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Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves at Washington Wizards, 1/25/13

January 23, 2013 by
Photo Credit: Getty Images

Photo Credit: Getty Images

This Friday’s game sends the Timberwolves to the nation’s capital to face the Wizards.  The Pups enter the game with a 17-22 record and are coming off a loss at home to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.  Ricky Rubio was not pleased with sitting the entire 4th quarter in Wednesday’s game, so we’ll see where this season goes next with this news. It probably isn’t a good thing for an assistant coach to tick off the number one draw for the franchise.  Just a thought…

While the Wizards have the worst record in the league, their season has seemingly turned the corner with the recent return of John Wall to the lineup.  At 9-31 on the season, the team is clearly playing for pride and to show fans what the future may have in store.  Friday’s game also allows Pups fans to catch another glimpse of their former head coach, Randy Wittman.

For tonight’s preview we’re working with Abdullah Sharif from the WizardsExtreme.com team blog.  As you may have seen here on Timberpups.com, we have put together Q&A sessions with a writer from the opposition in an effort to get some inside perspective on what to expect on Friday night game nights.

Here’s our Q&A …

Wizards Question #1 for Abdullah:

First and foremost, John Wall is back in action and looks like he is close to 100% already.  What have you noticed thus far in his play – strengths, potential weaknesses, where he may be struggling, etc.? 

Abdullah:

Wall’s return has posed an immediate impact on the team, as the Wizards find themselves playing with a refreshing sense of aggression and fluidity that’s been rare to the Wizards faithful up until his recovery from the stress fracture in his knee. Over the past week and a half, the Wizards have won 5 of their last 7 games, including wins over Oklahoma City, Denver and Portland. Wall has defied several concerns regarding his conditioning, physical strength, and his overall rust from being away from the game for so long. While he displays the same speed and agility we’ve been used to, Wall has also been facilitating the offense in a more disciplined manner.

However, Wall has also proven that he still has some improvements to be made. His mid-range jump shot remains questionable, although his form has clearly improved. At times, Wall finds himself underestimating his speed down court, which usually results in making the wrong decision in transition, leading to a charging foul or a turnover. But overall, Wall’s long absence has proven his worth, as the Wizards now find themselves in the midst of newfound success, with John Wall being the catalyst.

 

Pups Question #1 for John:

How frustrating has the health of Kevin Love been this season and how have the Timberwolves been able to fill the void with the absence of his inside presence as well as threat as a shooter around the perimeter?

John:

Kevin Love’s broken hand from knuckle push-ups essentially set the tone for what was yet to come this season for the Timberwolves.  This freak accident started off a stretch of terrible luck in the injury department that has hit the vast majority of the lineup.  To be honest, before losing Budinger, Roy, Pekovic, and/or Shved (not to mention Josh Howard or the random games that JJ Barea and Andrei Kirilenko have missed … yes, this is all in a half a season) the Wolves were doing “OK” and treading water in Love’s earlier absence from the team.

However, the roster is far too deep in the water at this point and it is hard seeing this team stay afloat while Love recovers from the surgery and extended amount of time he’s now scheduled to miss (8-10 weeks after the surgery, which happened about a week after the injury occurred.  This was due to … the surgeon being sick and out of the office.  You can’t make this stuff up with how the season is going.)

At this point, they aren’t able to make up for Love’s absence.  Earlier in the season, Kirilenko, Dante Cunningham, and Derrick Williams were filling in admirably and rotating nicely based on match-ups.  Unfortunately, that isn’t happening anymore.  To your last point, the team is abysmal from beyond the arc.  Love’s hand injury led to a lot of his own struggles here when he was playing, but there really isn’t another player on the current roster that can consistently hit a three pointer right now.

 

Wizards Question #2 for Abdullah:

Tell us how you feel about Randy Wittman, but please keep it PG-13.  As a former coach for our Pups, I remember Wittman driving fans criminally insane in Minnesota.  Has he made any improvement whatsoever?  Would you like to see him return as coach next season? 

Abdullah:

Wittman’s tenure in Minnesota is very similar to his current one in DC. Besides the short stint he had coaching Kevin Garnett in 2006 and then-rookie Kevin Love in 2008, Wittman’s basketball teams have been sorely untalented. When his predecessor Flip Saunders was fired 17 games into the season last year, Wittman was called upon to take over a squad in complete disarray and misdirection. If you follow DC sports, you’ll clearly notice the blame for the team’s failure is directed more towards the men in upper management, as opposed to the coach himself. While Wittman does endure scrutiny for his questionable player rotations and strategies, many consider Wittman to be a victim of a bad culture and a coach who has had very little talent to work with. Wittman’s Wizards finished the season last year riding a six-game win streak, but several key injuries and managerial mishaps led to an underachieving lineup and the worst start in franchise history.

As mentioned in my previous answer, the Wizards are now back at full strength with John Wall back in the lineup, along with a healthy Nene and a vastly progressing rookie in Brad Beal. In his short time as Wizards coach, Wittman has proven that with the right tools and personnel, he can make for a respectable coach in the NBA.

 

Pups Question #2 for John:

What are the general outlook and opinion of Ricky Rubio and his potential success as a member of the Timberwolves? How much of a difference maker is he when on the floor and how does his game compare to John Wall’s?

John:

(Disclaimer: I’m a huge Rubio backer)

Rubio is struggling to find his form right now as he continues to fight his way past the torn ACL injury from last season.  He is passing up too many open shots and then when he is taking them, they are consistently falling flat and drawing iron.  He has shown flashes of brilliance, but you won’t see it in the box score on most occasions, as the team has been very strict in limiting his minutes and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

Ricky is very clearly who David Kahn and company want to build around.  Assuming he shakes the rust off over the course of the rest of this season and comes back to form (and beyond) to what was seen in his rookie year, you can expect a maximum offer on the table waiting for Ricky to sign.  There are a lot of “what if” scenarios to play out between now and then though, so it is impossible to say whether or not he remains with the team through all of that.

His potential success is off the charts.  On the court, his vision is bar none.  He almost singlehandedly made the bounce pass cool again in the NBA last season.  From what is seen from afar, teammates love playing with him.  You can sense his leadership on the court and it seems to carry over to practice and the day to day life with teammates.

I believe he is more “valuable” than Kevin Love.  I’m not saying he is “better”, but I do believe he is more valuable to winning games for this franchise.  Frankly, they need each other to succeed in Minnesota, but Rubio definitely makes everyone else around him better and I can’t necessarily say the same thing about Love.

 

Wizards Question #3 for Abdullah:

Rumors swirled recently that Bradley Beal might be available for the right price.  What do you think of the rookie and his play thus far?  What does he need to improve on to become a complete player for this franchise (or another)?  Can the team build a contender with both Wall and Beal? 

Abdullah:

Bradley Beal got off to a bit of a slow start to his NBA career. As a player who was touted for his deadly shooting and abilities to create scoring opportunities, Wizards fans initially observed a player who lacked aggression and shot poorly from the field. Just a few weeks later, Wizards fans observed a player who was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December. During that span until now, the 19-year old has found his comfort on the floor and is no longer shy about attacking the rim. Beal shows great poise and confidence. His skill set is starting to take great shape as he has shown his ability to create offense and find open space for high percentage jumpers. These factors all led to the dismissal of potential trade offers and the decision to keep him in DC with the pursuit of eventually constructing one of the more dangerous backcourts in the league along with John Wall.

 

Pups Question #3 for John:

With the halfway point of the season approaching, the Wolves are just a few games out of the final playoff spot. What areas do the Wolves need to address in order to make their second half push and secure that spot?

John:

Simply put: Health and good luck.  Unfortunately, the former is nowhere to be found and it isn’t coming back to this roster anytime soon.  With Budinger out until February/March, Love out until March or so, Roy out indefinitely (and probably done), and Rubio still working out the kinks, it just seems like too much to overcome.  The team’s recent play suggests that they have finally hit that threshold where enough is enough.  They have not looked very good over the past few weeks and I fear that there isn’t an end in sight to this.

It also doesn’t help that Rick Adelman has left the team to be with his ailing wife and the sidelines have been left to Terry Porter.  (To clarify this so it isn’t interpreted incorrectly – Adelman needs to do whatever it is he feels best for his family.  The point I’m making here is we are very clearly “trading down” when going from Adelman to Porter on the sidelines.)  While a tremendous amount of the current situation is due to injuries, you will likely get a chance to see a few head scratchers from the coach in Friday night’s game.

To be honest, I’ve already talked myself into the fact that this team is not going to make the playoffs again this season.  Going into the trading deadline, I don’t expect to see a significant move made.  However, I wouldn’t be shocked if JJ Barea or Luke Ridnour is moved for more of a true SG.  In the offseason, I do expect at least one of them moved, potentially with Derrick Williams, as the former #2 pick in the draft will have a new home for the ‘13/’14 season.  Hopefully, those one or two moves provide the team with a significant upgrade at the SG or SF position to move into next season with.

 

We hope you enjoyed the preview for this Friday’s match-up between the Pups and Wizards.  Again, you can read more from Abdullah at WizardsExtreme.com and/or follow them on Twitter.  You can read more from John on Timberpups.com and/or follow him on Twitter as well.

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Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Brooklyn Nets, 1/23/13

January 23, 2013 by

shvedprokhorovakSetting the stage:

The Timberwolves host the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night, returning to Target Center after a very disappointing loss to the Atlanta Hawks on MLK Day.  After building an 18 point lead, the Pups slowly but surely fell apart at the seams again in the second half.  The loss moved the team to 17-21 on the season.  If you want to look for a positive, look towards a decent performance from Derrick Williams and decent minutes from our 10 day contractors.

The Nets come into Wednesday’s tilt off of a nice win at MSG against the Knicks on Monday, moving the team to 25-16 on the season and just one game behind the division leading Knicks.  Hopefully, the Wolves will turn the tide and be able to match the performance they put forth earlier this year in Brooklyn, when they beat the Nets 107-96.

For this preview, I have reached out to a lifetime sufferer of being a Nets fan and close friend of mine, David Corsaro.  David has been following the Nets closely for over two decades now and has seen the ups and downs and it is safe to say there were many more downs.  Similar to our Friday night previews, I wanted to get David’s perspective on a few key storylines revolving around the Nets.

Nets Question #1 for David:

I downgraded Deron Williams after the Olympics and he hasn’t necessarily proven me wrong.  I’m not sure he takes the NBA life as seriously as many other superstars.  Does he have enough “fire” in him to will a team to a championship or is he better suited as a second banana?

David:

When Jason Kidd came to the Nets several years ago, he was a superstar.  He brought out a level of play in Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittle and Richard Jefferson that even THEY didn’t know they had.  Deron does not have that same level of “fire” as you put it, but he knows how to play the position very well.  He is truly the quarterback of this team…and the other players recognize that and respect him for it.  Deron is someone who could take the last shot (and I would have total confidence in him) or someone who could dish the last shot (and if that other player missed, I would not fault Williams for not taking it….I trust him that it was the right play.)  Sure I would love to see more of that “We are NOT losing this game” face from Deron Williams, but in a league where there are only a small handful of great point guards, I think Deron is a key piece to a championship team.

 

Nets Question #2 for David:

I was vehemently against David Kahn signing Andray Blatche this past offseason.  Was I wrong again on this one or are there still character/knucklehead concerns?  How would you grade his performance thus far this season?

David:

This team lives each day with a million questions around it.  Can Lopez stay healthy?  Is Johnson past his prime?  Has Blatche entered the “Tyson Zone? (That one is for you John.)  And I don’t think that question will ever really go away.  But I do think he has been a solid contributor on the court and considering what we need him for (energy off the bench, a solid shooter who can be a first or fourth option on the court, etc).

I have been very happy with him.  His scoring has been exactly what I would expect / want.  He is grabbing the boards that we need him to (even at a slightly higher rate than his career average, especially on the offensive side.)  It sounds cliché, but if Blatche could keep himself out of trouble and maintain what he has been doing for us, it will be an excellent signing.

 

Nets Question #3 for David:

Can the Nets hold on to one of the top seeds in the East or are they too fragile (Lopez, Wallace)?  What are your expectations come playoff time and how far can this team go?

David:

My biggest question about this team is “Are they good enough to compete deep into the playoffs or will the rest of the league begin to make adjustments and expose certain flaws?”  Brook Lopez is playing the best basketball of his career and being the player we all hoped he would be.  But will he stay healthy or will teams begin to realize the threat he is and play him tighter?  Reggie Evans and Gerald Wallace are playing better than expected but can they keep up the energy for 82 games?  Can Johnson return to the 21 PPG player that he once was without taking points away from anyone else? (which I believe he can)

The “Fan” in me says I want them as a 2-3 seed in the playoffs and there is no reason why we can’t play Miami in the ECF.  However, the realist in me says that they are a 4-5 seed and if we make it to the second round, I should consider this year a good step towards building a real championship team next year.

I want to thank David for answering a few questions on Nets and providing some perspective on the Pups opponent.  You can follow David on Twitter or check out this web site.  (Yes, he is also a magician … and a good one at that.)

Player to watch:

Joe Johnson – Johnson is having a fantastic month of January, averaging just under 20ppg and clearly shooting much better than he did earlier in the season.  Wolves’ fans shouldn’t be surprised if this continues Wednesday night, given the lack of size to match-up against Johnson whatsoever.  Alexey Shved practiced with the team on Tuesday, but this could be a nightmare match-up for the rookie.

Match-up to watch:

Ricky Rubio vs. Deron Williams.  Deron put up 18 points and 13 assists earlier this season against the Pups, while Rubio was still rehabbing his knee.  Ricky is coming off a poor performance on Monday night, so it will be interesting to see if he can “bounce back”.  Given all of the injuries, this is clearly the match-up to keep an eye on and the marquee match-up.

Predictions:

I can’t see the Wolves pulling this one out.  (Again, you can just call me “The Cooler” at this point, because I have zero ability to predict what Wolves team shows up night to night.)

Final score prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves 92, Brooklyn Nets 104

Three stars of the game predictions:

  1. Joe Johnson
  2. Brook Lopez
  3. Derrick Williams

Let’s go Wolves!

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Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves at Atlanta Hawks, 1/21/13

January 20, 2013 by

MLK DaySetting the stage:

For the second time in less than two weeks, the Timberwolves will play against the Atlanta Hawks.  In what has become a longstanding tradition for the NBA, Monday’s game will be played in the afternoon given the Martin Luther King holiday.

The Wolves travel to Atlanta off a … baffling (?) astonishing (?)  miraculous (?) … surprising win on Thursday night against the Rockets, moving their record to 17-20 on the season.  Despite being severely undermanned, the Pups completely outplayed the Rockets throughout the game and were led by AK47 and two players that weren’t even in the NBA 24 hours prior to tipoff.  Mickael Gelabale and Chris Johnson played significant minutes and made significant contributions in the team’s win.

January has not been kind to the Hawks.  They have lost 8 of their first 11 games this month, including the loss in Minnesota on 1/8.  They have dropped to the six seed in the East and their record coming into Monday’s game is 22-18.  This past Friday the team announced that they have lost Lou Williams for the season with a torn ACL.  This puts more pressure on Jeff Teague and Devin Harris to come through and carry their backcourt the rest of the way.

Player to watch:

Josh Smith – Which Josh Smith shows up is likely the key to this game.  Will we see the efficient player that can look like an all-world athlete or we see the player that falls in love with jump shots and long range bombs?  Josh has the potential to be a double-double machine but takes nights off and isn’t always “there” when on the court.  We’ll probably see AK47 on Smith much more than DWill.

Match-up to watch:

Greg Stiemsma vs. Al Horford.  Horford is putting up approximately 15 & 10 this season and will be a handful for Stiemsma to try to contain.  A “small”, quick center like Horford could give the Greg fits around the basket.  With Nikola Pekovic sidelined, it will be important for Stiemsma to be able to stay on the floor and out of foul trouble.

Predictions:

I have no idea what to expect night in and night out anymore from the Wolves, so take this with a grain of salt.

Final score prediction: Twolves 96, Hawks 91

Three stars of the game predictions:

  1. Derrick Williams
  2. Andrei Kirilenko
  3. Al Horford

Let’s go Wolves!

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Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Houston Rockets, 1/19/13

January 19, 2013 by

MN HoopsSetting the stage:

For the second time this season, the Timberwolves host the Rockets at the Target Center.  Back on 12/26, the Rockets stunned the Wolves with a heavyweight performance from James Harden in the 4th quarter.  Harden scored 17 of his 30 points in the final frame and helped put his team over the hump.

Saturday’s match-up is going to look quite different for the Wolves, as injuries continue to ravage the lineup.  Add Nikola Pekovic to the list of injured Pups who will not be playing in Saturday’s game.  Pekovic went down with a strained quad on Thursday night and the team announced he is likely to miss the next 7-10 days.  Alexey Shved will likely be a game time decision with his sprained ankle, which also occurred in Thursday’s loss to the Clippers.  This would be funny if it weren’t so depressing.

Adding insult to injury, the Pups come into Saturday’s game on a five game losing streak.  The bandwagon has seen a mass exodus over the past few weeks.  While there is no official news on Mickael Gelabale (as of writing this on Friday night) it is expected that he will take the place of Lazar Hayward on the roster.  If he is in the United States, I hope he is ready to suit up tomorrow night and put in a few minutes on the court.  Beyond Gelabale, you can start throwing names against the wall and see what sticks.  Here are a few worth mentioning: Jonny Flynn, Ryan Gomes, Troy Hudson, Kenyon Martin, and Michael Redd.  Any and all of these guys need to be, at the very least, considered right now.

Would you like a bit of good news?  The Rockets are actually on a slightly longer losing streak right now than the Wolves are.  So there’s that.  As seen the night after Christmas, the Rockets are clearly led by James Harden and everyone else has a role to fill.  Chandler Parsons and Omer Asik bring it on most nights, but beyond these two, there are a lot of question marks throughout the roster.  The Rockets are currently right there for that 8th slot in the Western Conference and will be looking to put more distance between themselves and the Wolves Saturday.

Player to watch:

James Harden – Not knowing who is playing for the Wolves night in and night out is going to mean that these previews will largely focus on an opponent for some time.  As mentioned above, Harden is clearly the catalyst for this Rockets team.  With Shved either not playing, or at the very least, hampered by his sprained ankle, it will be interesting to see what the Wolves do on the defensive end of the floor.  Paging Andrei Kirilenko, please move over to the SG position for an evening.

Match-up to watch:

Ricky Rubio vs. Jeremy Lin.  Linsanity vs. Rubio-oops.  Neither has necessarily set the house on fire this season but it is the most intriguing matchup among the expected starting fives.  Rubio provided a few quotes after Thursday’s loss and you can sense his frustration with losing and not performing to what he is accustomed to.  I don’t see Rubio as someone who will press himself and play worse (like Barea).  I see this actually being a good thing / turning point.  (Because my Pups predictions have been fairing so well these past few weeks…)

Predictions:

Despite the Rockets playing on Friday night in Atlanta, I just have to see the Wolves win a game before I believe it, given the latest injury news.

Final score prediction: Twolves 82, Rockets 94

Three stars of the game predictions:

  1. James Harden
  2. Ricky Rubio
  3. Omer Asik

Let’s go Wolves!

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Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Clippers (1/17/13)

January 16, 2013 by

blakegriffin_chrispaulSetting the stage:

The Pups return home to the Target Center for Thursday night’s game against the LA Clippers.  As an added bonus, TNT will be carrying the game to a national audience.  When TNT picked this game up, I wonder if they thought the Twolves would be down to approximately eight healthy bodies, no Kevin Love, and an extremely limited Ricky Rubio.  I doubt it.

Minnesota is coming off a dreadful road trip losing all four games in a particularly ugly fashion.  The locker room also has the flu bug going around it, so we probably won’t know who is going to be available for the team and who isn’t until minutes before the opening tip.  While Rick Adelman stopped by the team on Wednesday, it does not sound like he plans on joining them on the sidelines just yet, leaving Terry Porter in the driver’s seat.

Back in late November, the Pups lost to the Clippers in LA 101-95.  Around that time, it was kosher to poke fun at how the Clippers were playing well, but were still a team coached by Vinny Del Negro.  In fact, I may have done that in our preview prior to the game.  Fast forward to mid-January and the Clippers are once again proving me wrong, holding the second best record in the league at 30-9 and percentage points behind OKC for the top spot in the conference.

It must be nice to have your star players at full health all season and players being able to fill the roles that they are supposed to be in, not trying to make them into something they’re not.  Chris Paul and Blake Griffin obviously lead the way here, but the team is getting solid contributions on the wing from Jamal Crawford, Matt Barnes, and Caron Butler.  Throw in the continued maturity of DeAndre Jordan and there you have it, a 30-9 team battling with the best in the league.

Player to watch:

Chris Paul – Paul killed the Pups back in late November and no one should be surprised if it happens again Thursday night.  What little chance of a letdown the Twolves faithful might be hoping for from a top team coming into Minnesota is likely nullified by the game being broadcast on TNT.  Get ready for the pre and post game interviews with Paul (or Blake) and all the nausea that comes with it from the studio.

Match-up to watch:

Nikola Pekovic vs. DeAndre Jordan.  These two played to about a draw in November, with Pek going for 11 & 10 and 4 fouls in almost 33 minutes of action, while Jordan went for 15 & 6 and 4 fouls in just under 27 minutes.  I expect more of the same from these two heavyweights Thursday night.  Quite honestly, the only way the Pups win this game is with Pekovic having a career-like performance on both ends of the floor.

Predictions:

Despite the two days off, the Twolves are in a slide and I don’t see how having the second best team in the league coming to town helps the situation.

Final score prediction: Twolves 92, Clippers 106

Three stars of the game predictions:

  1. Chris Paul
  2. Jamal Crawford
  3. Andrei Kirilenko

Let’s go Wolves!

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Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves at New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans

January 11, 2013 by
Photo Credit: NBA.com

Photo Credit: NBA.com

I’m back from Mexico City in time to carry on the “tradition” of Friday night game previews for Timberpups in collaboration with bloggers from opposing teams.  The scheduling gods have put the Timberwolves in New Orleans on a Friday night with off days prior and immediately after.  Hopefully Bourbon Street is kind to Ricky Rubio.  I digress.

Given this is the second Friday night game against the Hornets/Pelicans; we have reconnected with Christian Blanks again from Swarmandsting.com.  Both teams have been hit by the injury bug time and again this season, so this should give us a chance to get the latest from the Hornets’ side of things.

The Pups come into Friday’s game off of a blowout loss in Oklahoma City on Wednesday night, moving the team back to .500 on the season at 16-16.  The Hornets enter the game on a three game winning streak but with a 10-25 record on the season.  Can the Twolves stay at or above .500 despite the injury to Kevin Love, who is scheduled to miss 8-10 weeks with a broken hand.

Let’s just move on, here’s our Q&A …

Hornets Question #1 for Christian:

How has Eric Gordon looked so far this season since returning from his injury in late December?  Should we expect him to look a little rusty?    

Christian:

Eric Gordon has been playing exceptionally well. I don’t think anyone could have expected him to be playing as well as he is considering all the time he has missed. Gordon has played in 4 games so far and is averaging just over 18 points and 4 assists per game. While Gordon is producing, his field goal percentage could improve greatly. Right now, Gordon’s shot percentage is a mere .35%.  In the Hornets previous win against the Spurs, Gordon shot 9-22 from the field, although he was 6-6 from the free throw line and scored 24 points.

So “Yes”, expect Gordon to be a tad rusty, but he will still play like the star player that he is. Gordon will not shy away from taking his shots, it is just a matter of how many of them will he make. 

Pups Question #1 for John:

The Hornets have been on a little hot streak with Eric Gordon in the line-up, winning 4 of his first 5 games back. With Kevin Love out, do you see the Timberwolves having the same chances of beating the Hornets as they did in their first match-up? Who will be the Timberwolves key player that makes the difference?

John:

As this season wears on, I’m having a tougher and tougher time predicting Wolves’ wins and losses.  We just don’t know who is going to be playing and who isn’t, night in and night out.  With Love now officially gone for an extended period of time, this is Derrick Williams’ time to shine.  Over the past few games he has produced admirably.

As long as Ricky Rubio is playing on Friday night, the Wolves should be able to pull out the win.  Ricky’s defense is going to be needed against the Hornets guards and his floor leadership is the key in getting the ball to the remaining healthy bodies where they need it on the floor.  I do expect a win on Friday night from the Wolves, preventing them from falling under .500.

Hornets Question #2 for Christian:

In our first Q&A you had mentioned that you didn’t expect Austin Rivers to necessarily show marked improvement by this game, but would think it should start to happen in the spring?  I’ve seen a few clunkers from him in the past few weeks.  Any update on his progress or overall thoughts on what is / is not working for him?

Christian:

Despite Austin Rivers exploding for 27 in the Hornets first meeting with the Timberwolves, he has not improved at all since we last talked. He had a few solid games here and there but those should be expected of a player if he is starting and playing 25-40 minutes a night consistently. In more recent games, Rivers has taken an expected back seat to Eric Gordon and has not seen the floor as much. This may be a good thing as Rivers just simply needs more time to develop.  At one time the Hornets were expected to go out and get another shooting guard to fill the void while Gordon was out. Rivers will find his place with the Hornets to make him more effective; he is use to being a primary ball handler and that is not his role on this team. Rivers just needs to become a better stand still shooter and learn how to drive the lane in the NBA.

Pups Question #2 for John:

Were you expecting Ricky Rubio to take this long to get it together? I wouldn’t say he is playing “bad” but he is certainly not the same player he was before the injury. Do you see him making progress toward that point or has his role changed with all the time he has missed?

John:

I’m not really sure what my expectations were for Rubio outside of the fact that the team needed him on the court to lead the offense, as well as being somewhat of a better defender than anyone previously available on the roster at the PG spot.  You’re right though, he isn’t the same player he was last year, but that should be somewhat expected.  Hopefully his confidence continues to grow in the leg and his ability to make cuts on both ends of the floor.

I absolutely see him making progress through the remainder of the season as he adjusts his playing style, becomes more confident in the knee itself, and acclimates himself to all of the new members of the Wolves roster.  I would like to see him taking (and making) more shots as this season progresses as well, given the scoring we are now missing with Love and others out of the lineup.  Acclimating himself to his new teammates is crucial for Rubio, who can make the difficult passes look easy.  Once he begins to pick up on teammates’ tendencies, he’ll look better and better as the weeks go by.

Hornets Question #3 for Christian:

Greivis Vasquez is starting to win me over.  Where did this play come from?  Were there signs that he could play at this level in the past? 

Christian:

Yeah, I’m sure Greivis is winning over a lot of people at this point. I would have to say it’s quite impressive that Vasquez has 14 double-doubles thus far in the season. I’m sure Vasquez has always been capable of this kind of production he just needed the confidence and opportunity. He showed signs of this at the end of last year when the Hornets were giving their younger players significantly more minutes. Vasquez has always been playing behind Jarret Jack who is definitely a starting PG in this league. This season the Hornets traded away Jack for pretty much nothing (his contract expires after this season) and put the ball and team in Greivis’ hands. It was a huge responsibility and Vasquez has responded very well.

Pups Question #3 for John:

With all of the unexpected injuries the Timberwolves have to be eyeing some possible trades before the deadline. Do you see the Timberwolves possibly being able to pull off a trade that would still allow them to make a run at the playoffs? I’m sure the injuries have lowered the short-term value of many players on their roster so do you see any positive outcomes for the T-Wolves in making their team better for the playoffs?

John:

I consistently go back and forth on this one.  This season has been completely derailed by injuries, particularly Love’s and Budinger’s.  Anyone could have predicted Roy would miss some time, but it is concerning to see just how much he is missing already.  Ricky’s return was very much needed, but as mentioned above, he isn’t anywhere close to 100%.  This doesn’t even account for the games Pekovic and AK47 have missed here and there, Josh Howard’s season ending injury, and whatever is going on with JJ Barea.

The playoffs are still a possibility, but I can’t see this team doing anything once it gets there without everyone being at or near the top of their game.  That wasn’t my opinion just a few weeks ago.  With Love’s latest injury, I do think it is possible for Kahn to pull off a small deal, but I don’t see the team dealing Derrick Williams at this point.  You might see Barea or Ridnour sent out for a more complementary player for the roster (a SG/SF).  However, if I were Kahn, I wouldn’t be willing to throw in any picks or make a panic move to “ensure” the team makes the playoffs.  I’m currently of the belief that the team should do a minor tinkering move or two if they are available to balance the roster, but I would rather just ride this season out and see what happens vs. doing some type of high risk / reward move.

 

We hope you enjoyed the preview for this Friday’s match-up between the Pups and Hornets.  Again, you can read more from Christian at swarmandsting.com and/or follow him on Twitter.  You can read more from John on Timberpups.com and/or follow him on Twitter as well.

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Preview: Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets

January 3, 2013 by

Photo Credit: Carlos Gonzalez, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Photo Credit: Carlos Gonzalez, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Setting the stage:
For the third time already this season, the Wolves face the Nuggets on Thursday night in Denver. This will be the second game of a back to back and the Wolves will once again be without Ricky Rubio. The thin air of Denver for a team that barely has enough healthy bodies to fill a rotation. Not to mention, the Wolves have had very few back to back experiences thus far in the season. This may not end well.

The Nuggets beat the Wolves at Target Center on 11/21, 101-94. The Wolves returned the favor on 12/12/12 (sorry, couldn’t resist), beating the Nuggets 108-105. Minnesota is coming off a bad loss Wednesday night in Utah where they looked lifeless, being blown out 106-84. Conversely, Denver is coming off of a win Tuesday night against the hottest team in the NBA, the Clippers.

The Nuggets are 18-15 on the year, good for second place in the Northwest division and seventh in the Western Conference. They remain one of the strongest offensive teams in the league, averaging 101.6 ppg (8th in the league) and 23.1 apg (5th). The Nuggets lead the league in rebounding at 46.3 per game, a slight advantage over the Lakers and Wolves.

As mentioned in Wednesday’s preview for the Jazz game, tonight is another important game for the Wolves against a division and conference opponent with similar playoff aspirations.

Player to watch:
Kevin Love – It is no secret that Love is struggling mightily from the field this season. Broken hand or not, he is letting these struggles negatively affect other elements of his game. His jump shot looks broken. As suggested during last night’s game in Utah, it might be worth creating a little bit of a wake-up call to Love and the rest of the locker room to challenge him to work more in the paint, particularly when Pekovic is out of the game. The Wolves need Love to get going … quickly.

Match-up to watch:
Andrei Kirilenko vs. Danilo Gallinari. Much like this Nuggets team in its totality, Danilo’s night in and night out performance continues to be a head scratcher for me. The volatility in how he performs from game to game is pretty amazing. In four games in five nights during Christmas week, Danilo put up 7, 19, 39, and 7 points respectively. You could understand the latter 7 point game as fatigue, but he has thrown up eight games in single digits thus far this season.

It will be interesting to see how Kirilenko responds to not only playing on back to back nights, but the 30+ minutes he put in on his emotional return to Utah. He has had his problems stopping Danilo in the two earlier meetings this season.

Predictions:
No Rubio, the end of a back to back, and the Denver air = Twolves loss.
Final score prediction: Twolves 102, Nuggets 108

Three stars of the game predictions:
1. Ty Lawson
2. Andre Iguodala
3. Nikola Pekovic

Hope the Pups can prove me wrong. Let’s go Wolves!

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