<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"><font size="1">Flip Saunders said he hoped he would be coaching the Timberwolves through this month because he felt most of the players would be healthy again by March and the team could make another successful drive in the playoffs. Saunders said one of the things he was going to do before he was fired Saturday was to talk to Kevin Garnett about getting last season's MVP to play fewer minutes. "Kevin needed to sit down a little bit and give his knee some rest because, in watching film, I could see that his rebounding range, getting the rebounds, he's not there," Saunders said Sunday. "He hasn't been able to do the things that make him such a great player. And it's not because he doesn't want to do it mentally, because right now physically he is just really, really worn down. His legs have really taken a pounding." Later in the day, a worn-down Garnett was 0-for-6 in the fourth quarter of Chicago's 87-83 victory over the Wolves at Target Center, proving Saunders' point. Saunders said Sam Cassell, Troy Hudson and Michael Olowokandi all came to training camp after having surgery. He was convinced all three wouldn't be able to perform at their top of their ability this year. Most interesting, though, the former coach said there were chemistry problems that needed to be cleared up. When team VP Kevin McHale, who took over as coach, called Saunders on Saturday morning, "I told Kevin, 'I'm not the problem.' I think that there were some issues that he brought up as far as, earlier, that never became resolved. But I'm not going to get into all those issues. That kind of destroyed a little bit of where we were from a chemistry standpoint as a team." Garnett, a big Saunders fan, admits that the focus of the team is not the same as last year, when the team was 54-28 and went to the Western Conference finals. "Our focus, our presence aren't the same as they were last season," Garnett said. "Last year we weren't full-throttle like we are, so roles were a little easier to be simplified, and now you've got a lot more weapons, a lot more weapons than we usually do, and sometimes it's hard to consolidate it." It might help Garnett's health if he passed up the All-Star Game on Sunday. But he is not the kind of person who would use an injury to cop out, so he will be there.</font></div> Link
One of the reasons why KG is not having the year he had last year is that he is taking so much beating physically not to mention his knees have not made him effective. If I am KG, I don't go to the All-Star Game next week. He needs to rest up and if he continues to be ineffective, he might as well take the year off and get ready for next season. I want him at 100 percent next season with a brand new head coach.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">with a brand new head coach</div> .. and a brand new team. But that would look like what T-Mac did last season in Orlando, he rested as far as I can remember the last 9 games only because he was frustrated and didn't want to play and lose any more. And I don't think KG would do such a thing.
