Minnesota Timberwolves

[Brandon]

I'm a fan of the Wolves, and I'm really happy to see them really succeed this season. Does everybody think they can keep it up in the tough West over the whole season? How about the playoffs, is this the first time they'll get past the first round. I hope and think so. What about future success, do you think they can keep it up with all those draft picks taken away?

[lmanchur.]

K.G. has become one of my more favored players in the NBA behind Vice Carter, but the T-Wolves aren't up there on my list of "favorite NBA teams."

[Marc]

I really like the T-Wolves. Kevin Garnett is great, he gives them a great go-to guy. And Terrell Brandon is a very underrated player at PG. Plus, I like Wally Szczerbiak who is coming on. They are a well-coached team, as well, with Flip Saunders.

[Spike]

Oh the Timberwolves. I was thinking about putting a thread about them before but I always forgot. Good job, Brandon.

I would say they're the best medium range jump shooting in the league and out of all the teams in the league they probably take advantage of the new rules the most. They play the most zone in the league. Or at least they did earlier in the year.

Originally posted by SC Brandon:

How about the playoffs, is this the first time they'll get past the first round.

Anyways, I think the Timberwolves have a shot at the 4th seed in the Western Conference and if they get that then I think yeah this is finally the year they get to 2nd round of the playoffs.

I don't know if they'll get any farther than that though because what's going to hurt this team in the playoffs is the same thing that could hurt Phoenix and the same thing that might hurt Dallas is they don't really have a dominate low post scorer and when the postseason comes a lot of walk it up, half court play is used in the 4th Quarter of close games. And not having that type of low post scorer could hurt them. Just looking at some of the top teams in the West. The Kings have Chris Webber and Vlade Divac. The Lakers have, of course, Shaq. And the Spurs have Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

What about future success, do you think they can keep it up with all those draft picks taken away?

I thought I recently read a headline that said that David Stern gave them one of their draft picks back.

[Marc]

So the T-Wolves beat the two-time defending champion Lakers 120-102 last night. Quite a show of "we're for real, L.A.!" Wally is one of my favorite players, and an all-around nice guy. And K.G. ought to be a leading MVP candidate. They continue to impress me.

[Bran]

Ladies and Gentleman
Lakers Win The West
No Doubt About It

[Spike]

Yeah and what's particular impressive about that win by Minnesota is take a look how the Lakers were playing coming into that game. They were one of the hottest teams in the N.B.A. themselves winning 6 in a row.

And the Lakers were not only winning, they were blowing people out on the road. Then they come to Minnesota and get worked big time. So it's not like the Timberwolves caught them at a down time period.

But I guess if you wanted to you could also look at it as another case of the Eastern Conference being inferior to the Western Conference. Because the Lakers had been killing East teams on the road and as soon at they met a West team on the road they got routed.

[Bran]

TImberwolves playing very good right now.
Thank Wally & Garnett
Plus Terrel Brandon is an underrated player

[Spike]

Ouch for Minnesota. Terrell Brandon is out for the year with a leg injury. I was thinking before that this could be the year that Minnesota finally gets out of the first round of the playoffs. But I'm not so sure now.

Then again Chaucey Billups has played well in Brandon's absence.

[Marc]

Ouch (literally), that hurts for Minnesota. As Spike pointed out, Billups has finally come together and is a solid starter-type player. Remember when he was drafted high by the Celtics? He was then traded to Denver, but he was once a very promising player. I think he still is.

[Bran]

That's gotta hurt for sure. I think though the T-Wolves are still a great team but Brandon will be missed for sure.

[air_canada]

Even though Brandon is out, Chauncey Billups is doing well replacing him. He's a good point guard (Billups) but Brandon is better. That's really unfortunate for the Wolves.

But, it's like a car driving down the street. It just happens.

[Spike]

Uh oh, the Timberwolves are in trouble. Lost again, this time at home to the Rockets, 96 to 95. That's their 5th straight loss. It looks like not having Terrell Brandon has finally caught up with them. I remember thinking before this team might have a good chance of actually getting out of the 1st round this season but I'm not so sure now.

Because if the playoffs started today, they would not have home court over San Antonio so I'd have to go with the Spurs. And Portland's coming on strong so the Timberwolves could end up with the 6th seed and that would match them up with the *gulp* Lakers.

[air_canada]

*gulp* indeed. I favor San Antonio also. I don't think the Wolves have so much tools on their side. Too bad. It could have been a good playoff run.

[Spike]

Timberwolves lose again and officially (for the moment anyways) lost the 5th seed to the Portland Trail Blazers. This time their 7th loss in a row. They lost at home too. Talk about going into the dumper.

And you know things are going bad when you lose to the Jazz who aren't exactly lighting the world on fire themselves and who probably will lose the 8th spot to the L.A. Clippers when it's all said and done.