Canis Hoopus, a Minnesota Timberwolves community

Ricky Rubio made the 2011-12 NBA All-Rookie First Team and placed second in the voting. Kyrie Irving (Cleveland), Kenneth Faried (Denver), Klay Thompson (Golden State), Iman Shumpert (New York), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio) and Brandon Knight (Detroit) round out the First Team. Chandler Parsons (Houston), Isaiah Thomas (Sacramento), MarShon Brooks (New Jersey), Derrick Williams (Minnesota) and Tristan Thompson (Cleveland) were voted onto the Second Team.

Larry Coon has just published his latest FAQ on the 2011 NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement. Bookmark it and keep it handy for this summer's draft and free agency period.

Rubio ranks fifth among rookies in scoring (11.4 ppg) and first in assists (8.9 apg) and steals (2.24 spg). His six steals on Jan. 18 vs. Detroit are the most by a Wolves player since Kevin Garnett had seven vs. the L.A. Clippers on Jan. 27, 2007.

Enjoy!!

Poor Michael Beasley. Sure, the man has his faults and herbal demons, but he’s also had his share of bad luck. And no, being pulled over last year with 16 grams of marijuana isn’t bad luck- it’s bad planning. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/06/michael-beasley-cited-marijuana-speeding_n_891627.html But still, having had the chance to watch Beasley under a microscope while he played in Miami with those pre-LeBron Heat teams (yes, there was a team in Miami before "The Decision," believe it or not), one thing was clear- the man was as naturally talented as they come. He has magnanimous, ambidextrous hands, a silky median-range jump shot, a surprisingly quick first step - basically all the physical tools a forward needs. The problem was, on a Heat team that takes pride on defense and professionalism, Beasley was as out of place as Will Smith in his first few years with the Banks family. "Goofy" and "laid-back" are two words that fairly described Beasley. They’d also never be used in the same sentence as "Heat culture." Beasley’s lack of defensive awareness and maturity combined with the fact that he played the same position as team captain Udonis Haslem, meant he never hit his stride in Miami. After being dealt in 2010 in what amounted to a salary dump, he found himself in the basketball wilderness known as Minnesota, forced to change position without a competent point guard in sight. Still, last year he was their second leading scorer (19 ppg) and played well. Unfortunately for Beasley, there’s a new coach in town and Adelman doesn’t appear to be sold on him. Combine that with Minnesota drafting Derrick Williams, another guy who shares his position, and it appears as though Beasley’s time in Minnesota may be coming to an end. With that in mind, let’s look at few trades that make sense for Minnesota, while also not being entirely unkind to Mr. Beasley....

Tony, Ryan and Brandon talk David O. Russell, Facebook pranks, a Papa John’s racism kerfuffle, some random nonsense and a whole lot of Wolves: specifically the last three games, potential trades, how to improve the team, an argument over DWill, free agent prospects and, yeah, more drooling over Rubio. Fun one. Have a listen.

Canis Hoopus' own Mark Haugen (aka kevinharlen) gets interviewed on NBA TV about the Los Locos cheering section at the Target Center and takes a parting shot at C-Webb. Well done, sir.

Your prayers have been answered: it’s another NBA-centric installment of The Riff. Brandon and Tony talk power polls, sucker bets, crybabies, player grades, potential Wolves trades, "Name that Drug" and of course, about an hour straight of drooling over Rubio. Press play and allow our velvety tenors to envelop your soul. Or something.

If you're interested in reading about the provisions in the new CBA, this article provides a wealth of information.

"The NBA Players' Association has decided not to accept or extend the opportunity to vote to all players after meeting for almost three hours in New York Monday to discuss the league's latest proposal. Billy Hunter announced the players have decided to file a disclaimer against the league and its owners. 'We've arrived at the conclusion that the collective bargaining process has completely broken down,' Hunter said." Goodbye, 2011-2012 NBA season.