Hard to believe, but the T'Wolves are the best team of 2009. Turns out that the owner, after one stupid move after another managed to hit on a genius move when he made McHale coach the team he'd assembled. Who could have predicted that it would actually work? I guess having someone who really believes in you (and has a lot invested in you) helps (although not always - see Dunleavy, Mike (Sr.)). And Kevin Love is kicking ass! (Check out one of his famous outlet passes in the NBA.com top ten for last night.) And Randy Foye is making the pain of losing out on Brandon Roy just that little bit less. Anyone remotely see this coming? Oh, but Telfair still sucks.
certainly a much improved team, but they've also had by far the easiest schedule in the league the last month. since dec. 26 they've gone 13-4, but 11 of those 13 wins were against sub-.500 teams and the other two were against the slumping suns, and the hornets without chandler and west. they have the best record in january but they're a long way from the "best" team of 2009.
I didn't predict they'd be the best team in 2009, but I did repeatedly say this offseason that Love should be a good high post compliment to Big Al and that two injury plagued seasons was too early to throw a talent like Foye under the bus. The guy I didn't see coming is Ryan Gomes at SF... dude filled a major hole for them. He's provided solid all around play on both ends and really stepped up with his 3 point shot. Though they've exceeded expectations, I don't see them becoming a good defensive team with their current core. Their GM still has some work to do. STOMP
I think you can see the difference between having a coach with a positive attitude and one with a negative attitude. Randy Whitman was one of the most negative coaches I have ever observed. He could walk into a room and the mood would just drop. With a young team you don't need that. You need a positive attitude, encouragement, and the patience to teach.
Well it's not as if Minnesota is completely devoid of talent: Jefferson is a stud, Love is a talented and smart (if athletically limited) player, Foye will probably never be on Brandon's level, but he can shoot and pass a little. At the start of the season I honestly thought the Wolves would finish tenth or ninth in the West with around a .400 record. I just hope they aren't brimming with too much confidence when we play them (same goes for the somewhat improving Thunder).
I've watched a couple Timberwolves games recently and I like the way Mchale interacts with his players during games. He talks to his bench with a smile and encourages and congratulates his players coming off the floor with an arm around the shoulder or a pat on the butt when other coaches would have ignored them or let them know they just played like crap. I think he'll do well coaching a young team and I'm rooting for them to keep on winning. The Timberwolves announcers are calling Foye, Mr. Fourth Quarter. The games I've watched, Telfair has played OK.
McHale may be a crap GM (or maybe not, given he's the one that assembled this team), but he's the perfect coach for a team with big men like Jefferson and Love. Watching Kevin McHale videos on YouTube is like a clinic in low post moves. Both Love and Jefferson will benefit from McHale's coaching. Just look at how much Love's numbers are up since McHale took over. This is also the second time McHale has fired a coach, took over the team and led them to a much better record. In 2004-05, the Wolves were 25-26 and underachieving under Flip Saunders. McHale fired him, stepped in and led them to a 19-12 record over the rest of the season. He has his faults as a GM (Joe Smith), but McHale could play the game, and evidently, he can coach it, too. BNM
P.S. I know he'll never leave Minnesota, but good god, I'd love to have Kevin McHale as our big man coach. Can you imagine how good Oden and Aldridge would be with McHale working with them on their low post moves? BNM
It's sad that they have no chance of competing for a playoff spot. Same with the Warriors. These two teams will probably play well over the second half of the season or WOULD play well if they knew they could make the playoffs. If out East, they'd be right in it. But with the Warriors, if they win all of their remaining games, they could still miss the playoffs. Wolves? Well maybe if they went 35-4 the rest of the way?
