Having pegged the Kevin Love momentum since December (but admittedly underestimating and downright neglecting his game), I once again would like to bring your attention to a quasi-prediction made about Our Beloved Puppies and Mr. Love:

As has been pointed out many times before, McHale's entire basketball outlook is encased in the amber of the 86 Celts.  As far as he's concerned, basketball reached its pinnacle on the parquet floor in Boston 22 years ago and it's been downhill ever since. 

The way things stand right now, McHale has the updated version of himself in Al Jefferson.  That's about it.  Randy Foye and Rashad McCants are both listed at 6'4" but neither has the game or grit of Ainge and Johnson.  Foye seems to have the mental potential while McCants has the physical game, but it remains to be seen if either of them can put it together enough to be the 6'4" combo guard that McHale loves to the tune of Dennis and Danny. 

Soooooo...if you subscribe to this take, here's a [few] question[s] to answer:

1- Who is more Larry Bird: Danilo Gallinari or Kevin Love?

As if on cue from the heavens above, the Iron Ranger drops this nugget in the morning paper:

"There's a gift in knowing how to play," McHale said. "It makes you faster. It makes you quicker. It makes you a step ahead. I played with a guy who you'd say, 'He's a step slow, he's this, he's that.' His name was Larry Bird. He wasn't too bad. There are guys who just know how to play. Magic Johnson wasn't a world-class athlete. He was just unbelievably smart. Those guys always do well."

You can also click here to listen to Mr. McHale go on and on about Kevin Love and Larry Legend on this morning's PA & Dubay show.  My new favorite phrase: "small area quickness."

The Minnesota Timberwolves: Where small area quickness happens.