Wolves: Really? This is it?
By Stephen Litel
January 26th, 2010
Yet again, we all knew that the 2009-10 season would be a long, tedious one. The Timberwolves bought themselves a tiny window of time as they played their young players, truly evaluating what it is they have and how to move forward with this team. We would allow losses without much complaint, as long as we saw steady development from the young players…or, at the very least, if we saw the proper effort on the court.
Entering Tuesday night’s game with the New York Knicks, the Timberwolves were 9-36, so it has indeed already been a long season. Therefore, we have passed the halfway mark of the year, so let us look back at the development and growth we have seen throughout the year. Let’s find the positive aspects in this year that make us optimistic for the future in any way.
Um…let me think…
Corey Brewer’s jumpshot is improved. It’s not always consistent, but it is improved.
That’s all I have from my vantage point. I’m tapped.
Honestly, it is not their win-loss record that bothers me. With their record as it stands, they are in position for one part of the plan: to achieve an incredibly high draft pick this summer. What disturbs me is the evaluation of the players currently on the team. As I just stated, the improvement in Brewer’s jumpshot is about the only positive one can find.
There are talented players on this team. Al Jefferson is a beast down in the post, although he is not back to the same form he was before his knee injury last season. Kevin Love is a rebounding machine, but like Jefferson, is not a franchise player. Your two best players are not players you can build a playoff-contending or championship-contending team around, so then the attention shifts to the rookie, Jonny Flynn.
As stated in previous articles, Flynn will have a fine NBA career. He will be a player in this league for years to come, but has not shown the ability to be a true point guard. At times, his spectacular ability to score the ball makes up for his inconsistent playmaking, but at some point you would love to see a string of games where he shows a commitment to distributing the ball. Maybe one day I will eat these words, but even with the positives Flynn displays throughout his rookie year, I do not believe he will be a franchise player at any point in his career.
Personally, I wonder at what point does male ego play into this team at all because, frankly, it doesn’t seem as if anyone on the team has one. They can all say the right things like, “we’re just taking it one game at a time and trying to get better” or other comments we’ve heard numerous times, but when do they just suck it up, play with everything they have and go down swinging? They show no heart, no passion, no love or respect for the game they claim to love and it’s getting very old.
I mean, come on…if you’re going to lose, make the opponent EARN their win. Swing elbows, dive for loose balls, give the cliché 110%, play an entire 48-minute game, bite an ear off…do something that shows heart. This team seems to bend over right after the national anthem.
Find a pulse, Timberwolves. Give your few remaining fans something, anything to feel good about before the end of the year. Minnesota winters are long and grinding, Brett Favre and the Vikings are done for the year and it’s months before Twins baseball and, ahem, Lynx basketball…give us something during the remainder of the year.
