Game Thread

by wyn on Jul 16, 2008 11:17 AM CDT Comment 12 comments

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Wednesday, July 16th, 2008 - 7:30 pm CST

Find info about watching the game online here.
Rosters: Timberwolves / Lakers

Game 4 for LA's Summer League Team (1-2). Coby Karl and James White have gotten NBA minutes and the Lakers' only draft pick this year, Joe Crawford, has been starting. Stop-n-Pop favorite Pat Calathes is on the roster, but has yet to make a splash

I assume this will be the first night Pops Mensah-Bonsu gets some burn for the Wolves. Exciting.

I had a brief chat with Ridiculous Matt from Ridiculous Upside yesterday. He reminded me that Ahearn is not a pure point guard, he's a shooter. It got me thinking about what the Wolves are really looking for in a backup point guard and how their Summer League invitees of Jeter, Ahearn and Neitzel fit in.

To be honest, I'm a bit surprised that they're looking at scoring point guards, not floor generals. If Randy Foye comes out, wouldn't they need a guy who can feed the low post? Or do they need someone who can just run around the perimeter and hit shots created by Al's double teams? If a two-guard comes out and Randy switches to that position, don't they need someone to run the offense and let Randy score off the ball?

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About Ahern (it’s probably written like this):
He also almost didn’t play point for us in that first game. I think he wasn’t subbed in once for Jeter/Neitzel and didn’t bring the ball up more than twice. Though I’d have to look back at footage to be sure. So I don’t think they’re evaluating him as a PG. Maybe a combo, but I hope not :).

by Wim (Belgium) on Jul 16, 2008 12:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

After some more research I have no clue whatsoever what the correct spelling is. In the official box score it’s ahearn but elsewhere it’s ahern…

by Wim (Belgium) on Jul 16, 2008 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I believe the correct spelling...

...is “hey you”

The World's Leading Exporter of Small Area Quickness
www.canishoopus.com

by Stop-n-Pop on Jul 16, 2008 12:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol, second time I laughed out loud with this site today. First time was with the “Exciting” about seeing Pops’ first SL action.

by Wim (Belgium) on Jul 16, 2008 2:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ha!

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/blake_ahearn/index.html

by wyn on Jul 16, 2008 1:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Bobby Brown

...running around with the New Orleans squad and getting rave reviews at PG. Worth a look as a back up? Believe he has been playing in Europe/

by Auswolf on Jul 16, 2008 7:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Speaking of rave reviews, apparently Chalmers has been so good he’s the talk of the town in Miami, might even compete for the starting job, ouch…

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/57994

by plinytheelder on Jul 16, 2008 8:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

double our double-doubles?

I know its just summer league. It’d be sweet if Love could bring down ten and ten a night along with Big Al. I remember watching him when Love came and player here while he was still in high school, I remember watching him last year at UCLA and I can’t say that I remember him rebounding in such an intense fashion. I like it a lot, the dreaming of the Wolves having 2 double-double guys a night down in the low-post.

Maybe instead of worrying about how Love and Al are going to cope with other players we should just start worrying about how how Love and Al are going to give people fits by doing all of the little things. Who knows I was probably outside in the heat a little too long today.

by DrakeSax82 on Jul 16, 2008 10:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

yeah the Wolves could be monsters on the boards...

...especially if you throw in Brewer on the offensive glass. I don’t think Love will have any problems being at least a 14 and 9 guy this year…but based on tonight’s game, I’m really worried about post defense…I don’t know if he was underestimating Mata-Real, but the guy basically did whatever he wanted against Love in the low post. Mata-Real! Maybe he knows Love inside and out from playing with him…but wow, that surprised me. Seemed like the problem started before M-R (or whoever Love was defending) got the ball – Love seemed really passive, basically letting the guy set up on the block. Then it was basically just turn, dribble, and shoot… In fairness to him I’m sure he’s better in a real game than this pickup stuff, where basically everything is one-on-one, harder to play angles, force opponents into help, etc. Little things, as Drake says. Then again I was in the sun for quite a while too.

by plinytheelder on Jul 16, 2008 10:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Archive feed not working? :(

by Wim (Belgium) on Jul 17, 2008 2:32 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

smith signed

by plinytheelder on Jul 17, 2008 2:47 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

didn't watch today's game but i noticed..

..in the first game, I had one concern about Love (i wrote it in the game summary, but my accidental quote screwed it up so it doesn’t show up on the page). It’s that he can’t get off the ground quickly- he has a decent vertical, but needs to wind up to achieve it- which will prevent him from adequately challenging shots in the post. I could picture guys like Rasheed Wallace nailing short fadeaways over him all night, until everyone is forced to help.

by SidelineTriangle on Jul 17, 2008 3:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs