Two Positives:

Jonah: For those who waited around long enough through the slum of a game that was the first three-and-a-half quarters, congrats because this one really got interesting fast. In typical Rubio fashion, he led the Wolves clawing their way back into a game they had no reason being in. The end result: an especially entertaining game that went down to the wire. Too often, though, have we been through this tale before. At what point do we start docking these heroic “comebacks,” that usually end up falling short, a negative rather than a positive?

Tom: Despite the final play, Dante Cunningham had an amazing game and it would be doing him a massive disservice to point only to his 23 points on 11-17 shooting. Instead, let’s point to his tough defense which included three steals, one of which turned into an easy basket for JJ Barea that brought Minnesota painfully, agonizingly close (97-96 with 36 seconds remaining). It was good to see him playing with passion and energy, because for much of the game, he was the only one doing so.

Two Negatives:

Jonah: Forget about everything that happened up to the point where the Wolves cut the lead to two. Rubio brought the ball up, dribbled down the baseline, around the paint and then through, seemingly looking to hit Pekovic for an easy lay in, but instead ended up tangoing around with the taller Aldridge the whole way through. He was left to heave up a desperate floater that was partially blocked. Aldridge misses two free throws after that and the Wolves have life again. They run a play to get Dante Cunningham open for a mid-range jumper — his go-to on this night — that was contested by no other than Aldridge yet again. Why even give Aldridge the chance to go after those two chances? Maybe they were both great plays by Aldridge but the Wolves never should’ve put themselves in a position to challenge him in the first place.

Tom: The final turnover tally: 28-12. You would assume that, in a game decided by two points, the team with 28 turnovers would lose. Not so. Portland was every kind of sloppy, and although the Wolves came close to capitalizing late, they had dug themselves such a deep whole that not even 28 turnovers could pull them out.

Two Observations:

Jonah: Time and time again, Wesley Matthews as donned himself the “Timberwolf Hunter,” with his weapon of choice being the long ball. He went 4-8 from deep in this one and tallied a total of 22 points, second on the team behind LaMarcus Aldridge.

Tom: After losing seemingly 2,560 of their last 2,561, it’s a little bit staggering to me that, despite their 18-27 record, the Wolves remain 12-10 at home. 6-17 on the road is an absolutely brutal total.

Next up: San Antonio comes to town Wednesday night, 8 pm.

ONE Positive:

Jonah: As fans, we can count positives on one hand most nights, especially amongst this last month. This game provided handfuls of positives instead of singular benefits. I’ll start with Dante Cunningham, who ended up going a perfect 9-9 from the field for 18 points. He even posted a plus-27 plus-minus. It was the efficient shooting game the Wolves needed to make a dent in the current losing streak. A win wasn’t going to come with a passive performance on either end, the type of wait-and-see game they’ve been used to. Rather the Wolves turned exceptional defense into opportune offense. Dante Cunningham was the epitome of that style.

ONE Negative:

Jonah: Two games in a row we see Nikola Pekovic post rather sub-par games. Either he’s still lingering with minor injuries or he’s just not feeling the flow of the game, his stats don’t relate to his normal efficient performances. Too many dropped balls in the paint and not enough aggression/finesse on his post moves. I’m not worrying but it’s certainly noteworthy given his stature as a low post scorer and a sure-handed center.

ONE Observation:

Jonah: Andrei Kirilenko’s legacy is as a stat-stuffing monster, a box score mogul. Against the Lakers, AK47 managed to score 12 points but failed to grab one rebound. Tonight he scored another 12 but managed to snatch down six boards. He’s at his best when moving without the ball and attacking the rim for lobs and rebounds.

Another quick observation, did anyone else feel like this win was identical to what the Gophers basketball did against Nebraska last Tuesday? A desperate team needing a moral victory gets to play an inferior team to beat up on a little bit. A win is a win no matter who it’s against, which is why this one still means a lot to the players in the locker room. It’s a moral booster.

Next up: The Trail Blazers comes to Minneapolis on Monday, 7 pm.

Three Positives:

Jonah: This game was essentially made of two runs. The first by the Lakers, who shot ridiculously efficient from the field in the first, and the second, where the Wolves’ grittiness brought them within four in the fourth quarter. The rebuttal run by the Wolves was awfully impressive, given the current state and make up of this currently squandering team. Much of it was due to the uptempo pace that Ricky Rubio ignited by running the court, leading breaks, etc. It was a small glimpse of the Unicorn from last season. It’s reassuring to know that the magic is still within.

Tom: I think Zach Harper said it best on Twitter (@TalkHoops) as the final moments ticked away: “Wolves are on a 64-46 run right now. Unfortunately, there was that minor 61-32 Lakers run to start the game.”

I suppose we could count Minnesota’s 3-point shooting as a positive. My random Timberwolves 3-point generator (take any number between 2-5 and any number between 15-22, squish them together and have Minnesota’s 3-point FGs for any given night) doesn’t apply for this game: The Wolves shot a very efficient 10-22 for 45% from 3-point range. Nice to see at least one night that wasn’t a total wash for Minnesota from behind the arc.

Derek: Chris Johnson, you guys. 3-4, 8-5-2 in 11 minutes and just one foul and turnover. I know we’re still in small sample size territory, but the fact that he’s still productive as the sample grows is something I’m watching.

Three Negatives:

Jonah: The biggest issue I had with tonight’s game was Adelman’s stubborness to make a switch on defense after such a poor showing in the first half. I mean, try something, anything. He threw out a small lineup of JJ Barea, Alexey Shved and Rubio at one point to no avail. He left Luke Ridnour to fend for his own guarding Kobe Bryant the majority of the first half. Once he decided to make a real change by switching to a 2-3 zone, it was just too big of a hole to dig out of. A lot of it was the lack of intensity and sheer effort on defense that left Lakers open for numerous open jumpers — they went 10-13 from three to start the game. But I really was surprised and disappointed by both the coach and players’ effort on that end.

Tom: Basketball-Reference.com lists Chris Johnson’s points per 36 minutes at 19.3. I’m not saying that Johnson would be averaging 19.3 ppg if he got 36 minutes to play, but I’m not saying he wouldn’t either. Actually, yeah, I’ll say that he wouldn’t, never mind. But he deserves more than 11 minutes, especially when he puts up eight points on four shots and five rebounds in those minutes. Come on, Rick. #FreeChrisJohnson.

Derek: Every Timberwolves blogger tonight is going to talk about this being a tale of two runs, which Jonah covered nicely in the positives. I want to use this space to bitch about the free throw shooting. The Lakers shot 18-25 for 84%, but the Wolves went 8-18 for 44%. Additionally, eleven points was the margin of victory. I’m not expecting them to make all of them, but 44% is going to make your comeback effort much more difficult at any level of basketball, nevertheless the NBA.

Three Observations:

Jonah: Mike D’Antoni was asked about the Wolves’ zone defense in the second half that led to some awfully poor shooting by the Lakers, and he responded, “It made us think.”

How this man is head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers right now is beyond me.

Tom: Even with Pek’s return to the lineup, the Wolves allowed LA to win the boards 57-40. 57 rebounds! Especially damaging: 17 of those rebounds were offensive. In the end, second chances opportunities killed Minnesota. You know, along with everything else.

Derek: I know Kobe is just a competitive person in general, but did anyone else get the impression from his on-court body language alone that he really, really doesn’t like losing to the Timberwolves. I mean, he tried to fight Pek for a rebound and only gave up the pursuit once Pek started throwing ‘bows to fend off Kobe.

Next up: Home stand continues as Wolves take on Hornets Saturday night.

Three Positives:

Jonah: The return of Nikola Pekovic and Alexey Shved was highly anticipated. Without them the Wolves obviously suffered from sheer lack of talent and general bodies to sustain any run let alone carve out a win. In their comeback tonight, they led the way with 29 combined points on 13-28 shooting. It wasn’t the greatest numbers game for either of them but their presence alone was enough to spark a few different runs and at least make the game interesting down to the wire. They’ll be the key to any kind of run down the stretch of this season. It won’t be easy but they’ll be overwhelmingly helpful if the team musters up enough grit and determination.

Tom: “WELCOME BACK, RICKY!!!!” -Me, sobbing as I watched this pass on repeat.

Derek: You know how you make your crappy 3-10 shooting night all but disappear? Make 7-8 free throws! It really makes Andrei Kirilenko’s statline standout a little more than it would otherwise, perhaps.

Three Negatives:

Jonah: This is supposed to be Derrick Williams’ moment. Everyone’s looking for an outstanding game night in and night out because of the lofty expectations are starting to align with the right timing. But you’re never going to impress when you commit five fouls in just 13 minutes of work. He committed three in the first half and also hit his first two and only shots of the game. Then he started the second half, picked up a quick one on a hold after DeAndre Jordan bullied him in the restricted area, and then slapping at an Eric Bledsoe drive. Maybe it’s not his fault given the fact that Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan form perhaps the most difficult to guard frontcourt in the Association, but picking up five that quickly puts you in rookie Pek territory, a place no man wants to go. It was ugly.

Tom: The pick-and-roll is integral to every NBA offense, and Minnesota is no exception. With a big man like Pek who is capable of setting monster screens and who also has excellent footwork moving to the basket, the Wolves SHOULD thrive in P&R opportunities. Not so. Minnesota’s four potential point guards (Rubio, Ridnour, Shved and Barea) accounted for nine of Minnesota’s turnovers and (in a related story), 31.3% of all P&R plays tonight ended in a turnover. I probably don’t need to tell you that that’s not a good number, but I will anyway: That’s NOT a good number.

Derek: Jonah mentioned it above, but I just can’t get past Derrick Williams’ 5 fouls in 13 minutes. I get that Blake Griffin is a tough cover, but Blake drew the foul twice. Somehow he got matched up against Eric Bledsoe, who drew the foul. I missed the Bledsoe foul, but was it a poor rotation, the result of a missed assignment or what? I ask because I’ve thought all season long his awareness and defensive instincts had improved, so this is concerning, but it one game. In case you’re wondering, the other two were involving DeAndre Jordan.

Now that the dead horse has been ceremoniously beaten, here are a couple others: The Timberwolves gave up too many offensive rebounds, and gave the Clippers too many extra possesions; that makes it tough to close games. And…never mind. I was gonna mention their three point shooting tonight, but consider that deceased horse already beaten this season.

Three Observations:

Jonah: Ricky Rubio’s starting to get more comfortable initiating the offense and even hitting some jumpers every now and then. But it’s the wide open missed layups that still get my blood to boil. He did yet again tonight against the Clippers after the abomination of an attempt the last time LA was in town.

Tom: At least the Wolves play the Lakers on Friday. The Lakers are 5-18 on the road and have lost eight in a row away from Staples with their loss to Phoenix and SUPER COOL BEAS! who won the game down the stretch for the Suns. It’s prime Laker-losing-streak snapping time.

Derek: Blake Griffin is good at basketball.

Next up: The big, bad Lakers come to Minneapolis Friday night, 8:30 pm. It’ll be televised nationally on ESPN.

Two Positives:

Jonah: Ricky Rubio has desperately struggled in his return from ACL surgery. He’s voiced his own opinion on the team’s woeful stretch but he’s also found himself trenched in the middle of it all. He finally broke through with a solid offensive night, posting a 14-8 and five steals. A while back I wrote about Rubio’s offensive issues, more specifically is inability to finish strong at the hoop. With the game on the line, Rubio actually came through with the go-ahead layup with 29 seconds to go. It was a strong move that meant a lot to him not only within the game but as a confidence builder for games to come. The confidence comes back in waves and this game did was a healthy boost.

Tom: Here’s Chris Johnson doing awesome Chris Johnson-y things.

Two Negatives:

Jonah: Props to Wolves Radio for this assist, but the Wolves have allowed opponents to shoot 50% or more in six of the last nine games. Now that’s a testament to the current roster makeup, which is obviously alarming, yet the absence of Rick Adelman is certainly missing on the defensive end of the court. With a depressing mindset sprinkling in, the first ability to go is your defensive intensity; it’s not an aspect of many players’ games that they really want to exert energy and succeed at. But without a coach to fire up the squad and challenge them to defend, things only get worse. And that’s where we’re at.

Tom: Here’s JJ Barea doing awful, sad, depressing JJ Barea things.

Two Observations:

Jonah: The Charlotte Bobcats’ backcourt (Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, Ben Gordon and Ramon Sessions) torched the Wolves for 81 points on 51% shooting. Yowzas.

Tom: And here’s Gerald Henderson making a game-winning 3-pointer with just a few sec-… *sobs uncontrollably*

Next up: Wolves comes home to take on the Clippers on Wednesday night, 7 pm.

 A representation of the Wolves’ physical and mental absence in last night’s game versus the Washington Wizards, the now second worst team by record in the NBA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Positives:

Jonah: Through this spiraling tailwind of misfortune of a season, Andrei Kirilenko has remained the most reliable, versatile and steady player on the team. AK led the way with 15 points, six rebounds and four assists in the matter of — get ready for this — 41 minutes. Yowza. A guy with a knack for missing games in the past has turned in the most consistent season and only missed four games at the end of November. Let’s just end with thank you for AK47.

Tom: Chris Johnson once again showed his worth, shooting 6-10 from the field, grabbing six rebounds and swatting away three shots. I don’t know what the D-League has been feeding him, but I hope Minnesota got the recipe, because he has looked like a completely different player in Minnesota than he did in any of his other NBA stints. Is his success due in part to the confidence of being serenaded with “M-V-P!” chants in his first Target Center appearance? Who knows? But it’s a lot of fun.

(AND YES I KNOW IT’S A SMALL SAMPLE SIZE AND THAT A REGRESSION TO THE MEAN IS ALMOST INEVITABLE, but dammit all, isn’t it nice to have SOMETHING good to overreact to?)

Derek: Speaking of hustle players, Jonah, how about Dante Cunningham tonight? 7-12 from the floor, 14 points and 3 rebounds off of the bench is always great to get, especially when short-handed.

Three Negatives:

Jonah: The Wolves’ tailspin can’t be pinned down on one specific reason. The injuries are brutal but they’ve proven before that they can at least stay competitive without Love, Budinger and Pekovic. So why the bipolar tendencies? The manic period began when Chris Johnson and Mickael Gelabale signed 10-day contracts and blew the minds of, well, everyone and left Rubio and Kirilenko singing praises, hoping luck has turned around. But then ever-so-quickly the depression sets in again and they lose two in a row and Rubio’s left to turn preacher yet again. The effort just isn’t there on either end of the court for 48 minutes a game. They show up in spurts but never sustain any ounce of energy or momentum. Perhaps it is the trials of wearing season with all the bad luck but it’s getting harder to watch game-by-game.

Tom: Hey wow, D. Williams had 18 points?! I didn’t even notice most of those. Six rebounds is pretty meh, but eight assists?! What’s this assist business? Was his court vision undervalued? Maybe he will work out as a small forward after- Oh. DERON Williams. My mistake. DERRICK finished with nine points on 11 shots and no assists. That sounds more like it. He definitely did have six rebounds though. So. Got that right.

Derek: JJ Barea: 11 points on 11 shots…I still like you, but stop making me reevaluate that disposition so often lately.

Three Observations:

Jonah: It’s never right to point fingers but it’s becoming extremely difficult not to blame Terry Porter’s _____ (inexperience, incompetence, ineptitude. You pick which one you want). For example, Derrick Williams struggled to get anything going in the first half but came into the third with an aggressive vengeance. He was strong and scored nine points, looking like someone who could take the game over for the Wolves. You know what he’s welcomed with? Absolutely no burn in the fourth. Just about the same could be said about Rubio’s playing time tonight as well, who didn’t see any time in the fourth as well and only had 24 minutes total. Nothing has been predictable since Porter took over except for one thing: not understanding proper game adjustments/lineups.

Tom: ^ Preach.

Derek: Did they play a lot of Kanye West songs tonight at Target Center? I only ask because Kris Humphries went 1-5 from the floor tonight with his 8 rebounds.

Next up: The Wolves head to DC to play the Wizards Friday night, 6 pm.

Sorry for the delay on the recap. Derek James is the one to blame.

Two Positives:

Jonah: Yesterday might’ve been the first time this season that Derrick Williams put together the most complete, polished game on the offensive end. He evenly distributed his attempts from deep to mid-range to the rim and was awfully effective from all areas. I was thoroughly impressed with his aggressiveness in driving to the hoop, not letting a dunk attempt pass by. The dunk to end the first half that left Williams on his knees, grasping his Family Jewels, was ferocious, and the slam that was unfortunately negated by a reviewed shot clock violation was the best basketball play I’ve ever seen from him before. More games like these will definitely change fans’ minds about Williams trade scenarios, which makes it all the more disappointing that they’re likely to come true.

Tom: Rubio is still clearly struggling with his athleticism, but he’s starting to do some of the things we so desperately missed from him. For example: 

Dear Al Horford: It’s ok. You aren’t the first one to get completely turned around by Ricky. Just walk it off. Of course, Al would get his revenge…(see my negative)

Two Negatives:

Jonah: It’s hard not to ignore the Wolves’ second half. They’ve played a majority of this season with an interesting mentality, one that seems to neglect the fact that basketball is made up of two halves, four quarters, and not one quarter is more important than the other; each quarter demands a taxing effort from both teams in order to award one victorious. Yet the Wolves seem to think that the first half is all that matters. Once the second begins, they’re hustle and effort, especially on the defensive end, pretty much fly out the door. Credit is certainly due for the Hawks, who shot a ridiculous 73% from the floor in the second half. But the Wolves’ defensive intensity can attest to the Hawks’ improbable second half comeback.

Tom: Not only did the Hawks hit twice as many 3-pointers as the Wolves, but they also won points in the paint (are you ready?) 50-24. Al Horford was like that guy who you hate playing pick-up against because he’s so clearly better than everyone else, but he still feels the need to exert his dominance. WE GET IT DUDE, YOU ARE BETTER. CUT IT OUT.

Two Observations:

Jonah: Greg Stiemsma likes to think he’s a shooter. He flings this flat-footed mid-ranger that looks like it’s never going in nearly every time. He went just 1-5 from mid-range, proving that he’s not our answer from that spot.

Tom: After the first half, I had to go to class. I was pretty happy to go, thinking I’d come home and watch the Wolves wrap up a good win. This is sustainable, I thought. Lots of twos, not many threes, this could be good. I was, evidently, very mistaken.

Next up: Wolves come home for a game against the Nets on Wednesday, 7 pm.