Runnin - n - Gunnin
RSSPosts tagged with "minnesota timberwolves"
Speaking of Brad Miller retiring, here’s him checking out of an NBA game for the last time of his NBA career. He didn’t play much for the Timberwolves, but you can tell how much his teammates cared about him. As an NBA fan who remembers watching Miller back in junior high and high school, I’ll miss him on the court.
Here’s him also scoring his last ever NBA field goal.
Most players retire during the offseason, so sometimes you don’t even realize when they play their final NBA game. What I love about this season with both Miller and Wallace is that in announcing retirement pre-season or mid-season, we all know when their last game will be, and we get beautiful moments like this.
Two of the best undrafted NBA players both played their last NBA games last night.
My favorite memories of Brad Miller came from his stint with the Sacramento Kings, playing along side Chris Webber and Mike Bibby, whilst coached by the great Rick Adelman. Brad Miller’s choice to play with the Timberwolves this season was because he wanted another chance to play for Adelman. Miller played 14 seasons in the NBA and was a 2 time NBA All-Star.
Ben Wallace may be best remembered for being the defensive anchor for that amazing 2004 Championship Detroit Pistons team, beating out an LA Lakers squad that featured Gary Payton, Kobe, Shaq, and Karl Malone. Wallace was a 4 time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, as well as an NBA All-Star four times. Wallace is retiring after 16 years in the NBA.
The best part about last night, though? Both teams wore blue headbands in honor of their respective retiring veteran. If that doesn’t warm you heart, then you don’t have one.
I honestly would like to believe that this is the reason why the Minnesota Timberwolves didn’t trade Michael Beasley. Pure comedy.
Minnesota Timberwolves G Ricky Rubio will be out for the rest of the NBA season and the Olympics with a torn ACL (source: Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports)
Goodbye fun times in Minnesota. He sustained the knee injury while guarding Kobe, so if you’d like, we can all blame him. Hopefully in these last 20+ games of the season Kevin Love can carry the team and keep their current 8th playoff seed. But who knows, the addition of Rubio was a main part of the change in culture for the Timberwolves squad.
This news makes me really sad, especially since the Wolves had become my 2nd favorite team (as well as everyone else’s). I just hope that he has a speedy recovery.
Your Minnesota Timberwolves singing (and dancing) to “Tearin’ Up My Heart” by NSYNC.
Of course you want to see the Minnesota Timberwolves dance and sing to N’Sync. OF COURSE YOU DO.
Jason Terry Alley-Oop Pass to Brandan Wright on the Fast Break vs. the Timberwolves
I love watching Dirk play basketball, especially when he turns it on. His one-footed fadeaway jumper is one of the greatest things in the NBA, and he deserves to be on the court. If he wasn’t getting old and was in full shape, he’d definitely be the best Power Forward in the league right now.
With that being said…
We need more moments like this when he goes to the booth and helps with the color commentating and play-by-play. I remember him doing it sometime last year as well when he was out with injury, and it was definitely as entertaining as this was. On the court or on the sidelines, Dirk Nowtizki gives you gold. Or… whatever those championship rings are made out of.
Also, that was an insane alley from Jason Terry. Let’s hope Brandan Wright keeps his shoulder healthy so that he could continue getting lobs like these. As a Warrior fan I’m too familiar with him being “Broken Wing.”
The Dallas Mavericks are a bunch of funny dudes.
Timberwolves forward Anthony Tolliver tweeted this picture before their game at Dallas today (Wednesday). Of course, it was J.J. Barea’s “homecoming” to the Mavs since signing with the Wolves this offseason, and so they decided to give him one last tease. From Tolliver’s tweet:
Look what the Mavericks did to JJ Bareas locker! Hahahahaha
I love it.
In honor of Bruce Bowen’s Jersey retirement
Kevin Love’s Game Winning Three vs. the Los Angeles Clippers
Let’s just talk about this for a little bit, because it was a beautiful play.
During the inbounds play, Derrick Williams comes around as a decoy as Ridnour fakes a pass his way. As this happens, Kevin Love pops out of the key to the top of the 3 point arc. As he pops out, Ricky Rubio and Wayne Ellington close in, causing a two-man screen on DeAndre Jordan, leaving a wide open Kevin Love for the game winning shot.
This season, the T-Wolves had some poor last second execution in plays (i.e. vs. the Bucks and the Heat), but this time it looked like both Rick Adelman and his players knew what they were doing. Adelman even admits that this was a play that he would run for other 3 point shooting big man Brad Miller.
Let’s also not forget that the Clippers have had terrible last second defensive execution as well. Honestly, where was DeAndre going when Jason Terry hit that 3? Regardless, the play above is mostly the offense totally outplaying the defense. Rubio and Ellington did a great job closing out on Jordan and not allowing him to get to Love in time. Great play Adelman, really great play.
Also, my favorite part of this whole play was Love pulling a Gilbert Arenas
This is a Ricky Rubio Appreciation Post
Yesterday, Friday the 13th of January, Ricky Rubio recorded his first ever NBA start, so I decided to dedicate a post to him.
I’m not going to lie, I was very skeptical of Ricky Rubio when he decided to join the Timberwolves this past summer. Granted, I haven’t watched a lot of Euroleague basketball, but from what I have seen and learned, I made up my mind that he was just a flashy passer that wouldn’t pan out on the NBA level. (Part of this comes from my bias of watching Stephen Curry outplay him during the USA vs. Spain game at the 2010 FIBA World Championships).
Boy, was I wrong.
Passing was never going to be an issue for this kid, and he showed it right from the get go.
The Minnesota Timberwolves opened up the 2011-2012 season versus the West favorites to win the conference: the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Wolves ended up with a loss, but a few bright spots shone through, one of which was their shining rookie. You knew that something was special when he weaved this bounce pass between Eric Maynor and Nick Collison:
And that was the beginning of something beautiful.
The Timberwolves’ third game came against the favorites to have the best record in the league: The Miami Heat. Yes, the Wolves ended up with another loss, but this game gave Rubio his first ever NBA double-double with 12 points and 12 assists.
My biggest knock on Rubio at first was that he wouldn’t be able to shoot, but honestly watching the Wolves play, he doesn’t really need to shoot. He creates for his teammates so well that they should knock down their open looks from his assists. Also, he’s shooting 47.1% from the field, which is really not bad at all for a guard. Granted, he doesn’t take a lot of shots, but that’s still a good percentage.
I also want to point out that on January 8th vs. the Washington Wizards, Rubio threw this great lob to a wide open Derrick Williams:
Rubio loves those long lobs, doesn’t he.
Through ten games, Rubio had been coming off the bench for Rick Adelman. Adelman, a very good and well respected coach is known for giving some burn to rookies, mostly to help them develop coming off the bench. Everyone wanted to see him start, though, as well as he should. Nothing against Luke Ridnour, though. He’s a serviceable point guard that does deserve a starting spot on most teams, but when you got a player as electrifying and as good as Ricky Rubio, you have to start him.
Which brings us to the T-Wolves game vs. the New Orleans Hornets. Adelman decided to start Rubio at the point and he didn’t disappoint. Let’s just explain it this way: Rubio behind the back pass to Ellington for the three.
I mentioned in my season previews that I expected Timberwolves teammate Derrick Williams to win this season’s Rookie of the Year. It’s too late to take back that choice, but at this moment in time, Ricky Rubio will win this season’s Rookie of the Year. With that type of play and that kind of hype, it’s no question that he will win. His numbers may not stand out at 10 ppg and 8apg, but he’s ROY material. By the way, his 8 assists per game rank if 8th in all of the NBA. The next rookie down is Kyrie Irving who ranks 25th with 5.2.
If Rubio wins this season’s Rookie of the Year, that would mean the 3 most recent ROY awards would all go to players drafted in 2009. That draft class is looking better and better each year.
I have given into the Rubio hype and it is amazing. I’m happy for the Timberwolves; they’re a team to watch again.
About Runnin - n - Gunnin
My love for writing comes from my experience being a Literature major at the University of California, Santa Cruz (c/o 11)
My love for basketball came from watching countless NBA games with my dad ever since I was a kid.
This is where my love for both collide. I hope you enjoy my opinions and analysis. Whether you do or not, feel free to comment; I'd love to start conversation!
