What might be the most unique aspect of NBA 2K5 was the features of the simulate game function.  Unlike in other games, NBA 2K5 involved the player in the simulation process by allowing the player to designate how many shots each of the players on the court would take during the next simulated quarter.  If Kevin Garnett had a good shooting quarter, then you could give him several extra shots the next quarter.  If Latrell Sprewell was laying bricks you could give his shots to Sam Cassell.  It really was an interesting and enjoyable function of the simulation process.  Unfortunately the 2K franchise got sold to another publisher and the interactive simulation feature disappeared in the future incarnations.

What does this have to do with the 2010-11 Minnesota Timberwolves?  Well, I think it would be a good exercise to ascertain what the best allocation of shots is for this team.  Obviously during any individual game the shot allocation should favor players that are shooting the ball well that game.  However, over the course of an entire season the players that average the most shots should be the ones that are most consistently effective at hitting their shots.  Which means that even though there will be a few games where Player X has no business shooting the ball more than 8 or 10 times, he still should probably be taking around 17 shots per game on average.

Currently the Wolves are averaging a little over 87 shots per game.  In an ideal world they could play at the same pace and push that up to an average of about 90 shots per game just by cutting down on the number of turnovers they commit (they are the worst in the league with approximately 18 turnovers per game whereas 15 per game would put them on the low end of average - 19th).  How should the team be allocating those 90 shots to give them the best chance at winning?  Here's my take (with average number of 3 pt. shots in parentheses), and I'd be interested in hearing anybody else's as well:

C - Darko Milicic: 12(0); Nikola Pekovic: 4(0); Kosta Koufos: 1(0); Total: 17(0)

PF - Kevin Love: 15(3); Anthony Tolliver: 3(1); Total: 18(4)

SF - Michael Beasley: 18(3); Wesley Johnson: 7(5); Corey Brewer: 2(0); Total: 27(8)

SG - Martell Webster: 8(3)*; Wayne Ellington/Lazar Hayward: 3(2); Total: 11(5)

PG - Jonny Flynn: 10(2)*; Luke Ridnour/Sebastian Telfair/Sundiata Gaines: 7(2); Total: 17(4)

Grand Total: 90(22)

*Note: Flynn and Webster have yet to play a game this season so I came up with these numbers out of the blue.  Obviously after they return to game action a better assessment of the number of shots they should be taking each game can be made.