"Not long ago, ESPN analyst and former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy contemplated on air another long, losing Timberwolves' season and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Phil Jackson's vow that he will not coach next season. If I were Kurt Rambis, Van Gundy told viewers, I'd be beating my head on the Minnesota snow and tundra right now. So ... Is the former Lakers assistant coach who accepted the Wolves' head-coaching job 19 months ago, knowing that his friend and mentor won't coach forever, actually doing so? "No, that's not true," Rambis said. "I had to get into head coaching, you know. It was a good opportunity for me to get out and run the show. I like the opportunity. I like working with the guys. I see the progress." Rambis returned to Staples Center on Friday for the final time this season with a 17-victory team and faced his former franchise, which is tuning itself for April's playoffs by steamrolling through March. "Losing's tough, real tough," said Rambis, who won eight NBA titles as a player, assistant coach and executive with the Lakers. "I'm sure every player will tell you they've won everywhere that they've gone, but this is a whole different animal here. We have the youngest team in the league. For the most part, we're young men playing against men, real men who have experience. That's something they have to grow and learn through. "You wish it was just easy and you can snap your fingers and make it happen in weeks and months. It just doesn't work that way. It never has and it never will. It takes years." Rambis is approaching the end of his second season. He insisted upon -- and received -- a four-year contract before he accepted the job because he wanted that guaranteed time to help rebuild a franchise that hasn't made the playoffs since 2004. Rambis is 32-119 in nearly two seasons as Wolves coach." Read more: http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/118280039.html
