Timberwolves Training Camp, Lynx Clinch West, USMNT Going to Brazil

The Timberwolves have announced that their training camp will open on October 1st in Mankato.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Twolves&amp;src=hash">#Twolves</a> will open training camp on Tuesday, Oct. 1 in Mankato, MN. Will spend four days in Mankato before returning to Mpls.</p>&mdash; Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) <a href="https://twitter.com/Twolves_PR/statuses/377814947490586624">September 11, 2013</a></blockquote>

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They will open their pre-season schedule against CSKA Moscow at Target Center on October 7th.

Players are starting to filter back to Minnesota, as Chase Budinger and rookies Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, and Lorenzo Brown have been working out with new player development coach Bobby Jackson.

The USMNT secured their spot in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup with a 2-0 (Dos a Cero) win over a dire Mexico side in Columbus last night.  Goals from Eddie Johnson and Landon Donovan in the 2nd half were the difference, and the U.S. qualifies with two games remaining.  It's been a fantastic year for the U.S. soccer team, with 13 wins in their last 14 games, many of them important qualifiers.

The Minnesota Lynx clinched the top seed in the Western Conference for the 3rd straight year with their win in Seattle last night.  Maya Moore led the Lynx with 20 points, and Lindsay Whalen had 19.  If you missed it earlier, Whalen, who is having arguably her best season, recently signed a three year contract extension with they Lynx.

The Lynx will face Seattle in their playoff opening series next week; we'll have more coverage then.  In the meantime, the team is still playing to have the best overall record in the WNBA.  One win in their remaining two games (at L.A. and home to Chicago), or one Chicago loss will do it.

Eurobasket continues.  In the 2nd round, which starts today, the 12 remaining teams are split into two groups of six, and each play three teams in their group.  The top four teams from each of these groups emerge as the quarterfinalists.  Russia was eliminated in the first round, so hopefully Alexey Shved will get some rest and get to Minnesota ready to go.  He was clearly Russia's best player, leading them in scoring (16.4/g) and assists (4.8) while shooting a reasonable 46.5% from the field.

Spain won their first round group, and continue on.  They play Greece on Thursday in their first game of the second round. Ricky Rubio has been rounding into form during the tournament and has looked like a star the last couple of games.  He's 2nd to Rudy Fernandez in scoring for a very balanced team, and leads in assists.  He's taken over the starting point guard job, and is third on the team in minutes behind Marc Gasol and Fernandez.

We've been ignoring FIBA Americas, because, well, there's only so much time.  But the final is tonight, and it pits J.J. Barea and Puerto Rico against Mexico.  The game is available on ESPN3 at 7pm Central.

If you want to watch the Milt Newton presser, you can do so at the Timberwolves site.

No appealing musical birthdays today, so let's listen to CHer Dave Chisholm and friends:

Have a great day.

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