<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Randy Wittman's fix-it list is long, his time to do it is pressing. As the new Timberwolves coach turns his focus toward the second half of the season, he must deal with the baggage left over from the first half. Wittman, the team's management and players must shoulder responsibility also as they deal with the adjustments that a new coach will bring toward the remaining 41 games. "We have full confidence in his ability to coach us," forward Kevin Garnett said. "Guys have open arms. We feel terrible. You've got to feel responsible when someone loses their job. I look at myself in the mirror and ask myself questions. Now it's just trying to answer those questions and trying to apply them to the new situation." There's no shortage of questions and issues, from fixing the woes on defense, to coaxing more production from the reserves, to finding a rotation that works best, to tweaking the offense. And that doesn't even include trying to keep players happy on a roster clogged with guards as the Feb. 22 trade deadline approaches. And Wittman still has to coach this team on the floor, addressing his new concepts and philosophies. He divided Thursday's 90-minute session into some film study and some full-contact work with the most emphasis placed on instruction as players walked through situations and plays on the court. Wittman's primary focus in practice had little to do with the Seattle SuperSonics, tonight's opponent. "I'm not worried about who we're playing," he said. "I'm worried about the Minnesota Timberwolves." Former coach Dwane Casey didn't leave this team in bad shape. Although he wasn't the perfect coach (who is?), it's doubtful he was the team's biggest problem. The players feel it's up to them to win games, regardless of the name on the head coach's door at Target Center. "The coach may change the strategy," point guard Mike James said. "The way they approach a game may be different. The pregame speech and the postgame speech may be different, but besides that the players still have to go out there and win games. Coach Witt may prepare us a little different than the way Coach Case may prepare us. That may be the only thing." Do the Wolves have so many issues because of Casey, who went 53-69, including 20-20 this season? Or was Casey the latest casualty as a result of mistakes by vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale and team management in recent years? If e-mails readers have sent since Casey was fired Tuesday are any indication, the arrow points toward the latter. Wittman is the team's third coach since McHale fired Flip Saunders during the stretch run of the 2004-05 season. McHale took over on an interim status for the rest of that season in place of Saunders. Since 2005, McHale has added two point guards (Marko Jaric through a sign-and-trade, then James in free agency) to long-term deals to solidify the position. And so far, neither one has produced the fruits the organization had hoped. Jaric has asked to be traded because he is unhappy with his role, a source said recently. James is averaging 11.5 points a game, far fewer than the 20.3 points he averaged last season in Toronto during his breakout season. James has started every game but was pulled off the court with varying degrees of quickness under Casey, who wasn't shy about inserting rookie Randy Foye in his place. James either lost confidence along the way or just hasn't been used in the right manner so far, and the same can be said for Jaric. One of Wittman's tasks is to figure out how to get the most out of James ? and Jaric, if he isn't traded. Veteran Ricky Davis showed last Friday that he can create a flashpoint if he's not happy. He became upset when Casey pulled him in favor of Foye and refused to re-enter the game. Wittman's authoritative style might put those players in place and get them in line. But if Wittman doesn't carefully manage his players, his personality might clash with some of his players, as it did in Cleveland when he was the coach there from 1999 to 2001, when he went 62-102. Each player will have a different relationship with Wittman, who served nine seasons as a Wolves assistant spread across two previous stints. Garnett has a strong bond with him. "I think other guys probably will have more of an adjustment with him," Garnett said. "I know what he's capable of doing and his coaching ability and know his confidence in me and vice versa. I have no adjustment period with him. We have not just good dialogue, but great dialogue. ? He's going to make sure we're prepared and focused and ready to play."</div> Source
