The Three-Pointer: Smothered

• Why would the sixers want to hurry to make this trade. They are in the sweepstakes right now for the number one pick. If the trade drags on for another month or two, they might not win another game in that span. The worst thing they could do is get decent players that might somehow gel enough to get them out of the basement in the anemic east.

• So, does the Denver fight mean we get Iverson?

• The proverbial word on the street is that Denver is close to landing Iverson. Because we never had enough assets to compete in the sweepstates, McHale and company will inevitably tout Foye more than ever. They will say that they never intended to trade the rookie. If that's true, play the kid. I keep hearing from the Timberwolves [and fans] that he offers such great promise. Well, he's 23, in today's NBA, that should warrant at least 30 minutes a game.

• Re AndyB's link to the Strib's Souhan: If you want realistic opinions about the Wolves, you gotta read this guy named, uh, Britt Robson, in the City Pages. IMO, virtually everybody else in town is basically a paid shill or an unrepentant homer. My personal position is that the Wolves need a solid, rebounding and defensive center far worse than *any* point guard. The closest thing to one that the Wolves have ever had was Ervin Johnson. Despite his age and ailing knees, he was quietly key to the Wolves most successful season ever. A winning team will bring folks to the Target Center better, and for years longer, than a superstar tandem that "entertains" but doesn't win.

• I don't mean to turn this into an "I read such-and-such at this Web site," but Realgm.com has picked up a story citing an NBA "source" that claims Iverson's going to the Nuggets. It claims it's a 3-team deal (doesn't list third team) involving 5 players, as well as Denver giving up both its first-round picks in this coming draft. I don't know, I'm content to say "bring it" and wait and see if Carmelo Anthony and Iverson can play with one ball. The fact that Denver--maybe as big a rival as the Wolves have--hemorages a couple picks makes it all the better. Unfortunately, I'd expect the Nuggets would free themselves of either Nene's albatross contract or Kenyon Martin in such a scenario. Let's hope not.

• ...and, I can't decide which would be the better option. And the reason is that there is no guarantee that the Wolves will be a championship caliber team with AI and there is no guarantee that the wolves can be a .625 winning percentage team with the current roster. So, I guess, I'd roll the dice. AI and KG is about as close to a dream team scenario you could get in the NBA. But, do it quickly, because I'm liable to change my mind tomorrow.

• The Strib's Souhan thinks Garnett and Iverson would be perfect together. <a href="http://www.startribune.com/150/story/876863.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.startribune.com/150/story/876863.html</a> I think it comes down to this. With what the Wolves have right now, we will be happy with a .750 winning percentage at home and a .500 winning percentage on the road. This puts them in the playoffs as a 5-8 seed. The teams above in the West are Spurs, Dallas, Phoenix and, probably, Utah and the Lakers. This would be a very good season considering where the Wolves were a year ago. However, as we seen at San Antonio, the five teams ahead of them are solidly better teams at the end of the season. A player like AI, could push the Wolves in with those teams, if he stays healthy. The problem is that we would lose Foye, and a good chance of Smith also, since Philly wants to rebuild with young players, draft picks and contract space. AI and KG have the remainder of their contracts together. Two years to make a run at a championsnship. If they both can't be signed to extensions, this pairing won't last any longer. BOoth of them will have better prospects at signing with other teams with a solid core of younger players, rather than stay together as they get older without any prospect for additional help coming to them. The choice is between being a playoff team with a chance to win for many more years (I believe KG will stay in Minnesota if we can be a .625 playoff team and he sees chances for improvement with players like Foye and Smith) or making a run at a championship with AI in KG still in their prime over the next two years, but don't expect much beyond that.

• I dont think AI would actually be 2nd fiddle to KG. AI would score more, without question, and get to the line more. But KG would be the undisputed leader of the squad. I think they could work well together.

• To "Answer" the query posed by timby & midlife crisis: "does AI listen to Casey?" - in a word, no. Further, can Iverson even handle being second fiddle to KG? Marbury couldn't. Szczerbiak couldn't. And talking both talent and ego here, they're not in AI's league.

• The handling of the potential AI trade will reflect the way of the Twolves.

• Timby had a great point that I hadn't thought of... does AI listen to Casey? That Garnett listens to him is a real show of humility, especially as he can be completely outcoached. I don't see alot of other stars (well, not any other stars) acting that way.

• Over at EPSN.com here is what Marc Stein is saying about the T-wolves (#2, apparently, behind Denver, in the race to get AI): You still hear executives around the league mention the Wolves first or second in spite of their well-chronicled lack of first-round picks to offer for the rest of this decade. But that shouldn't surprise you. Not with Iverson wanting to team with Kevin Garnett, KG wanting it even more and Villanova alumnus Randy Foye � who we've said from the start is the player Philly likes most in this whole process � potentially headlining the package that comes to the Sixers. The Wolves' issues haven't changed. They don't have that first-round pick to throw in and can't complete a straight swap with Philly unless the Sixers are suddenly willing to take one of the longer Minnesota contracts (Marko Jaric, Troy Hudson, Mark Blount, Mike James) they've consistently refused. Can the Wolves find a third team � like Charlotte � to absorb one of those four and route an expiring contract back to the Sixers? Would the Wolves, if there is no third team, be willing to throw in their other promising rookie (Craig Smith) with Foye � and, say, a $3 million sweetener � to compensate for their lack of first-rounders? I certainly would if I were in Kevin McHale's place.

• regarding the AI rumors... seems like the widely-held sticking point is whether or not we want to give up Foye. (no one seems to care what other players are involved, and neither do i, frankly) now, i see Foye's potential just like everyone else... but i have to ask: what's the best we can realistically expect him to be? i thinking a reasonable answer to that is... well, maybe he can become as good as AI someday. someday! (i'm not even sure that's reasonable to expect). meanwhile, we have all-everything KG playing on some relatively old knees, patiently waiting for potencial to happen. he deserves a teammate like AI... now. let's make another 2-3 year experiment, trade for AI and see what he, KG and the remaining crew can do over the next few years. KG deserves it. and, as patient as we fans have been, we deserve it too.

• I think its funny how quickly opinions can change over how well coaches and GM's are doing, when often their failure or success is based on random circumstances, such as personalities conflicts, injuries, scandals, etc and lottery ball bounces along with lucky (or unlucky)guesses on draft day. As an example, I was talking to another Wolves fan while watching the game last night. It was during the first half and the Wolves appeared to be on the way to their 5th victory in a row against the Spurs on their court. We were discussing the Iverson trade and this guy was being very harsh on Mchale for the position the Wolves were currently in and the trevails they've been through with lost draft choices, contracts, trades etc, over the past decade. Now, keeping in mind I was riding high on the Wolves current lead over SA and the past four victories, I suddenly had this thought. "Listen," I told him. "If the Wolves get back to being one of the top teams in the Western conference this year--say finishing in the top four and getting to the Western semifinals. Well, it will be the result of a Boston trade that resulted in the addition of two players in the starting five (Davis and Blount) for a Wally and Kandi, a leading sixth man off the bench in a previous trade, a successful free agent singee (Mike James), and a draft that produced two players who contributed significant minutes in the rotation (Foye and Smith). You know what that means? It means Mchale is going to be Executive of the year." We both almost fell off our stools laughing as the words came were uttered out of my mouth. Mchale - Executive of the Year. The Terry Ryan of the NBA. It seems damn near impossible, but if the stars get propertly aligned, and James and Davis can prove to be players who can benefit from playing alongside KG, it actually could happen. Then again, maybe not. What if he actually pulls off the AI trade and gets to the conference finals?

• I only watched part of the tilt last night, but it crystalized my thinking on the AI dilemma (as if we have anything to say about it). The obvious thing to me is that we're looking at a season of ups and downs that may result in the team coming together and just making or just missing the playoffs and then KG possibly leaving next summer...OR...may result in more bad than good and KG demanding a trade or leaving next summer. If I have to choose between the very real possibility of KG leaving (and the rebuilding that would come after that - especially if he opts out and just flat out leaves rather than being traded) or sacrificing some youth (Foye) and, hopefully, some huge contracts (Thud, plus Jaric or Avis or whomever) for the chance to see AI and KG play together at their intense best trying to get that elusive ring (knowing it may not work)... It's an easy choice. I'll take AI.

• Casey will continue to be out-coached in this league, as he continues to prove that he is not an NBA caliber coach. He spent 17 years or so as an assistant coach, yet he doesn't anticipate that the other team will make adjustments at halftime and he will need to counter them? It didn't take a coaching genius to see the Wolves needed to get better ball-handlers in the game in the second half. Watching the Wolves implode against the SA defense in the second half was very frustrating. The guards would run the ball well to the basket even through the pressure, but repeatedly kicked the ball out for shots, which worked in the first half but not in the second half. I think when they penetrate, the guards need to initiate more contact and try to finish at the basket. Parker and Ginobilli get rewarded for this aggressiveness, and James and Foye will too over time (though probably not much last night: the refs were clearly allowing a lot of contact last night, and in the second half the Spurs were going to get the calls.) I thought Mike James was supposed to be such a good penetrator? We need to see more of it. My other frustration last night happened early: Tony Parker picks up a foul in the first minute of play for bumping James on a drive. If I'm the coach, the next half dozen times on offense I run Mike James right at Parker with the ball. Parker can be a lazy defender at times (as he proved when he later picked up his second first-quarter foul by grabbing James' jersey on a pick and roll) so you want to consciously attempt to get him in foul trouble early every game. If you don't, he's around all night to run through your defense and score 23 points. Yet, no sign that Casey or Mike James gave this any thought. Well, it was their loss eventually. Sadly, I think we'll see more due to this lack of basketball IQ (Ricky Davis fits right in there too as we saw him again drive and jump in the air with no place to go.) I'm starting to worry that it will take till next year to start seeing KG, Smith, Hassell, and Foye on the court together regularly. When it happens, the BB IQ will be at its best with this current roster. P.S. I don't want to see IA come here. I don't think Casey could handle him and the team would implode with no prospect of youth (i.e., Foye and Smith) leading them to get better in the future given their lack of draft choices. However, if Philly were to toss in a number 1 choice or more ... oh, I forgot, that's McHale that trades away choices.

• Thanks D, I arrived late in the first qtr, so I must have missed that one. I watched the game at NBACity and I arrived just as Jaric made that drive off the break and put the ball around his back, but kind of caught the ball on his hip and sort of stumbled then tossed the ball at the rim to no avail. A chorus of laughter went up at the Target Center establishment just as the bartender arrived with my two pints (two-for-ones till 8 pm). They showed the replay and another round a laughter also ensued from the patrons. I love Jaric's style of play and I don't hold it against him for trying to make Sports Center, but he's best when he plays fundamental b-ball.

• Hmm. From the dept. of wishful thinking, maybe Casey didn't play Hudson because Huddy's about to go out the door as part of a deal for Iverson. It's almost Christmas, and I'd love to see the Iverson trade if it only involved DNPs....

• Hi Andy, Jaric hit a shot off the dribble last night. I think it was his second of the game, catch, pump fake to clear the defense, dribble in to the elbow, shot. However, it's the exception that proves the rule. I was surprised too.

• So, I didn't see the game (but followed online and have read all the stories) but... As Britt mentions above, it does seem really odd that Casey did not play Hudson last night. It seems like a lineup of James, Foye, Hudson, Smith and Garnett may have had the best chance of advancing the ball quickly against the SA pressure defense. Although Davis is a good passer he does not handle pressure well and everytime he puts the ball on the floor is an invitation for a steal and a layup at the other end. This lineup could have been augmented with Jaric and Hassell (although Hassell really can't shoot). Why not play Hudson, James, and Foye together last night? Seems like the best strategy would have been to go with the best ball-handlers on the team and some of the best shooters.

• The wolves shot 1-11 from three point land. The spurs hit 8 of 15. I continue to marvel at how such a guard heavy team can routinely shoot such a rancid percentage from downtown. If i were an opposing coach I wouldn't even bother contending our three pointers. Obviously not the main reason the wolves lost, but 1-11? Come on. Hey Britt, you called it a couple posts ago: J.P. worships Blount! I kept laughing in the first half when every other word out of his mouth was praising Blount. The guy's been a nice surprise, but he's a jump shooting center! The only thing funnier than J.P. constantly talking up Blount were the pre-season claims that Hassell had developed into a three point marksman during the offseason. Most people on this message board could hit more threes then Hassell, or Davis, who is shooting 17 percent for the year. Half of the western conference has three players in their starting line ups who are decent three point shooters, while the wolves have two, at best, on their roster. On a side note, Craig Smith needs to play 25 minutes a game, period.

• Assuming AI doesn't happen (and I expect Indiana to get him in the next day or so), Casey needs to work on building James' confidence without making James feel like he has to be a world beater when he plays guards like Parker. When you're overmatched at a position, just try to limit the damage. Last night's second half was painful, but the Wolves could have done better had they not lost their confidence. Since I've never played the game I really don't know, but it seems like it's the job of the coach to adjust when the game plan gets thoroughly disrupted. Even I could see that the drive and then pass cross court under the basket move wasn't working, and I'm sure that for SA to shut that off, they must have been vulnerable elsewhere. But hey, that was one hell of a first half, eh?

• Let's talk about last night for just a second though. As my girlfriend sometimes tells me, the reason she gets so upset is because her expectations were so high. That's exactly the same kind of thinking that left me so disgruntled at the conclusion of last evenings contest. Had I walked away from the game with 3 minutes remaining in the second, I would have been walking on clouds the remainder of the evening. Having watched to game to its conclusion, I was forced to involve myself in a couple hours of post game Grand Theft Auto to take out my frustration. What changed last night game? Tony frecking Parker was subbed back in after his foul trouble and the Spurs were able to cut a 16 point deficeit to 8 at the half. Equally brutal, in my mind were the three he nails from 29 feet at the buzzer in the third and the Matt Bonner trey with 7 seconds to go in the 2nd. The three before the half dipped a double digit lead to 8 and gave the Spurs momentum coming out of the locker room. Momentum the immediatly leveraged to apply the full court press on the Wovlies first possession of the third. Amazingly, Casey never adjusted our approach to cope with the additional pressure. You have a dearth of solid/decent ballhandlers/passers on this team. I'd say its one of our strengths. Get some help back, put three point guards out there, say Foye-James-Jaric, any one of them will be able to get up court with the rock better than Mark Blount. Especially considering SA plays Elson and Oh Boy Oberto in the middle, you should be able to attack on the offensive end without a bona fide center on the floor. The point to this rant is in support of Robson's assesment this AM, Pop is a much better coach than Casey. Last night it clearly showed. I still think our current team is wickedly talented. I agree with Jim Peterson, that this team has more depth and talent than the MV3 club. It's not a better team yet, just has more potential. I don't think we need the "Answer". The problem over the last year plus has been too many turnovers, inconsistent rotations and a general lack of identity. That blame lies with the man in charge of our bench. And as I watched PJ Carlissimo on the other side, I couldn't help but wonder what we really can be.

• I think last night may have been a learning experience for Casey. Pop has had a number of years with the same group so he can throw all kinds of looks out. He can do this because his players have practiced these things over years. For the Woofies' cast, together for just one preseason, they are working on defensive rotations and the high pick-n-roll, but simply don't have the repertoire for many opponents' defenses. I want to give the Casey and the gang the benefit of the doubt, mostly because I doubt we're getting AI (no matter how moronic Billy King is).

• Death by turnovers. I think in the third quarter there was a stretch of six consecutive possessions the Wolves coughed it up. Tip your cap to the Spurs for a lot of that, but a big part of the Wolves' slow start was turnovers. There aren't a lot of easy fixes for that, unfortunately. And the Spurs are yet another team that flaunts the benefits of having good perimiter shooters come at you in waves. The criticism's often made about the roster's glut of wing players. I say the bigger problem is most of those wing players can't shoot, a huge act of negligence when you're building a team around Garnett. Granted, some of that is out of McHale's hands--Hoiberg, McCants, and I think they thought Jaric would help a little more than he has in that department--but the fact is the team has just one lone deep threat in James, which is laughable in "today's NBA." This may seem like a lame idea considering everyone's absorbed in Iverson talk, but I'd strongly consider trading one of the Wolves' bad contracts for one of Memphis', Brian Cardinal. At least he'd provide a legitimate kick-out option for Foye on the second unit.

• As expected, last night provided a real test for whether The Wolves had turned the corner. Through the first half, it appeared they had. However, shortly after the second half started, it became clear that SA was the more edominant team. As far as position players, there is little doubt that SA has a huge advantage at the point guard position. Parker penetrated and scored almost at will and his harassment on the defensive end led to many turnovers. We need Allen Iverson. The one bright spot in the second half was Randy Foye. As a rookie, there are still some raw aspects of his game. But, given some time he seems destined to join that group of a half dozen. Probably not this year, but how long did it take Parker to get there? Of course Parker started as a 19 year old kid, not a 23 y/o with 4 yrs of college. But, Foye still seems to possess some NBA all-star qualities. With proper grooming by Casey and KG, Foye could be in the top dozen by the end of 07/08 season. We don't need Allen Iverson. Even KG was horrible in the second half last night, but as Britt pointed out--if James and Davis are not effective, then it make it that much more difficult for KG to be effective. James and Ricky Davis are good NBA players, but they are in the middle of the pack at their respective positions in the NBA--and, I agree that this is a fact. KG needs more help than middle of the pack players, if we are to be a contending team in West. We need Allen Iverson. In the second half, a completely different team came out to play for SA. Popo should get the credit for coming up with a scheme to frustrate the Wolves and turn the course of the game. But, Popo also has a core of players who have played together for a few years and been through a few wars. The Wolves have not had this luxury. Parker, Ginobili, Duncan and Bowen know and trust each other. Throw in veterans like Barry, Finley and Horry and these players know how to respond to adversity. The Wolves haven't played together nearly long enough to know how to handle every new situation or defensive scheme thrown at them.They don't trust each other enough. It takes time and last night could be a blow to their confidence or another battle that they have to learn from. Changing the roster would cause the Wolves to start all over on the this total team learning curve. We don't need Allen Iverson. I don't know about the rest of you, but this is how I have been going over the past week. From wanting AI to thinking it would be a grave mistake. I read the Simmons article yesterday before Britt posted it and after I gave many reasons for the Wolves not to pursue this trade. I felt like an idiot, because Simmons has some high praise for AI. But, still, I have my doubts, and there are risks that would accompany this trade. I have a feeling that Philly doesn't have that many options. Of the ones they do, Randy Foye holds the most promise for bringing people into the arena. I think there is a good chance AI ends up coming here. I'm excited and very concerned at the same time. Finally, I have a question. Has anyone ever seen Jaric hit a jumper off the dribble? If he catches a pass and has his feet set, he's money. But once he puts the ball on the floor, he either has to take it all the way to the basket or his shot wil clang hard off the rim. I still like him, though.

• I'm disappointed in Casey's inability to "counter the counter." When Kalamian said the Wolves need to stick to the pick-and-roll because of its success, I thought, "Don't you think Pop is going to find a way to shut that down or at least slow it down?" Of course, he did. So what did the Wolves do? Stick to the same game plan as they had in the first half: high pick and rolls, drive and kick, rinse, repeat. Only the defense was tighter, the turnovers increased and the shots stopped falling. Unfortunately, Case didn't have an answer. One additional note: When I tuned in (a few minutes into the second period, I think) last night the first thing I heard was Jim Pete saying this Wolves squad is more talented than the 2003 team. Good one Jim! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Where can I get some of that Kool Aid?

• Great analysis of the second half breakdown Britt. I definitely agree that not playing James more was a mistake. I believed the game tonight against San Antonio would be a more worthy barometer of the state of this team than any of the previous 4. Buoyed by the expectations of the recent streak and largely supported by the numerous comments in this blog, I watched the first half with great delight. After torching the vaunted Spurs for 56 points in this first half, it sure looked good. I started thinking that perhaps this team was really moving forward. The team was fluid in offense and tough on the defensive end. Especially impressive was Foye's penetration and Jaric's three point shooting. KG himself looked reborn, playing his usual great all around game, but he also seemed to be more attack minded as he pushed the ball toward the hoop like I hadn't seen since the MV3 year. And Craig James finally looked like the tough inside banger the Wolves have needed for years. The Timberwolves play in the second half was the deja vu all over again thing. Minnesota continues its Jekyll and Hyde performance when facing the better teams in the league. Casey and the Gang were taught a lesson in winning. Basketball, and in my mind that is 99% mental. Popovich is such a much better coach than Casey it�s not even close. Casey and his assistants had no answers to the adjustments made by the Spurs at halftime, especially their defensive ones. This in my opinion is much the same malaise that hindered the team last year also. So instead of staying competitive, there was poor clock management, quitting on in-bounds play, bad shot selection, KG mouthing off something or another at the end of another frustrating loss. I say pull the trigger and bring in AI. Until that occurs, we're nowhere near making the playoffs

TotalComments: 28