It was a pretty uneventful evening scrimmage last night. The team looked a little tired and I'm pretty sure everybody in the building would have rather been somewhere else...like at Oktoberfest in New Ulm. A few items of note:
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Ramon Sessions is a pretty good perimeter defender. Perhaps my saying this is simply a matter of perspective, as last year's team featured one of the worst group of perimeter defenders in recent NBA memory, but the guy has really gotten at it out there and if Corey Brewer can find enough of an offensive game to stay on the court, the Wolves can trot out a defensive backcourt that is miles beyond anything they had last year. Of course, the problem here is that neither Sessions or Brewer can shoot for you-know-what from the outside, but that's a question for another day.
- In the comment section of yesterday's post I was asked what my starting lineup would be at this point. It would be Sessions, Brewer, Sasha Pavlovic, Kevin Love, and Al Jefferson. That being said, it will be interesting to see if Jonny Flynn gets the start from the beginning of the year. Sessions is the best guard and point on this team. My lineup would give the Wolves a team with decent size on the wing, the best defenders on the squad, rebounding, and a fair amount of league experience. We'll see what happens. Pavlovic vs. Ryan Gomes is close and is going to be a pretty interesting dynamic going forward.
- Speaking of Mr. Gomes, he has looked pretty good putting the ball on the floor so far in camp. One of the big things I have noticed about the team's new Triangle-esque offense is that the weakside forward is going to need to be able to hit the open jumper of the swing pass or be able to take advantage of a rotating defense by putting the ball on the deck and heading towards the hoop. I think Gomes is going to get a stiff test on this front from Pavlovic. Sasha has some talent and a much better shot than Gomes. The kicker here is that Pavlovic is on a one-year contract while Gomes is operating on a non-guaranteed deal until 6/30/10. Both of these guys are, in a sense, playing for their next contract. Both of them are going to fulfill a similar role in the offense. Here's hoping that something good comes out of this competition.
- Whatever happens with Pavlovic or Gomes, I think the early line on the Wolves cashing in their chips in the 2010 offseason for a wing player is a good one. My early bet is that Brewer is kept around to play either the 2 or the 3 and that Kahn finds the best player he can to fill in the other starting spot.
- Camp favorite Devin Green spent the 2nd scrimmage on the trainer's table with a pack of ice on his left hamstring. Here's hoping it's nothing serious.
- Jack McClinton is probably not a guy who can hold down the 3rd point guard spot. He just doesn't look that comfortable on the ball while initiating the offense or bringing the ball up the court and he appears to be a shooting specialist stuck in a point guard's body.
- David Kahn once again wore shorts.
- Papa Glen was nowhere to be seen.
- Grown men once again wore all sorts of tracksuits.
- Oleksiy Pecherov has graduated from 1/2-assed "sprints" up and down the sideline to sprints (quotations removed) up the Besnan Arena stairs.
Well folks, that about does it. Yours truly is off to Oktoberfest today and due to some prior plans I will be unable to attend tomorrow night's preseason game right here in my backyard of Mankato. If anyone out there is going to the game, feel free to put up a FanPost about your experience.