We’re Going Streaking

Let's Get This Party Started

If the Timberwolves wish to make the postseason, they best go ahead and win the next eight games. The next eight games they play, they should be favored, including…

March 1 at Sacramento (20–37) – On three full days rest, with Pekovic likely back

March 3 at Denver (25–31) – Against a team that has been regularly getting chewed out by its rookie coach

March 5 home vs New York (21–36) – Against a team they blew out earlier in the year whose PG just got distractingly arrested on some strange gun charges

March 7 home vs Detroit (23–35) – Against a team that will fold if you jump on them, like the Wolves seem to do to almost everyone in the first qtr this season

March 9 home vs Toronto (32–25) – A tough opponent, but one the Wolves should beat on their home floor—and want to get revenge on for the whitewashing they were served earlier in Toronto this season

March 11 home vs Milwaukee (11–45) – To finish up a weeklong homestand against the team with the worst record in the NBA

March 14 at Charlotte (27–30) – Which might be the toughest team to beat in this eight-game stretch but one the Wolves are easily more talented than

March 16 home vs Sacramento (20–37) – Against a team that they (hopefully) beat 15 days ago

A nice win streak is something that’s been glaringly missing from the Timberwolves’ season thus far. Or from the Timberwolves’ franchise since Kevin Garnett left.  In fact, since Kevin Garnett was traded from the Timberwolves to the Boston Celtics on July 31, 2007, the Minnesota Timberwolves have endured losing streaks of 5 games or longer 32 times (including two 15-game losing streaks and a 16-game losing streak). They have gone on exactly ONE winning streak of 5 or more games in that time. Let me repeat: Since 2007, the Timberwolves have had 32 losing streaks and 1 damn winning streak.

That one winning streak happened in January of 2009, Kevin Love’s rookie season. Kevin McHale had just canned Randy Wittman and trickled down to the bench to coach the team himself, they’d just recently lost 13 in a row, and then they beat the Warriors, Bulls, Grizz, Thunder, and Bucks to start the New Year. I remember thinking,

Randy, Randy, Randy, I can't let you go....

“Wow, Randy Foye is really starting to heat up and might actually be something, Kevin Love is a really good rebounder, and Big Al Jefferson is getting all grows up.” And then Big Al tore up his knee and the Wolves sucked again for many moons.

But what I’m telling you is that the Wolves have, in front of them, over the next three weeks, a chance to make history here. If they win their next eight games—which they will be favored to do—they would be the owners of a 9-game winning streak (tacking on last Tuesday’s nice win in Phoenix), which would be the longest such Wolves streak since 2001–2002, when they won nine straight. These kind of streaks change things like attitudes, minds, winds, landscapes. A nine-game win streak might make Ricky Rubio shoot with more confidence. A nine-game win streak might rile up and light a fire in ol' Rick Adelman.  A nine-game win streak might show Kevin Love how team success easily trumps personal accolade. It might make JJ Barea pass the ball more, make Kevin Martin show some heart, make Chase Buddinger's knee feel better, make Alexey Shved shake the doldrums. And Pekovic becomes Shaq-like, and Gorgui Dieng channels Dikembe Mutombo, and Shabazz Muhammad is Vinnie The Microwave Johnson 2.0, and Robbie Hummel shoots every open shot he gets and never misses again, each attempt arcing like a well-hit home run, destined for twine, money from the moment of conception, kissing us with swish.

Wouldn’t it be nice?

Nate’s Notes:

Did you know that the Wolves longest win streak in franchise history is 11 games? This was accomplished in 2000–2001, when the starting lineup was: KG at PF, Rasho Nesterovic at C, Terrell Brandon at PG, Anthony Peeler at SG, and Wally Szczerbiak at SF. LaPhonso Ellis, Chauncy Billups, and Sudden Sam Mitchell off the bench. Went 47–35 that year and got bounced out of the playoffs by the Spurs in the first round

L-R: No D, No Authority, No Polish, circa 2009

…During the Timberwolves’ franchise-worst 16-game losing streak in 2010, the starting lineup was: Al Jefferson (PF), Darko Milicic (C), Jonny Flynn (PG), Ryan Gomes (PF), and Corey Brewer (SG). Young Love off the bench. Kurt Rambis was in (cough) charge, and things were damn bleak…The Twins, by comparison, stunk pretty bad last year (6 streaks of 5 or more consecutive losses), but even they had a win streak of five games.

Rays

As Ricky Goes...                           AP Photo.

1-The Timberwolves’ scored a second straight win over the Jazz on Tuesday in convincing fashion. Their record sits at 20-21, and they're in 10th place in the West. But in the season's first half, the Wolves have ten times (in 41 games) led opponents by 30 points in a game. Much has been made of the Wolves’ 0-10 record in games decided by 4 points or less (which counts not the season-opening OT win versus Orlando). But when you’re stomping teams a quarter of the time, that says something. This team is explosive. 

2-The bench, with the return of Ronny Turiaf and Budinger, has improved. Alexey Shved has been much, much better, even though he busted his schnoz against the Jazz. Guys are playing more appropriate minutes related to their respective skill sets, not being stretched. A little health goes a long way.

3-One of the Wolves 30-point leads was attained over Portland. Portland who currently sits at No. 2 atop the Western Conference standings. Portland who, if they stay at two could play the T-Wolves in the playoffs if the Wolves grab the totally get-able 7-spot, currently held by Dallas. Portland, who the Wolves are not afraid of in the least. Honestly, I’d take even money in choosing the Wolves over the Thunder, Blazers, Mavs, or Clippers. They play well against the Spurs. They stink against the Nuggets and Warriors. 

4-The schedule has softened. I predict the Wolves will be 28-25 going into the All-Star break, and from there the schedule really goes soft. The Wolves SHOULD be ten game above .500 by late March. Even so, Minnesota's expected W-L is 27-14 right now (a seven game difference) according to Pro Basketball Reference. There’ll be no getting back those seven (!) wins, but I predict the Wolves will get hot and into the playoffs by season's end.

5-Ricky Rubio. Don't care what the detractors are saying right now. This guy is just 23 years old and is still making major adjustments. He shoots 85% from the line, and 37% from three. These are above league average shooting numbers. He leads the league in steals. He's 5^th in assists. He could probably throw up one-handed lefties from mid-range two-point land and be more successful than he is shooting tentative righties right now. Would like to say, Just pass it in the basket, Ricky. But really, I'm not worried that he'll get a lot better.

Problems

Kevin Love shirking his jersey, among other things. AP Photo.

1. Kevin Love

In the last three Timberwolves losses, Kevin Love was the prime reason Minnesota lost. Against Dallas on Dec. 30, he scored 36 points but was had a plus/minus rating of -4, and then he got fouled by Shawn Marion and the refs didn’t call it. One could argue that the no-call was a rip-off, but a smarter Wolves fan might argue that the refs just spared Love the embarrassment of having to choke on the clutch free throws… which is what Love DID do at the end of the team’s next loss on January 4 versus OKC. Four missed free throws in the final 30 seconds is not All-Star caliber play. And then in this latest loss to the upstart Phoenix Suns on January 9, Love goes 4-for-20 from the field. One could argue that Love botched an entire clutch game. Which is not a surprise because Kevin Love isn’t much of a clutch player.

And then blasting Barea and Cunningham after the Phoenix game to the press… after repeatedly calling out teammates in previous losses… ugh. All that move said to me was that Kevin Love isn’t brave enough to go up to Barea and Cunningham—two guys that I’d bet on 50-1 to whip Love’s ass in the event of a throwdown, despite giving away significant size—and tell them personally that he was disappointed that they didn’t join the team huddles at the end of the game. That was weak. Passive aggressive. Kevin Love isn’t much of a leader.

2. JJ Barea and Dante Cunningham

            There’s no excuse for those two vets to have pulled that immature b.s. last night. I don’t know what they could’ve been thinking. And I don’t care if you’re injured, ticked, or sick and tired of the prima donna Love to the point where you’d like to pummel him. You participate in that huddle. Take care of the injuries, complaints, or pummelings in the locker room, postgame.

3. Kevin Martin

            Oh how quickly Martin’s game’s worn thin round these parts. Martin disappears for quarters and halves at a time, does zero on defense or the boards, and plays with little or no heart. He’s at best an 8^th best player on a successful team. Flip should trade him to Sacto for Jimmer.

4. Ricky Rubio’s inability to score

            Shoot the ball, Ricky. Shoot the damn ball.

            Ricky Rubio can’t be as bad at scoring as he’s shown this season. I just don’t believe it. Not with that vision, accuracy, work ethic, physical acumen. I think he should just try to go for 30. There’s a flood of made shots in his body waiting to be unloosed. But if he won’t shoot it, he doesn't have a chance to make it, and opponents will play him to pass, making it easier to pick off dishes like the one he tried to throw on the Wolves’ third-to-last possession against Phoenix.

5. Rick Adelman

            Maybe he’s over the hill. Maybe he’s lost his clout. Maybe the players aren’t listening. But this team is crap in the clutch, and that reflects the coach. As do spoiled stars, disgruntled to the point of disrespectful vets, soft “scorers,” and non-shooting point guards. Clean us up here, Rick. We should’ve made the playoffs two years ago and have been contending this season.

Nate’sNotes…Had a hard time stomaching Gerald Green’s celebrations after he hit the luckiest jumpshot of his life to put the Suns up by one in the endgame. Such an amateur display of self-aggrandizing dipshittery hasn’t been seen at Target Center since the days of Ricky Davis, methinks. I would’ve said “since the days when Gerald Green played for the Wolves” but Green never hit any shots in 'Sota... Does it look to anyone else like Pek is unstoppable in the post lately?... Really like Jeff Hornacek as a coach and ain't all that surprised that the Suns are playing well for him… Jim Peterson—who’s much improved at articulating his basketball knowledge on the mic this year (even tho he has to put up with a thudding play-by-play man in Dave Benz)—mentioned that he thought Goran Dragic is the third-best PG in the West this season, and I agree… Hopefully Neon Chase Budinger and Rony Turiaf can assimilate super-quickly now that they’re back on the court. They give the Wolves a different look, for sure.