The Rockets are in town for the first time this season tonight for a 7:00 pm tip at Target Center.
No word yet on whether Kevin Love will go tonight; he was simply to sore and beat up following his fall against the Lakers last week to play against the Blazers on Saturday. Hopefully he's feeling better and will be available tonight, as the Wolves need all possible help.
Of course Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin will both be out.
The Rockets took a little time to get it all together, but have gone 13-4 in 2014. Their offensive game remains at the forefront of the NBA tactics wise: they lead the league in free throw rate and three point shot rate and still take the fewest mid range shots.
They have gotten their defense organized in the last month or two as well, it is no longer the sieve it was early in the year.
Meanwhile, for the Wolves, Ricky Rubio is coming off a career high in points against the Blazers. He clearly gets that he has to try to score more in the absence of almost all of the Wolves scoring punch, and has looked OK doing so.
Shabazz Muhammad had his first extended playing time of his career against the Blazers, and showed some ability to score inside. With Martin out we might see a bit more of Muhammad.
Tonight and Wednesday at home against the Nuggets will get the Wolves to the All-Star break. They pretty obviously need it.
The trade deadline follows--February 20th. I can't say I've heard anything credible in terms of moves; I would bet the Wolves do nothing.
Finally, to those of you who expressed interest in writing for the site, I haven't forgotten you. Life gets in the way. I'll be in touch one way or another this week. I have enough interest that I'll have to disappoint some of you--for that I apologize in advance.
Today in History
1355: St. Scholastica riots in Oxford.
1763: Treaty of Paris ends French-Indian War, ceding Canada to Britain.
1897: New York Times introduces "All the News that's Fit to Print" slogan.
1942: First ever Gold Record awarded to Glenn Miller for selling 1 million copies of Chattanooga Choo-Choo.
Today's musical birthday is Leontyne Price, one of the great American sopranos ever. Born on this date in 1927.
This thread is open. What's on your mind?