Slow Sports Day Recap

via www.minnpost.com

Not much happening in Minny today.  The big news of the day was that the Journalism Is A Joke Sid Hartman Memorial Statue was revealed today near Target Center. Other than that...not so much. 

The Wolves played a pre-season game in Paris.  Against the Knickerbockers.  It was a lively affair with better play in the first half than the haggard second. Legs were definitely tired in the 2nd. 

We have Four Factors:

We have Random Comments:

• Corey Brewer is going to quickly play himself out of a job with the uber-athletic, adequate defending, good ball handling, and solid shooting Martel Webster and Wes Johnson waiting at the gates.  Webster and Johnson could hold down the 2/3 with Michael Beasley all year long and I don't think that too many folks would shed a tear for Brew and his pet goat.  Well...I will.  Corey improved by miles and miles last year and he showed up to training camp this year in shape and with something to prove.  He is a genuinely good person and I hope he's just going through a rough patch.  Wrong Gator or not in the 07 Draft, I hope Brewer finds a way to stick with the Wolves as a reserve. 
• Seriously, take a look at the OREB% and FT/FG numbers.  Yesterday, I was complaining about the Wolves' offensive rebounding numbers.  Tonight, I'm marveling at them.  Hooray preseason.  I still say that offensive rebounding will be something to keep an eye on this year with Pek and Darko in the rotation. 
• Speaking of Pek, he's going to make an early push for Darko's minutes.  He better, because Anthony Tolliver will make a play for his. 
• Bassy, we missed you.  17 minutes and only 2 shots! That's the type of player we've been waiting for for a long, long time.  Someday the Wolves PR folks will wake up and start selling Bassy jerseys.  
• Each and every single Wolves starter had a negative +/- while each and every single Wolves bench player had a positive one.  
• Where in the hell is Kosta Koufos?  The guy played well in camp but he hasn't seen a sniff of action in the two games so far. (UPDATE: Koufos saw action in the first game....apparently none of which was during the time I was watching a stream on the intertronz.) 
• The Wolves took 46 free throws.  46 f'ing free throws.  Long time readers of this site know that there is nothing I like more than up tempo play and massive free throw differentials.  Free throws are the best thing about basketball.  Free points with the clock stopped.  Amen, brother...amen.  
• Kevin Love is a damn good baller.  The Wolves 100% picked the right power forward to build around. 24 minutes, 9 FTAs, 14 boards, and 17 points. Yes, he is going to get his shot blocked at a relatively high clip, but he's better-than-advertised on the defensive end and he can play the hell out of his position.  
• If Mike Beasley becomes a gunner, there is going to be a lot of good and a lot of bad.  
• I think I'm really going to have a blog crush on Nikola Pekovic.  Dude has some serious skills.  My favorite Pek play of the night is when he looked like he was going to take it up strong in traffic and then eased out a finger roll for a layup.  Serbians with bad ass tattoos shouldn't have that much finesse.  
• Wes Johnson isn't going to be a star, but he's going to be damn good.  Quick release, insanely athletic...the only thing he doesn't have is a killer instinct.  This became obvious today when he took a pass in transition on the left wing and instead of taking it hard at the hoop, he looked for the pass.  Had he had Mike Beasley's head with his own athleticism and length, he would have had a highlight reel dunk.