Previews of this evening's game vs. Phoenix
From Kare 11: Belinda Jensen tours the home of Timberwolves' star Kevin Love (VIDEO)
He invited KARE 11 to visit him at his place in downtown Minneapolis where he lives with his brother, Collin. He gave a little tour and described his time here in Minnesota so far.
From Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune:
Darko Milicic returned to Orlando where he played one-plus season and repeated to media members there what he said here last week, that he's encouraged by his playing time, how he's being treated here and how he'd like to return if he continues to be used as he has and if the team shows it wants to win.
"Why not?" he said when asked why he'd come back rather than return to Europe.
"I said I wanted to go back (to Europe) because I thought nothing had changed for me by getting traded to New York and not playing. I knew nothing was going to happen and I was just going to finish out the season there. BUt htis summer, if they want me back and they are going to play me this much, and have any goals to be a winning team, then I would like to come back."
From Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune:
Kahn was encouraged that Milicic is interested in returning, but neither he nor Wolves coach Kurt Rambis is willing to commit just yet to guaranteeing such a role.
A starter's spot likely would prove problematic because it'd likely make Love's current temporary bench role a full-time job.
Unless, of course, the Wolves trade either Jefferson or Love, which Brown didn't seem to recommend. "He gives them depth and they didn't give up anything," Brown said. "You get a 7-foot-1 kid who's young. You need length to play with Jefferson. That helps. That creates a matchup problem for everybody. They got Love.
"When you have Jefferson and Love and you plug in somebody who can play with both those guys, that gives you some things you can build with."
From Phil Miller/Star Tribune:
Still, Gomes admits he's thought about it. If Minnesota doesn't trigger his option this summer, he will be a free agent, off a 10.6-point-per-game season, lowest since his rookie year. Won't general managers look at the Wolves' record as a red flag?
"When you don't win, you can expect to be critiqued a little more closely. It's a little different, because numbers don't mean much. You could be a 30-and-10 (point-and-rebound) guy, but if you don't win, those numbers aren't as valuable," Gomes said. "Individually, I had an OK year. Just OK -- last year I think I played better. Of course, we had a new system to learn. But ultimately, you're still judged by what you did on the floor. And I'm still working hard. We all are."
From Ronald Tillery/The Commercial Appeal:
So why in the world would the T'wolves bring back Cardinal for the season's final 11 games after trading his expiring contract to New York for Darko Milicic's expiring contract?
"He's honest in the locker room," Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis said. "To have a peer tell players what's right, what's wrong, what's true, what's not true. He just brings so many of those intangible leadership skills. It's good. I think the guys missed him and were happy to see him."
From Darren "Doogie" Wolfson/Star Tribune: The Great Wall of Kentucky or Evan Almighty?
From Matt Moore/ProBasketballTalk: No seriously, the Wolves think Darko is part of the answer
From Mike Monroe/San Antonio Express-News:
The Timberwolves are so bad, general manager David Kahn flew to New York to beg Darko Milicic to play for his team rather than head back to Europe, after he acquired him in trade.
Darko Milicic!