1. The defense restsThe Wolves play again tomorrow at home so I'll be brief tonight. The Wolves yielded 50 points in the paint to a 3-point-shooting team. The Bulls shot 48 percent, and were 36-65 from inside the three-point arc.

1. Leadership
This is going to sound corny, but I still think it's true. For whatever reason, my seat this afternoon happened to be the closest in press row to the end of the Wolves' bench. After a dreadful month (check previous posts for details), Kevin Garnett was having a monster game, just one board and three dimes away from a triple-double at the end of the first half, and his boy Rashad McCants was as happy and animated as I've ever seen him over on the bench.

1. Ineffective timeouts
After last night's heartbreaking 102-101 overtime loss to Denver, the Strib's Steve Aschburner asked Coach Dwane Casey if he was satisfied by the team's play coming out of the Wolves's timeouts, and mentioned that it seemed as if they couldn't get good shots. Casey was genuinely surprised, said he'd have to go look at the tape but that he was satisfied that his squad was "getting good looks" out of his timeout situations.

1. 46 points in 36 minutes
That's what the Timberwolves scored in the final three quarters of their disheartening 78-90 loss to the Washington Wizards tonight. The team's offense has steadily declined, averaging fewer points per game in each succeeding month since November. And anyone not driven to somnambulance by their putrid play can see why.

1. What a concept: Team defense
For the first time in nearly a month--I peg it to January 20 when they beat Indiana 90-85--the Wolves won a game on the strength of their defense. They utilized more full-court pressure than at any time this season, and played a very tough, physical style of the sort opponents once deployed to take down Minnesota back in their Brandon-Rasho-KG softness days.

Britt Robson wrote a Hang Time column for today and thus won't be posting a Three-Pointer on tonight's Wolves-Raptors game. But he is anxious to hear what you have to say about it.

1. Mystery
What is Coach Dwane Casey up to? I'm dead serious about this. What is the plan? After last night's game, Casey said it was to develop into an uptempo, transition-oriented team. Well, tonight Minnesota outrebounded the Hornets 54-35, including 36-6 on the defensive boards, the first crucial step when you want to run. With Marko Jaric joining Troy Hudson on the injured and inactive list (as if a bum knee was the major impediment to Jaric's playing time), the Wolves played quick-tempo point guards Carter or Banks the entire game. Quick tempo guard Ricky Davis logged a team-high 45 minutes. Quick tempo front court players Justin Reed and Mark Madsen were both over 20 minutes. And the Wolves had exactly nine fast break points.

1. Upping the tempo
I don't understand Coach Dwane Casey's substitution patterns, and haven't for weeks and weeks now. The massive movement of personnel arising from the Boston deal has only muddled things further.
But to his credit, after tonight's confused and confusing loss to a Utah squad that is less talented but much better self-identified than the collection of individuals on the Wolves, Casey gave me a clear and succinct answer when I asked him what this team is trying to do and where it is trying to go.

1. Centers of Attention
(Apologies for the late post. My fabled computer skills kicked in last night when I had my website open in one area while amending the site in another. Result: Wiped out copy and a trudge to bed.)

By starting Madsen and AC against Phoenix, Casey was sending the message that passion, movement without the ball, playing team D and feeding KG were the priorities. Right message, right opponent, right result. I cringed when I saw Mad Dog remain in the starting lineup versus Ilgauskas last night, thinking that Griffin was the superior option. When it was over, I had to concede that Madsen had played a whale of a game, and increasingly understand why he's getting steady minutes.

Britt Robson taped the game for later viewing and won't be able to comment on the Wolves upset win over Phoenix. But he's anxious to hear your thoughts.