Tag Archives: basketball

Despite a 2-3 mark, Wolves off to an impressive start

Posted on by
Reply

Five games into this season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have managed to produce their most exciting 2-3 team ever.

Back-to-back victories against defending champion Dallas and perennial playoff participant San Antonio will energize a fan base. And the Wolves’ three losses were by a combined nine points, and two of those losses came against title contenders Miami and Oklahoma City. So it’s been a tough schedule to open.

Kevin Love has been spectacular, averaging more than 25 points and 15 rebounds per game. I know there are still those that disagree, but you can’t tell me he’s not one of the three best post players in the NBA so far.

And of course there’s Ricky Rubio, who is averaging 8.8 points and 6.4 assists per game despite limited minutes. He has been impressive, despite Minnesota being careful with him in the early going. Funny how we haven’t heard much from those arguing a year or two ago that the team should just deal Rubio away because of his reluctance to go to the NBA immediately after being drafted.

I’m not convinced this is a playoff team just yet. Let’s see how the team responds as the schedule lightens up a bit over the next week.

 

So far, I’m loving the new NBA

Posted on by
Reply

Drunk-dialing CEOs and angry owners and Ricky Rubio … oh my!

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m loving the new NBA. 66 games? That’s great. Season was too long anyway. And there was so much juicy news this week too. I could care less if the league ever starts holding games.

Let’s begin:

I’m back!

Posted on by
Reply

My vacation “stay-cation” from work is over. And, other than mentioning the Joe Kapp fight, it was a vacation from the blog too.

So, what was I up to? Not too much. Just had to burn through some PTO. Gave me a chance to catch up on the DVR (I’m now addicted to “Storage Wars”), went to a Spuds-Bruins hockey game, entertained some friends in town from the Twin Cities … but mostly just relax.

Since I haven’t blogged for about a week, I figured I’d post a few questions that I’ve been asked over the last few days and my responses to them.

What did you think of the Matt Capps deal?

From the Twins perspective, I didn’t mind it. But that was until I saw that the Colorado Rockies basically gave away Huston Street today, trading him to San Diego for a player to be named later. Comparing Capps and Street is night and day. And while Street’s ERA and WHIP have increased each of the last two seasons, he’s still a reliever with a career 3.11 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. I like those kind of numbers. Heck, the Twins could use him AND Capps if they’re serious about fixing that bullpen.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I know a lot of you out there want Michael Cuddyer to come back, but it’s just not the best way to spend money. It’s widely believed that signing him would leave the Twins with almost no money left. How do you feel about Lester Oliveros as your right-handed option in the eighth inning? Or adding nobody of relevance to the rotation? That’s what I thought. The Twins should let Cuddyer walk and examine what’s left of the pitching market.

Where are the Miami Marlins getting all of this money?

Who knows? Obviously, there’s a new stadium about to open. But their payroll is going to more than double, which is raising a lot of eyebrows.

The Marlins have proven to be the “big fish” at this winter meetings (sorry). They’ve added Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell and Jose Reyes in recent days and are supposedly the frontrunners for C.J. Wilson. Not a bad haul. NL East could be an interesting race with the Marlins, Phillies and Braves next year.

What did you think of the Spuds-Bruins hockey game?

I love high school hockey. Among my favorite activities to attend in person. Moorhead obviously has another strong team this year (Spuds won that game 4-1 by the way). Give Fargo South a lot of credit. That game was 3-1 after the first period, but the Bruins kept it close the rest of the way. After the first period, Moorhead only held a 21-17 shot advantage the rest of the way.

I’m more excited about Thief River Falls’ 6-6 tie against Roseau in the opener last week. Will be fun to see how the Prowlers do when they play at Moorhead in about a month.

What is going to happen to the Bears’ playoff hopes?

Most of my friends that root for other teams are really enjoying watching the downfall of my team. I knew that losing Jay Cutler was going to be rough, and I really felt people didn’t realize how well he was playing beyond his statistics. But who knew the dropoff from Cutler to Caleb Hanie would be this severe? I actually said after Sunday’s loss that the Bears should call Brett Favre. Can you believe that?

I really don’t see how a reeling Bears team will resurrect its season Sunday against Tim Tebow and the red-hot Broncos.

Gophers basketball team still has plenty to prove

Posted on by
Reply

A Thanksgiving work shift and a complete lack of desire to go Black Friday shopping meant only one thing: I watched a whole lot of sports these past couple of days.

For the first time this season, I got a glimpse at the University of Minnesota men’s basketball team. I watched the first half – and apparently, the wrong half – of Thursday’s game and caught almost all of Friday’s game at the Old Spice Classic.

The Gophers pulled out victories in both games, despite having halftime deficits in each of them. Neither opponent – DePaul and Indiana State – was overly impressive, as the Gophers find themselves undefeated at 6-0 heading into Sunday’s tournament title game against Dayton.

Despite the unbeaten mark, I didn’t like what I saw. The Gophers seem to lack the type of defensive intensity that head coach Tubby Smith‘s teams are usually known for. And I sure don’t think they have enough offensive firepower to overcome it.

Junior-college transfer Julian Welch gave the Gophers a nice boost on Friday with 17 points. Rodney Williams has had his moments on the offensive end, but the reputation as a “highlight dunker” has not been replaced by “complete player” yet.

And Pat Reusse‘s turkey column hit the nail on the head: How disappointing is Ralph Sampson III? There wouldn’t be expectations of him if he didn’t show flashes of being a really productive post presence. He’s earned those expectations, yet despite being a senior, he still disappears for stretches at a time.

Trevor Mbakwe is an absolute beast of a rebounder, maybe one of the best the Gophers have ever had. He’s a handful down low, and Minnesota should do more to try and get him involved offensively.

Undefeated or not, I need to see more to believe the Gophers can even be an above .500 team in Big Ten play.

Week 12 NFL picks

A 2-3 week last week snapped a pretty good run I was on of going 3-2. Here’s my picks for this week:

  • New York Jets by 8 1/2 vs. Buffalo: Bills
  • Houston by 3 1/2 at Jacksonville: Texans
  • Carolina by 4 at Indianapolis: Panthers
  • Tennessee by 3 1/2 vs. Tampa Bay: Titans
  • New Orleans by 6 1/2 vs. New York Giants: Giants

Are you missing the NBA?

Posted on by
1

The idea that the NBA may end up losing its entire season started to creep into my mind when hearing about the latest talk of union decertification.

This was something we saw earlier this year when the NFL players made the same move. That move, however, was made early in the NFL offseason, not shortly after the season was supposed to start like the NBA’s was to a week ago.

I came across a poll recently that found that 76 percent of Americans said they do not miss the NBA. For people in the 30-44 age bracket, that number was 83 percent.

I’m not a huge NBA fan. There are times – certainly when Kevin Garnett was becoming a star for the Timberwolves while I was going through high school – I was a pretty big fan. But at this point in my life, I prefer the college game.

Not everyone is like me though. And for those Timberwolves fans, the NBA labor developments – or lack thereof – have to be cause for concern. The Wolves have been one of the NBA’s doormats in recent years, but this was a season with some intrigue. Minnesota had the No. 2 overall pick in the draft back and June, selecting forward Derrick Williams. They also finally coaxed point guard Ricky Rubio into coming over to the United States and playing for them this season.

The wait for Rubio – and the rest of the Wolves – continues.

Adelman’s presence with Wolves to put focus on others

Posted on by
3

If it feels like it’s been awhile since the Minnesota Timberwolves hired a veteran head coach, that’s because it has been.

Rick Adelman has agreed in principle to become the team’s next head coach. He could be running the show in the regular season in November, or it could be later, depending on how long this NBA labor dispute drags on.

Rick Adelman

Rick Adelman will lead the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2011-12 season, whenever that starts. Associated Press photo

I like the hiring of Adelman, because at the very least he’s a known quantity within an organization that has few of them. He’s a solid coach who has produced plenty of 50- and 60-win seasons in his time in Portland, Sacramento and Houston and a forgettable stint with Golden State. Will he lead the Timberwolves to a championship? Probably not. But you know what you’re getting. He’s proven. He’s respected.

I think this puts David Kahn in the spotlight. Kudos to Kahn for the hire. But if the Wolves continue to tread water, my guess is people will more likely blame the team’s relatively inexperienced president of basketball operations rather than blame Adelman. Kahn is anything but proven.

And the players enter the spotlight as well. Kevin Love is considered one of the NBA’s most well-rounded post players. Michael Beasley averaged nearly 20 points per game last season. Wes Johnson looks like he has some potential. But where were the wins last season? With newcomers Derrick Williams (the team’s No. 2 overall pick) and Ricky Rubio arriving, a veteran coach can only help this youthful squad.

If the three legs of an organization are the head coach, the players and the front office, I feel like the Wolves have at least given themselves one sturdy leg. For that, they deserve credit.

Wolves do the right thing with Fargo game

Posted on by
2

When times are tough, a goodwill tour never hurts.

It was announced Thursday that Fargo will host a Minnesota Timberwolves exhibition game. An event that once occurred every two or three years, the Wolves haven’t played in the Fargodome in nine years. Minnesota also announced a preseason game in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Forget the jokes about the state of the Wolves. And let’s forget for a second that an NBA lockout threatens the October game. The Wolves coming to Fargo is a pretty cool thing.

It’s the one opportunity fans in this area have to see a major pro sports team without leaving town. The Minnesota Twins won’t be scheduling exhibition games here. Nor will the Minnesota Vikings or Minnesota Wild. The Wolves are the only team that will, and really the only team that can.

And it makes sense for the Wolves. They’ve been flat-out terrible for the last few years. It’s a gesture by a team with dwindling attendance that could use fans no matter where it can find them.

And even though they’re bad, it’s still Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio coming to Fargo. There’s intrigue there. I am looking forward to it.

Expect a Wildcat rather than a wild card tonight

Posted on by
Reply

You get the feeling that the Minnesota Timberwolves don’t want to draft second overall tonight?

That’s not to say that the Wolves have instigated all of these trade rumors. But there sure have been a lot of them. Andrew Bynum, Paul Gasol, Steve Nash and Andre Igoudala are just some of the names reportedly being proposed in trades for Minnesota’s first of two first-round picks in tonight’s NBA draft.

But rumors are just that, and I have no reason to think the Wolves won’t hold onto that No. 2 pick. And after Cleveland takes Duke guard Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 pick, expect Minnesota to grab Arizona forward Derrick Williams.

I do think it would serve the Wolves well to try and add a player with at least a little more experience through a trade rather than bring another rookie into the fold.

That’s not to say that I think the Wolves are a piece away. But at some point, they have to show the fans and, more importantly, Kevin Love that they’re not in a constant rebuilding mode. After all, if you’re Love and your contract is a year away from expiring, you’re not going to re-sign with a team that is always playing for tomorrow and not today. And if Love were to leave in free agency, I think that would be a huge blow to the franchise.

But as much as I’m intrigued by adding Igoudala, Bynum or Gasol, the teams holding those players don’t sound interested.

What’s wrong with Mark Cuban?

Posted on by
2

One of my friends wrote something on a social networking site that kind of surprised me after the Dallas Mavericks beat the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

“I know nearly everyone (including me) wanted LeBron to lose, but isn’t it just as bad that Mark Cuban won?”

Some people agreed. Some people didn’t.

Mark Cuban

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has his share of detractors. Associated Press photo

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. People love Cuban – the often outspoken owner of the Mavericks – and people hate him. Because he has a tendency to make himself the center of attention, many fans are soured by him.

But if I’m a fan of a pro sports team, why wouldn’t you want Cuban to be that owner? I talked to a Chicago Cubs fan a few years ago when Cuban was reportedly interested in buying the team, and that fan wanted nothing to do with him.

Cuban may do some things that rub people the wrong way. But he does one thing fans should appreciate: He spends money. Big bucks, as a matter of fact. Not just on players, but on facilities and what-not too. Where were the Mavs before Cuban got there? You probably don’t know, and I don’t blame you.

And that’s not to mention this ESPN story that points out Cuban – and not the city of Dallas - offered to pay for the team’s championship parade. My guess is there aren’t too many tight-fisted owners who would step up to the plate and do that. If there are, I hope they prove me wrong.

His antics can be tiresome, but Cuban helped turn around one of the league’s forgotten franchises and make it into a perennial winner. How is that not good for the NBA?

Best team – not the best three stars – wins NBA title this time

Posted on by
1

After Game 1 of the NBA Finals, I told anyone who would listen that the Dallas Mavericks would get swept. The Miami Heat looked real good that first game, and I wrongly assumed that they just didn’t have the stars to match up with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

After watching the Mavericks win it all last night, I realized how wrong that rationale was.

Yeah, Dallas doesn’t have the “star” power beyond Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki. But after seeing the six games of the series, it’s obvious that while the Mavs’ three best players might not stack up with Miami’s “Big 3,” Dallas’ roster was simply too deep for Miami’s.

You don’t need to look any further than Sunday’s game to see that. Nowitzki was great down the stretch. Jason Kidd was that veteran point guard presence , as reliable as he’s ever been. Shawn Marion and Tyson Chandler have had big moments during the series. J.J. Barea was good Sunday. DeShawn Stevenson hit three big 3-pointers. Ian Mahinmi got an offensive rebound and eventual buzzer beater to end the third quarter. Even Brian Cardinal – when looking at ESPN’s plus-minus – was a plus-18 when he was on the court. That was tied for the best on Sunday.

Meanwhile, on the Miami side, the contributions outside of the “Big 3″ were minimal. I thought Mario Chalmers had his moments for sure. And Udonis Haslem was OK. There just wasn’t much coming off the bench.

I still think the “Big 3″ of Miami will have their year, and it probably will be soon. Clearly, the Heat need more time to shape their roster, and to figure out James’ role in the offense because he’s not meshing well right now.

But this year belongs to the Mavericks.