improved, so they can take their Win Score and shove it.
The Wolves will once again be participating in the preseason European tour
From the Associated Press
The Minnesota Timberwolves will be going overseas again.
The NBA announced on Tuesday that the Timberwolves will play a pair of preseason games in October as part of the league’s annual European exhibition tour. The Wolves will face the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 4 in London and the New York Knicks on Oct. 6 in Paris.
This is the fifth straight year of the “NBA Europe Live” tour. The Timberwolves also participated in 2007, playing games in both Istanbul and London.
-Sadly, we will not be playing against Ricky Rubio’s Regal Barcelona team 🙁
Please Click “Read More” to see the rest of today’s links and the best & worst videos on the interwebs this week
Rubio gets mad props from stars and coaches around the league
Cleveland forward LeBron James: “I think he’ll be good. He’s a really good push guard. He’s very smart. He looked good in the two games we played against them in Beijing, so he’s going to be really good. He was very under control. You can tell he has been doing it [playing professionally] for a while. It helps that he’s been playing with Rudy [Fernandez] and Pau [Gasol] and Jose [Calderon] and the rest of those guys with the Spanish national team.”
Changes may be on the horizon
“I do believe we can create a compelling outlook for this team on a long-term basis,” Kahn said. “We have young players that have a lot of promise, and we have salary cap room. We’ll need to build this team around numerous pieces. I’m eager to build this team, and I’m eager to do it now.”
The Wolves have three first-round picks in the draft and $15 million to $20 million in salary cap room to dangle in front of a high-quality group of free agents — although many of those likely will prefer a championship contender.
Kahn and Rambis still need to address Jefferson, Love and Flynn, although both have openly supported all three players as important components to the team.
Rambis was uncomfortable playing Jefferson and Love together for extended minutes. As 6-foot-10 power forwards, Rambis contended, Jefferson and Love as a tandem left the defense exposed to taller and more active front lines.
– Wow, changes might be coming. Tell us something we don’t know. This is some top notch reporting.
Also from the Pioneer Press: Player recaps and key dates to remember this offseason
Off-Topic
Cracked.com breaks down the 5 most badass athletes of all-time
(warning: strong language)
Best Video on the Interwebs this Week
A song asking Chris Bosh to stay in Toronto. How can anybody say no to this?
The Worst Video on the Interwebs this Week
This is just ridiculous. Whoever thought this would be a good idea should be fired.