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The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that center Al Jefferson has left the team to tend to a family member's illness in Florida. Jefferson will miss the next two Wolves games - Friday, Nov. 13 vs. Dallas and Saturday, Nov. 14 at Memphis. He will re-join the team early next week.

Timberwolves Press Release

4 months ago Dr wyn 19 comments 0 recs  | 

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Damn, we really a need a W … especially against Memphis there’s an opportunity :(

Official Kahn/Rambis band-wagon rider since 2009

by Wim (Belgium) on Nov 12, 2009 2:02 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

So....Jawai and Hollins.....

Ought to be fun to watch Jawai go head to head with Zach Randolph. That’s like a combined 800 lbs on the court just the two of them.

by Oceanary on Nov 12, 2009 2:06 PM CST reply actions   1 recs

So true

Also much more interesting to watch Hollins defend Marc Gasol, as opposed to Al.

No, I’m not being somehow sardonic. “Interesting” is what I think. Gasol got maybe 5 easy open shots a night last year, right in front of the basket, on Jefferson. I’m genuinely curious to see how Hollins in his raw athletic glory might fare against Marc G., who’s a very efficient offensive player.

"It has come to the editor’s attention that the Herald-Leader neglected to cover the civil rights movement. We regret the omission."

by feral on Nov 13, 2009 7:35 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

THIS

will not end well.

by John Doe on Nov 12, 2009 2:31 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Never know

Might be good for everyone else to practice playing the triangle without feeling the need to give down low to Al all the time. Certainly can’t be any worse than what we’ve recently been through.

"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."

by biggity2bit on Nov 12, 2009 2:34 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Sure it can.

Dallas might be up by 20 after the 1st Quarter, tomorrow.

by Andy G on Nov 12, 2009 2:39 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

With or without Jefferson

you could probably make that argument right now.

by Krotz the Wall on Nov 12, 2009 2:59 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

This was my first thought too

We had positive glimpses of the team without Al in the preseason. I’ve been beating the Jefferson drum, because I think it’s way too early to call him a “bad fit” with this “system” when so far, the system is producing a broken product regardless of who’s on the court.

However, this is an interesting two-game sample: Both teams have similarly effective offenses (Dallas is ranked 10th in PS/G, Memphis 12th), but are on opposite ends of the defensive spectrum. Dallas allows 95.1 points per game, good for 10th in the league; while Memphis is second-worst in the league, allowing 111.1.

In comparison, the wolves are currently at 92 PS/G (27th), and 106.4 PA/G (26th).

We’ll no doubt run like hell, and should see big games from Flynn and Brewer, but we won’t have much of a halfcourt plan B. So we’ll get to see how (what I hope will be) a running, passing offense does against a good defensive team, and a terrible defensive team, through two consecutive games.

Scientifically, this is neat. The only factor on a team level that should be different between those games is the opponent’s defensive skill.

Of course, there are huge individual positional differences between the teams, but I’m ignoring them for the purposes of having a reason to watch.

by losDelFuego on Nov 12, 2009 8:46 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

I love the use of "scientifically"

But seriously, I do think your point is a good one. As I’ve sat with these most recent losses (the last four by an average of 20+ !) and the comments those here on Hoopus have made (everyone agrees the team is playing hard and trying and it’s mostly about talent), I’m finding myself more and more intrigued by Rambis.

Here’s where I’m coming from. We’ve played 9 games so far this year, with only 1 win. I believe that we probably could have eked out another couple of wins if Rambis had coached to win in the sense of letting JFly, Sessions, or Al pound away and break down defenses enough over 5 minutes to put the game away. This is what I was calling “McHaling it” in this poll-playing the individual mismatch game to get a win. Problem is we don’t have any single player who’s good enough (a CP3 or KG in his prime-type) to overwhelm or be relied upon against any team. Thus Rambis sticks to his plan of rationing out playing time, putting guys in key situations to see how they perform, letting them learn through experience.

And perhaps what most portends a better future for us is Rambis’ commitment to teaching a team game. Watching our guys try to learn and figure out what it looks like to play basketball without the ball makes me realize how specialized the game has become, in the sense that so many players are really only good at playing when the ball is in their hands or about to get in their hands. I think in the short term-and the long term-the best counterpoint for lack of a superstar player is a highly proficient and efficient team game (e.g. the Rockets). Rambis is very lucky that he has the backing of his GM and owner to use this year to figure out who can play in his system and who can’t, and what each player’s weaknesses are and coachability factor is. I think, to borrow from Tom Powers, these next two games are a great opportunity to select one player or one aspect of the game to watch and see what develops.

"Come on Eddie, let's get serious."

by biggity2bit on Nov 13, 2009 9:35 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Agreed

This is the type of development I was hoping they’d go for. Notice that Brian Cardinal isn’t getting regular minutes, even though his presence would help in some situations. I think his approach with Jawai in particular has been good. The biggest problem has been playing hard in adverse situations; either the players have to step up and develop more resolve, or they have to play vets like Cardinal more so that they can keep the team mentally focused for 48 minutes. It’s not surprising to me that Pavlovic, a vet who’s played for a stout defensive team, was the one to say “enough” and risk the flagrant by knocking Acie Law on his ass.

by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 13, 2009 12:01 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

Well,

maybe we’ll get lucky and Dallas will call up their D-League affiliate for the game.

by Krotz the Wall on Nov 12, 2009 3:00 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

Hey, Dallas did just lose to a sad, sad San Antonio team

The Spurs did just beat the Mavs starting Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, DeJuan Blair, Keith Bogans, and George Hill….

by Oceanary on Nov 12, 2009 3:05 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

yeah, but

… the Spurs also whipped the Raptors ass with pretty much that same lineup, despite Toronto shooting about 60% from the floor. A lot of aggressiveness: 21 turnovers created and 18 offensive rebounds snagged.

by artreddin on Nov 14, 2009 9:26 AM CST up reply actions   0 recs

I for once am excited

that we get to see what our team can do without Big Al without him getting injured or Iversoned/Captain Jacked.
I think opportunities for cutting will open up and we will see more production from Flynn and especially Sessions. Maybe even Ellington who I always think is a terrific athlete and ball-handler.

by Mplax on Nov 12, 2009 3:38 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

+

++ c(=

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out, burns out farms, and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.

by faith on Nov 12, 2009 11:46 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

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