Posts Tagged ‘Kevin Love’

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Adelman Back, Hopes To Brake Wolves’ Slide

January 28, 2013  ·  8:54PM

Kevin Love‘s return was premature; his injured right hand due for more trauma and more repair before long. Ricky Rubio‘s return proved anticlimactic; that burst-of-adrenaline game in mid-December followed by a series of fits and starts, cockeyed shooting and meager assists totals.

The Minnesota Timberwolves thus are hoping that the return of coach Rick Adelman can be one of those third-time-is-a-charm things.

Adelman returned to the practice court Monday after three weeks away, his absence triggered by his wife Mary Kay’s hospitalization and treatment for an undisclosed illness. She is home now in the Twin Cities, her condition believed stable enough to allow Adelman to work the six-game homestand that begins Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers at Target Center.

“I think everybody has their own situation in all walks of life – the difference between mine is it’s more public,” Adelman told reporters after Monday’s workout. “But I think the important thing is we’re going to move forward in a positive manner and, hopefully, I can come back and get our team going in the right direction. This group has played very hard. I felt bad for them, felt bad for the coaches, everybody. It’s a tough situation.”

With assistant Terry Porter taking over while Adelman was out, the Wolves went 2-9. That’s worse than their record without Love this season (8-15), worse than their mark without Rubio (13-12).

There has been a cumulative effect, for sure, accompanying the Wolves’ sag to 12th in the West and to the bottom of the Northwest Division. Love’s re-injury and hand surgery, Rubio’s halting progress and injuries to Chase Budinger, Brandon Roy, Josh Howard, Malcolm Lee and, most recently, Nikola Pekovic and Alexey Shved have taken their tolls mentally as well as physically.

Still, the Wolves have missed Adelman’s stable hand, his swift decisions, his ability to diagnose and fix problems on the fly and his court-of-last-resort status in terms of disagreements. It’s inconceivable, for instance, that Rubio would have griped at Adelman the way he did at Porter last week when he was yanked from a loss to Brooklyn.

Porter and Adelman go way back to their Portland days, so the former NBA point guard had his boss’ full support. Adelman attributed the flare-up to the frustration of losing and Rubio’s tortuous comeback. He kept in daily communication with Porter and son, David Adelman, another Wolves assistant, but didn’t try to steer the team via remote control.

“I’ve learned, if you’re not there, you have to let the guys just do it,” he said. “The coaching staff is a good coaching staff, and it had to be their decision. That’s why, if I was coming back, it had to be, I was coming back. I wasn’t coming back for one day or two days and leaving again. That wouldn’t be fair to anybody.”

Eventually, more Wolves will return to the pack. Pekovic and Shved reportedly practiced Monday. Love is eyeing a March return. Budinger hopes to be back sometime that month, too, and so on.

The organization, in the meantime, has to determine what it realistically can accomplish in 2012-13: Chase a playoff spot, a goal that seemed a no-brainer when Rubio returned against Dallas Dec. 15 and helped the Wolves reach 12-9? Or regroup for yet another lottery finish – it would be Minnesota’s ninth straight – and approach the league’s Feb. 21 trade deadline accordingly?

Said Adelman: “We’ve got half the season left and … even though it’s been a lot of things thrown our way, life moves on and you’ve got to find way to get yourself energized and focus on what you can do right now.”

The six teams coming into Target Center were a combined 152-115 heading into Monday’s action. Mary Kay Adelman already has an important home stand underway but her husband Rick is facing a pretty vital one too.

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FIT Week: Harrison Barnes Is A True Warrior

January 27, 2013  ·  2:57PM




Now in the middle of the NBA’s FIT Live Healthy Week, the league knew what it was doing when it requested Golden State Warriors rookie Harrison Barnes join the cause.

“He’s one of those guys that have come in early and not only understands basketball, but the business of basketball,” said JoHan Wang, Warriors’ director of athletic performance. “He knows that his body is the most important thing that’s going to help him through his career. With that being said, he’s already started doing a lot of things that I’ve worked with guys that are late in their careers, they don’t start figuring out until their eight, nine, 10 years in the league.

“Which is big because I’ve only worked with a handful of guys that have done that and understand. For a guy that’s come in, he’s already a starter, he’s proven he can play in this league and I’m sure you’ve seen his highlights. He has unbelievable athletic ability, and he’s willing to study the game, so the sky’s the limit for this kid.”

For Barnes, 20, an understanding of the importance of exercise and fitness started as a kid growing up in Ames, Iowa, and craving every moment — when the temperature allowed — to be outdoors and playing a myriad of sports, from basketball to track to soccer and even a little football in middle school.

Such dedication helped him to become the seventh overall pick of the Warriors in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Barnes joins fellow NBA players Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks), Goran Dragic (Phoenix Suns), Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves), Wesley Matthews (Portland Trail Blazers), Chandler Parsons (Houston Rockets), and John Wall (Washington Wizards) in promoting NBA FIT Live Healthy Week.

The week features grassroots programs and events, special on-court apparel and in-arena and online programming designed to inspire kids and families across the country to live active, healthy lives.  Throughout the week, NBA and NBA Development League players will wear special on-court attire, including adidas NBA FIT shooting shirts and blue headbands and wristbands.

“Exercise is just an important part of everyday life,” said the 6-foot-8, 210-pound Barnes. “Whether you’re an athlete or not, it’s important. I’m glad the NBA has chosen this initiative to reach out to kids and help them become active and fit and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

You can check out NBA.com/nbafit  to get fitness tips from players and trainers, view player workout videos, and check out healthy recipes from celebrity chefs Rachael Ray, Mario Batali, Michael Ferraro, Michael Psilakis, and Dale Talde.  Follow @NBACares for special promotions and giveaways throughout the week.

Here’s more of Barnes in his own words:

Q: Growing up what sports did you like to play?

A: As I kid growing up I was really active. I was outdoors a lot during the summers, whether it was playing soccer, whether it was track, basketball, I did a little bit of football, I was just trying to be as active as possible. I did track all the way through high school, I did soccer until I got to middle school and then football when I got to middle school.

Q: What’s your advice to kids, who have so many indoor distractions, to get outdoors and exercise?

A: Just enjoy being active. I grew up in Iowa, so I only had three months to be outside and just really cherished those moments. But people out here in California, they can be outside all the time. Just go be active, whether it’s running around a playground or an organized sport, basketball, football, track, soccer, whatever it is. Just go outside and be active.

Q: You’ve started every game of your first NBA season, something few rookies can say. How would you describe your first season?

A: I think I’ve been playing pretty well. I’m starting on a team that is fifth in the West, so there’s really no complaints. Just want to continue to get better every single day and I continue to do that.

Q: What were your expectations coming into your rookie season?

A: My goals were to come into this team and just contribute and hopefully be part of a team that makes the playoffs. I’ve been able to contribute so far this season, hopefully just continue to get more consistent and hopefully keep our playoff dreams alive.

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Host Harden Leads All-Star Reserves

January 24, 2013  ·  8:35PM


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While James Harden of the hometown Rockets will be in the lineup to serve as unofficial host for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, evidently the voters — fans and coaches — haven’t received the memo that the NBA is making a big splash in Brooklyn this season.

allstar-13-200Harden, who was traded from Oklahoma City four days before the season opener and made a splash by scoring 37 and 45 points in his first two games, will make his All-Star debut in his brand new home town.

Yet despite their being the hottest team in the league with nine wins in the last 10 games and currently holding down the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference, the Nets were shut out when the reserves were announced for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game Thursday night.

A poll of the league’s head coaches added seven players to each team.

Chris Bosh joined teammates LeBron James and Dwayne Wade on the East team, making the defending NBA champion Heat the only team with three players that will take part in the 62nd All-Star Game, which will be played at Houston’s Toyota Center on Feb. 17 (TNT, 8:30 p.m. ET).

In the Western Conference, the Spurs’ old reliable twosome of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker were voted in for their 14th and fifth times, respectively, while the vote split up potential duos from other teams.

Eastern Conference

east-reserves

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Chris Bosh, Heat — If they were the Three Tenors, LeBron James would be Pavarotti, Dwyane Wade would be Domingo and Chris Bosh will always be “that other guy.” Numbers aren’t flashy, but he sacrifices his game to make it all work. | Highlights

Tyson Chandler, Knicks — He averages a double-double of 12.1 points-10.9 rebounds, leads the league in shooting (.674) and defends the rim as if he were a hungry fat man protecting the last cheeseburger on the planet. Justice is done. | Highlights

Luol Deng, Bulls – Coaches love the lunch pail players, the guys who show up for work every night. He leads the NBA in minutes, is his team’s top scorer and top defender in a season when the Bulls are surviving without Derrick Rose. | Highlights

Paul George, Pacers — He’s not just keeping the seat warm for Danny Granger, but playing like the Pacers’ MVP. With six double-doubles in the last two-plus weeks, he closed fast and has led Indiana’s surge after a slow start. | Highlights

Jrue Holiday, Sixers – In a season when Philly fans search for rare and exotic sightings of Bigfoot and Andrew Bynum, the dynamic guard is the reason to go to the games. He’s the only player in league averaging 19 points and nine assists. | Highlights

Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers — Look past the Cavs’ 11-32 record at these more pleasant numbers: 20.7 points, 5.7 assists, 39.9 3FG%, 20.7 PER. And the kid is only 20. Are the coaches already buttering him up for free agency? | Highlights

Joakim Noah, Bulls — The numbers say it all — 12.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.1 blocks, 1.3 steals per game. The hyperactive one is having the finest season of his career and symbolizes coach Tom Thibodeau’s driven attitude. | Highlights

The lowdown: The pair of Bulls on the frontline probably squeezed Nets center Brook Lopez out of a spot. Deron Williams would have been everyone’s preseason pick, but struggling with his shot didn’t help. Maybe coaches also didn’t like his griping that led to his coach, Avery Johnson, getting fired. You could have made a case for Boston’s leading scorer Paul Pierce, but with Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo already voted in by the fans, it’s unlikely the coaches wanted to reward the 8th-seeded Celtics with a third man. Do you really see a group of coaches warming up to J.R. Smith? Brandon Jennings of the Bucks and Greg Monroe of the Pistons are just too far under the radar.

Western Conference

west-reserves

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LaMarcus Aldridge, Trail Blazers — The plan was to build Blazers into a playoff team next summer. But on a roster with less depth than a wading pool, L.A. scores (20.6), rebounds (8.6) and keeps them as a surprise club in the mix this season. | Highlights

Tim Duncan, Spurs — Oh, so you foolishly left him out of the All-Star Game for the first time last season? Well, the 36-year-old geezer responds by turning back the clock and turning up the heat to keep the Spurs as a real threat in the West. | Highlights

James Harden, Rockets – A bit ironic that The Beard’s first All-Star honor comes just when he’s shot 28-97 (.289) in his last five games. But he’s shown he can carry the mantle of the top dog and will represent the home team in Houston. | Highlights

David Lee, Warriors — Statistically, a no-brainer as the top PF in the West — 19.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists. His biggest challenge was probably splitting votes with teammate Stephen Curry on a Warriors team that has truly surprised. | Highlights

Tony Parker, Spurs – Coach Gregg Popovich keeps ratcheting up the pressure on him every season by raising the bar of great expectation and Parker goes right on clearing it. Seems the coaches understand just how hard that is to do. | Highlights

Zach Randolph, Grizzlies – You could make an argument for teammate Marc Gasol anchoring the defense. But flip the light switch every night and there’s Z-Bo with 16.1 points and 11.6 rebounds, which add up to a league-leading 27 double-doubles. | Highlights

Russell Westbrook, Thunder – The most polarizing player in the NBA has struggled all season with his shot, but ranks in the top five in steals and the top six in assists while churning away with fellow All-Star Kevin Durant to build OKC’s league-best record. | Highlights

The lowdown: As difficult as it was to pare down the list, imagine how much harder things might have been if Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Kevin Love were healthy/up to par. In many cases in the West, it became an intramural competition with Lee beating out Curry, Randolph elbowing Marc Gasol aside and Aldridge getting the nod over rookie Damian Lillard. The surging Nuggets were overlooked, maybe because they’re too well-balanced. The Clippers’ turbo-charger off the bench, Jamal Crawford, was also snubbed. But if anybody’s got a reason to complain here, it’s Curry.
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Thoughts On The West All-Star Reserves

January 17, 2013  ·  8:11PM

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Chris Paul was voted an All-Star starter for the Western Conference and Jeremy Lin, after being in contention based on early returns in the NBA’s annual popularity contest, was not. Order has been restored.

allstar-13-200That means the West opening lineup went according to what would have been easy preseason predictions — Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard in the frontcourt, Kobe Bryant and Paul at guard — and that means the coach’s vote on the reserves won’t have to use a roster spot to right a wrong at the level of Lin ahead of CP3.

It will be down to the usual hard choices to fill out the roster. This year, that could mean picking between teammates (Stephen Curry or David Lee in Golden State), between teammates at the same position (Memphis reps Zach Randolph or Marc Gasol for the frontcourt), and whether the newest test for a rookie (Damian Lillard) will be patience.

There are always cases to be made. But here are the seven most-deserving selections for the West All-Star bench. (For Steve Aschburner‘s look at the East, click here.)

THE BACKCOURT

There are several names. Russell Westbrook. James Harden. Tony Parker. Curry. Lillard. Jamal Crawford. There just isn’t much room for debate for the two picks.

Harden is fourth in the league in scoring at 26.3 ppg and the leader of the sudden recovery in Houston, the host city. Westbrook is top five in assists and steals.

My picks: Westbrook and Harden.

THE FRONTCOURT

Now we’re talking debate. (And now we’re also talking a little strange to have a year without Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol or Kevin Love.)

Randolph (16.4 ppg, 11.6 rpg) and Lee (19.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg) are double-double power forwards for teams in or pushing for the top half of the playoff race. Gasol (13.2 ppg and 7.4 rpg) and Serge Ibaka (14 ppg, 8.3 rpg) can’t keep up statistically, but defense is a major reason their teams are winning at a brisk pace. Tim Duncan, usually a popular pick for coaches in years he is not voted a starter by fans, is at 17.1 ppg and 9.6 rpg in just 30.1 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge (20.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg) has helped push the Trail Blazers into playoff contention ahead of schedule. Denver’s Kenneth Faried (12.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg) and Utah’s Al Jefferson (17.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg) may get support.

My picks: Randolph, Duncan and Lee. Randolph likely breezes in. It would be a surprise if Duncan does not make it to Houston, either this way or via the wild card, but it will be interesting to see if Duncan and Parker split votes among coaches around the West for San Antonio representation. The Spurs could get both and deserve both, but some voters may prefer to get more teams involved rather than have two subs from the same team. Lee could be a close call to make it.

THE WILD CARDS

Two players chosen by coaches regardless of position. Some voters may be weighing the other picks — starters and their previous selections by position — and some may simply go for most deserving and not care if the roster is guard-heavy. But everyone mentioned above but not added specifically as frontcourt or guard will be a candidate here.

My picks: Parker and Curry. Parker for sure. If some coaches are debating whether to pick one from Golden State’s Lee-Curry option, Curry deserves a slight edge. The position breakdown could make that moot, though.

All-Star starters announced.

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Kirilenko Invaluable To Wolves, Shved

January 16, 2013  ·  2:37PM

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DALLAS – Andrei Kirilenko has been a godsend to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Russian rookie Alexey Shved during this strange twist of a season.

It’s a minor miracle that the Wolves are still sniffing playoff contention considering their barrage of injuries. One major reason is Kirilenko, the 11-year NBA veteran who is in his first season with the Wolves after a decade-long run with the Utah Jazz. He spent the 2011-12 season enjoying a one-time homecoming in Russia, playing before family and friends during the NBA’s lockout and shortened season.

The versatile, 6-foot-9 forward was always going to figure in as a major piece to the rotation, but he’s been invaluable in the wake of long-term injuries to forwards Chase Budinger and Kevin Love, among multiple other injuries such as to Brandon Roy and Malcolm Lee that have thrust the surprising Shved into a starter’s role at shooting guard.

“We had some seasons when we had a lot of injuries, but this is something crazy,” said Kirilenko, whose scoring (13.4 ppg), rebounds (6.8) and minutes (34.8) are all his best since the 2005-06, and his 50.8 shooting percentage ranks as a career high. “We never played together [with a full roster] for even one game. It’s tough to play that way, but I guess this is the reality of NBA basketball.”

Then there’s been the big brother role Kirilenko’s embraced mentoring Shved, who turned 24 last month. But with a baby face and a mouth full of braces, some might say Shved could could pass for, well, a 12-year-old. Which is exactly how old he was when he first met Kirilenko and asked Russia’s No. 1 basketball player to sign a picture for him.

“He’s a great guy and he has a lot of bright moments in front of him,” said Kirilenko, who turns 32 next month and beams at Shved more like a proud papa than a big brother. “I think he started the season well and he can really be a great contributor to a team.”

Two-thirds of Russia’s NBA contingent play for the Wolves. Timofey Mozgov, currently buried on the Denver Nuggets’ bench, is the other. Kirilenko and Shved know each other quite well now after playing last season together for CSKA Moscow, and the two fashioned quite a dynamic duo on the Russian Olympic team that put hoops back on the map in their country by taking bronze in London.

They were gearing up for the Games when Shved, signed as a free agent by Minnesota in July, got word that he would continue on as Kirilenko’s teammate in Minnesota.

“He is the best player in Russia,” said the 6-foot-6 Shved, whose game (10.8 ppg and 4.7 apg) has emerged quicker than his grasp of the English language, which he speaks softly and carefully. “He is smart, he plays hard. Everybody wants to be a player like this.”

Just as Spanish-speaking J.J. Barea (from Puerto Rico) aided the Spain-born phenom Ricky Rubio last season in his arrival stateside, having Kirilenko around to show Shved the ropes of the NBA and American life has been invaluable.

And who knows, perhaps soon Shved will serve a similar role to another wide-eyed countryman that makes his way to the NBA.

“Sergey Karasev might be the next [one],” Kirilenko said of the 6-foot-7, 19-year-old shooting guard who averages 18.7 points and 6.3 rebounds for Triumph Lyubertsy in the Russian Professional Basketball League. “He might be joining us soon.”

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The Collapse Of The Wolves’ Defense

January 15, 2013  ·  12:55PM

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HANG TIME NEW JERSEY – As we continuously debate and wonder whether or not the Los Angeles Lakers will make the playoffs, another team is making it a little easier for them.

On Dec. 16, the Minnesota Timberwolves stood in sixth place in the Western Conference at 12-9, even though Ricky Rubio had just played his first game of the season and Kevin Love had shot just 35 percent in his 11 games.

Since then, the Wolves are 4-10 and sinking fast. Rubio has been in and out of uniform and has played just 20 minutes per contest in the 10 games he’s played. Love, meanwhile, reinjured his right hand and is out 8-10 weeks. So, yeah, in a race with Houston, Portland, Utah and the Lakers for the two final playoff spots in the Western Conference, the Wolves are in a tough position.

The Wolves survived that first month and a half because they had a top-five defense. They ranked fifth in defensive efficiency through Dec. 15, allowing just 98.6 points per 100 possessions.

Since then, the Wolves have a bottom-five defense, allowing 108.2 points per 100 possessions.

Timberwolves efficiency, 2012-13

Timeframe W L OffRtg Rank DefRtg Rank NetRtg Rank
Through Dec. 15 12 9 100.8 16 98.6 5 +2.3 11
Since Dec. 16 4 10 98.9 28 108.2 26 -9.3 29

OffRtg = Points scored per 100 possessions
DefRtg = Points allowed per 100 possessions
NetRtg = Point differential per 100 possessions

That is one heck of a turnaround, and not an easy one to explain.

What’s crazy is that the Wolves are the No. 1 defensive rebounding team in the league over the last month. They’re also keeping their opponents off the free throw line. But they’re not forcing any turnovers and they’re not forcing enough missed shots.

Timberwolves defense, 2012-13

Timeframe OppeFG% Rank DREB% Rank OppTmTOV% Rank OppFTA Rate Rank
Through Dec. 15 47.9% 9 74.4% 7 15.6% 12 .240 3
Since Dec. 16 53.1% 29 77.6% 1 13.8% 26 .227 6

OppeFG% = (FGM + (0.5*3PM)) / FGA
DREB% = Percentage of available defensive rebounds obtained
OppTmTOV% = Opponent turnovers per 100 possessions
OppFTA Rate = FTA / FGA

The Wolves’ defense has been at its worst in the paint, where they’re allowing opponents to shoot 58.4 percent since Dec. 16, the highest mark in the league.

The problems seem to start with big man Nikola Pekovic. The Wolves have allowed an atrocious 110.6 points per 100 possessions in Pekovic’s 436 minutes since Dec. 16. But they haven’t been any better (110.4) with Greg Stiemsma playing center either.

One thing to note is that the Wolves’ schedule has been pretty tough. Nine of their 14 games in the last month have been on the road and 10 have been against teams above .500. Overall, they’ve played the fourth-hardest schedule in the league this season.

But you don’t go from fifth-best to fifth-worst because of the schedule. In the last four days alone, the Wolves have allowed the sub-.500 Hornets (19th in offensive efficiency) to score 104 points and the sub-.500 Mavs (17th) to score 113 in a pair of slow-paced games.

It’s clear that the Wolves’ problems are about more than their opponents. And they’re about more than Love or Rubio, because they were doing fine without them early.

What’s also clear is that if the Wolves can’t defend, their season is over.

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Love’s Latest Injury Testing Wolves’ Mettle

January 9, 2013  ·  6:27PM

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HANG TIME SOUTHWEST – So this is just how it’s going to be for the Minnesota Timberwolves, a season so marred by constant injury that it stands to test their collective sanity as much as their ambitious playoff aspirations.

The Wolves already knew they’re moving ahead without star forward Kevin Love for a second stretch of games after he re-fractured his right hand last week, but Wednesday’s news that he’ll miss more time than expected, the next eight to 10 weeks, severely worsened that blow just one day after the sigh-of-relief return of point guard Ricky Rubio from his second injury stint.

Love initially broke his hand before the start of the season doing knuckle pushups at home. He missed the first nine games of the season and the Wolves, without their two young stars, were pleased to be 5-4 when Love surprised everyone with an early return.

A stunning spat of injuries followed. Brandon Roy, Chase Budinger and Malcolm Lee remain out with knee injuries. Rubio played in just his sixth game in Tuesday’s hard-fought home win over the Atlanta Hawks to push their record to 16-15, just 1 1/2 games out of the West’s final playoff spot. The Wolves played that one without resolute coach Rick Adelman – out for personal reasons — as they will again tonight trying to stay above .500 in a tough road test at Oklahoma City.

Coaches impress on their players all the time that the 82-game NBA grind is about survival. Expected to be without Love, their leading scorer (18.3 ppg) and by far most productive rebounder (14. 0 rpg), until mid-to-late March, the Wolves are truly in the fox hole now.

They’ll carry through the high hopes of its long-suffering fan base and secure the franchise’s first postseason berth since their lone Western Conference finals run in 2003-04 only by sticking together and pushing harder.

Rubio’s return is a good start. He played 19 minutes on Tuesday and finished with four points and eight assists. He missed the previous four games with back spasms, an issue believed to be caused by overcompensation as he learns to trust the surgically repaired left knee. He’s dealt with the groin and back problems since making his debut on Dec. 15 from last season’s ACL tear.

Adelman and the team’s training staff will have to closely monitor his minutes and progress, but the belief is he’s ready to ramp up and burden a bigger load.

To keep within arm’s length of a playoff spot to this point, the Wolves have heavily relied upon stat-stuffing forward Andrei Kirilenko, center Nikola Pekovic, who has eight double-doubles in last 13 games, emerging Russian rookie Alexey Shved and the diminutive backcourt duo of Luke Ridnour and J.J. Barea.

But how long can they keep up the fight in a competitive Western Conference that could take 45 wins to get in?

And which team or teams drop off? The top four, barring catastrophic injury — something the Wolves know never to discount — seem like locks. Golden State is playing well enough and for long enough to not expect a collapse in the second half of the season.

Of the next three teams — Houston, Portland and Denver — none are sure bets, yet the trio is currently on a collective 10-game winning streak.

And lost among the crowd currently on the outside looking in is the Los Angeles Lakers. A glorious run back into contention doesn’t appear imminent, but can’t be eliminated as a possibility either simply because of their proven talent.

The Wolves have expended tremendous energy to stay afloat. How much longer can they grind away? Long enough for Love’s eventual return to be meaningful?

We’re about to find out.

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Adelman Steers Injury-Plagued Wolves

January 6, 2013  ·  11:48AM

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HANGTIME SOUTHWEST — If Minnesota Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman can somehow steer his dejected club through these latest injury setbacks to his two injury-marred stars, please reward him with long overdue recognition as coach of the year.

Before Saturday night’s game against Portland, and after learning that star forward Kevin Love would again be sidelined by a re-break to that darned right hand he originally fractured before the season by doing knuckle push-ups, Adelman marveled how, through one injury after another, his team had managed to pull off a 15-14 record.

With Love joining point guard Ricky Rubio, saddled with his second injury after a brief return from a torn ACL, on the bench once again, the Wolves dropped to 15-15 after a furious late comeback failed against the surging Trail Blazers.

A once-promising season, so filled with hope and excitement and adventure, is becoming one to forget, robbed by uncontrollable injury that now threatens to nosedive off the cliff as the Wolves sit in ninth place.

Rubio, the flashy, dynamic point guard destined for stardom, managed to play in just five games starting Dec. 15, but was unable to join the starting lineup before back spasms, perhaps caused by overcompensation for his knee, took him out after a Dec. 26 loss to Houston.

Rubio and Love, who had never really rounded into All-Star form, saddled with wilting shooting percentages, have played in just three games together.

“I’ve never been through anything like this,” Adelman told reporters before Saturday’s 102-97 loss, Minnesota’s sixth in the last nine games. “You start out with Ricky from the very beginning, hoping to get him back and then it’s just been one thing after the other.”

Dante Cunningham, Luke Ridnour and Alexey Shved are the only Wolves to have played in all 30 games. The injury list is mesmerizing. Obviously Rubio didn’t play for the first month-and-a-half and Love missed the first three weeks. Brandon Roy lasted just five games before more knee problems have forced him to consider re-retirement. Chase Budinger made it into a sixth game before sustaining a season-ending knee injury. Malcolm Lee played in 16 games before a knee injury took him out.

Josh Howard, brought in as an emergency replacement, was waived after he suffered an ACL injury.

J.J. Barea has missed five games, Andrei Kirilenko has missed four and Nikola Pekovic must feel fortunate to have only missed two when he sprained an ankle in November.

If the Wolves have any luck at all they’ll soon get Rubio back. They’ll need him. The remaining January schedule is a bear and could ultimately determine whether the Wolves will be a playoff contender and how active they might be come the trade deadeline.

Among 12 games left this month, Minnesota faces Atlanta twice, the Los Angeles Clippers twice, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Houston and Brooklyn. The Wolves play seven of the 12 on the road, where they’re just 6-10. Games at Washington and Charlotte at the end of the month will serve as must-wins.

In the hotly contested West, if the Wolves somehow head into February with a top-eight spot or anywhere close, be ready finally to give Adelman that long overdue coach of the year award. No questions asked.

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Nuggets, Others In Need Of Shooting

December 21, 2012  ·  1:35PM

HANG TIME NEW JERSEY – The Denver Nuggets had a historically bad night from the perimeter in Portland on Thursday. But if any team was going to score 91 of its 93 points from the paint and the free throw line, it was going to be the Nuggets.

Denver is a good team, and they’re obviously better than their 14-13 record, because they’ve played such a brutal, road-heavy schedule. But they still have their flaws, in particular outside shooting.

If there’s one thing that the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder have taught us, it’s that 3-point shooting can make you a very potent offense. But the Nuggets aren’t the only good team with that particular shortcoming. And with trade season officially open, there should be more than a few teams in the market for a shooter or two…

OffRtg = Points scored per 100 possessions
EFG% = (FGM + (0.5*3PM))/ FGA

Chicago Bulls

OffRtg: 99.9 (22)
3PA/FGA: .155 (30)
3-point percentage: 34.1% (24)
EFG% outside the paint: 42.3% (27)

There are six teams in the league that have made more than twice as many threes per game as the Bulls have (4.2). They ranked fourth in 3-point percentage last season, but their three best shooters from that squad – Kyle Korver (Atlanta), C.J. Watson (Brooklyn) and John Lucas (Toronto) – are gone.

Marco Belinelli is the Bulls’ best shooter and their threes are up since he has joined the starting lineup. But they obviously need another perimeter threat, even if they’re eventually getting Derrick Rose back this season.

Denver Nuggets

OffRtg: 104.6 (7)
3PA/FGA: .218 (22)
3-point percentage: 32.5% (28)
EFG% outside the paint: 41.4% (30)

Remember when Danilo Gallinari was the best shooter Mike D’Antoni had ever seen? That was after Gallo shot 44 percent from beyond the arc as a rookie. And every year since, his 3-point percentage has gone down.

It doesn’t help the Nuggets that neither of their point guards (Ty Lawson and Andre Miller) can shoot this season or that Andre Iguodala is their starting two guard. Iguodala shot 39 percent from beyond the arc last season, but this year, he’s back at his career mark of 33 percent.

The Nuggets still have a top-10 offense because they get out on the break, get into the paint, get to the line and are the best offensive rebounding team in the league. But a shooter could open things up and keep defenses from packing the paint when the Nuggets aren’t running.

Memphis Grizzlies

OffRtg: 101.5 (16)
3PA/FGA: .179 (29)
3-point percentage: 36.7% (8)
EFG% outside the paint: 44.4% (13)

The Grizzlies’ 3-point percentage looks fine on the surface, but they don’t take nearly enough threes to keep the floor spread for their big and talented frontline.

Memphis could probably use O.J. Mayo, the league leader in 3-point percentage, right about now. Mayo’s replacement, Wayne Ellington, hit seven threes in Memphis’ Nov. 11 win over the Heat, but then hit only five over the next 13 games. Mike Conley is the team’s best 3-point shooter, but he’s also the team’s point guard.

The “shooting” guard is Tony Allen, who has made a grand total of 12 3-pointers over the last four seasons and has shot 28 percent from outside the paint over the last five. Rudy Gay‘s jumper has seemingly regressed over the last two years.

The Grizzlies are 17-6 because they have the No. 1 defense in the league, and Allen is a huge part of that. But if they truly want to be title contenders, they need to improve offensively. And that starts with better shooting from the perimeter.

Minnesota Timberwolves

OffRtg: 100.2 (20)
3PA/FGA: .235 (18)
3-point percentage: 30.1% (30)
EFG% outside the paint: 42.0% (29)

The Wolves have just been brutal from beyond the arc. In fact, in the last 10 seasons, only last season’s Bobcats have shot worse (29.5 percent) from 3-point range.

The problem starts with Kevin Love, who is 18-for-73 (25 percent) from 3-point range. Love has shed the glove that he wore when he returned from his broken hand and he did hit four of his nine threes in Thursday’s win over the Thunder. So there’s hope that the numbers will improve as the season goes on.

Still, Chase Budinger‘s absence has left the Wolves without a real shooter on the wings.

Additional thoughts on the Lakers and Nets

  • The Lakers seemingly need more shooters to run D’Antoni’s offense at peak efficiency, but they currently rank fifth in offensive efficiency and sixth in 3-point percentage. The key has been Metta World Peace and Kobe Bryant shooting 37.5 percent from beyond the arc, up from 30.0 percent last season. So it will be interesting to see if they can keep that up.
  • The Nets rank 19th in 3-point percentage, but mostly because Deron Williams leads the team in attempts. Williams shot 36 percent from beyond the arc in Utah, but is at 32 percent since joining the Nets. This season, he’s in Dwyane Wade territory: 42-for-143 (29 percent).

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Blogtable: All Worked Up Over Ricky

December 19, 2012  ·  10:26AM




Each week, we’ll ask our stable of scribes to weigh in on the three most important NBA topics of the day — and then give you a chance to step on the scale, too, in the comments below.

Week 8: Hyperventilating about Ricky | Celtics’ Last Gasp? | Missing Pieces

Are we in danger of hyperventilating over Ricky Rubio?

Steve Aschburner: Look, I was in the building for Rubio’s return game. There was a playoff type of buzz — or a facsimile of what Minnesota fans remember as a playoff buzz, since it’s been a while –  and Rubio seized the moment. He looked to be the same clever, charismatic playmaker as before his nasty knee injury, and he made the other Timberwolves better. Sure, he’s on a minutes leash early in this comeback. Sure, he’ll have ups and downs directly related to his layoff. And sure, there will be a learning curve as both he and Kevin Love blend back into what Rick Adelman‘s coaching. But Minnesota is far better off with Rubio than without him, and there’s nothing breathless about that.

Fran Blinebury: You’re a bit late with that question. The hype has been been in overdrive since the Timberwolves made Rubio the fifth pick in the 2009 draft.  Of course, the kid delivered last season and, yes, he’s worth all of the heavy breathing.

Jeff Caplan: Yes we are and for good reason. His debut against the Mavs was fabulous, complete with a no-look, behind-the-back (and through the legs?) pass into the lane for a layup. He instantly makes the Wolves a must-watch and will land them in the playoffs.

Scott Howard-Cooper: Not even close. His story is unique — European sensation at a young age, lottery pick, the wait to get him to the NBA, the wait to get him back to the NBA after the knee injury, a key role on a rising team –- and so it gets a lot of attention. But this is light years from Rubiosanity. This is far from the daily drama, for years, of the Lakers.

John Schuhmann: Rubio can certainly provide a nightly highlight or two and help the Wolves with their offense, which ranks 20th through Tuesday. And if they can climb a couple of notches on that end, they can be a dangerous team, because they’ve been excellent defensively. But I think expectations should be tempered. According to one athletic trainer I’ve spoken to, a torn ACL is a two-year injury. So we can’t really expect Rubio to be at 100 percent until early 2014.

Sekou Smith: Yes. And we have been since he was about 15. But that’s what the sports world does with phenoms. Rubio has otherworldly talents that a knee injury won’t diminish. His vision and ability to facilitate for those around him makes him more than just an intriguing prospect. It gives him the ability to lift a team, when healthy and fully matured, in ways that only a select few players can. I’m not suggesting to you that his presence alone makes the Timberwolves a contender or anything like that, but for a team trying to take the step from the background into the light, he can be the difference. How’s that for hyperventilating?

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