Wolves record: 1-7
Jonah Ballow/Timberwolves site gives a synopsis of each quarter
“This is Groundhog Day,” the Timberwolves’ coach said Saturday night after his club gave away another game, squandering a 12-point third-quarter lead in an 88-83 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in front of 12,213 at Target Center.
Brandon Roy scored four of his 24 points in the final 64 seconds, and Travis Outlaw hit a 20-foot jumper with 49.8 seconds left as the Blazers outscored the Wolves 6-0 down the stretch to give Minnesota (1-7) its seventh consecutive loss.
Minnesota fell to 1-7 with an 88-83 loss. It once again held a double-digit second-half lead. Yet all the Timberwolves have to show is another inauspicious beginning, a year after starting 1-10.
“It’s still early in the season, so I still have a little hope; I’m still believing,” guard Sebastian Telfair said. “But it’s tough right now. Frustrated. Aggravated. Embarrassed. Disappointed.”
Wittman pointed to a lack of team play in this latest defeat.
Wittman said he wasn’t sure if some of his players were more worried about their personal statistics or what. He was asked if he was referring specifically to Rashad McCants, who was benched for the entire fourth quarter after a 2-for-9 showing on mostly rushed shots in less than nine minutes of floor time.
“Next,” Wittman said.
Watch out NBA, Greg Oden is starting to clear the cobwebs from two injuries, giving Brandon Roy a monster presence down low for the young Portland Trail Blazers.
Playing the first back-to-back of his career, the former No. 1 draft pick followed his first double-double with 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in 23 minutes. Roy then closed things out in the Blazers’ 88-83 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
From Jonah Ballow/Timberwolves site:
Al Jefferson continues to be the consistent star on the team by finishing with 26 points and six rebounds. Even with double team pressure from Portland all night, Jefferson was effective against the lengthy Blazers post players. With 1:15 left in the game, Jefferson hit a jumper over rookie Greg Oden to give the Wolves an 83-82 lead. Portland would then counter with Brandon Roy getting a quick basket and a dunk off of a turnover to lift the Blazers to an 86-83 advantage. Roy finished with 24 points and six assists with Portland improving to 6-4 and a tie for first place in the Northwest division.
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