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Metal Monday: More from Wolves-Thunder

More notes from the Wolves preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

By ZacharyBD
Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

At practice on Saturday, the Wolves were split into three teams, which were selected using some-sort of draft. These three squads scrimmaged, practiced and, apparently; JJ Barea, Kevin Martin, Corey Brewer, Thaddeus Young and Ronnie Turiaf was the group who impressed Flip Saunders the most.

Saunders explained to Jerry Zgoda after the game, Barea, Martin, Brewer, Young and Turiaf started the game because of their performance in practice the day before. Saunders said it was the first time he'd ever done something like that before.

I thought those guys (the starters) played well, and I thought the guys off-the-bench played well.

In his first preseason action of the season, Kevin Martin said "it felt good to get back out there with the team."

Flip (Saunders) did a great job of letting us work into our sets more, yesterday. We needed to get into a flow. We worked hard on that. Tonight, he wanted us to execute better. The offense was definitely much better tonight.

Martin explained to Zgoda, on Saunders; "He'll keep you on your toes. You walk in everyday never knowing what to expect, but that's what makes him so great."

Martin scored 13 points on 4 of 10 shooting, going one-of-three from the three point line and four-of-four from the charity stripe. It was his effort on the defensive end that received praise from Saunders after the game.

Chase Budinger, recently involved in trade-rumors, did not play (coaches decision), nor did Kyrylo Fesenko or Shabazz Muhammad (coaches decision). Zach LaVine was on the floor a total of 24 seconds, but left the game and did not return - I'm still trying to figure out why.

Anthony Bennett was ineffective due to a sore-right knee. He scored one point and tallied one rebound during nearly 11 minutes of playing time. In Bennett's absence, Robbie Hummel and Glenn Robinson III saw considerable action during the second half of Sunday's game. Hummel scored 13 points in nearly 20 minutes, in addition to grabbing seven rebounds and recording three assists.

Robinson III played a little over eight minutes, shooting two-of-four from the field en route to a four points, two rebound performance. Zgoda said GR3 was playing like he belonged out there. Foreshadowing? Who knows.

The Wolves played a 3/4, half-court trap defense last night. Apparently it was effective. I wish I could have seen it.

Here's a link to the box score.

Random Tweets

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Music

First, there's this.

Thanks, Jer, for that.

Here's this. (Usually I'm indifferent on covers. I heard this recently. I don't hate it.)

Anndddd your alternative. (One of the greatest tunes of all-time.)