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Game Preview:
No matter how high Kevin Love’s board scores are (averages a shade under eight rebounds in 22 minutes), Timberwolves coach Kevin McHale is currently disinclined to reward him with a longer run.
Someone might want to make McHale aware NBA leader Dwight Howard averages 13.6 rebounds in 36.2 minutes. Projected over 48 minutes: 21.0. Love’s projection: 22.7.
So, why isn’t the 6-foot-8 rookie, whom McHale swapped on draft day for O.J. Mayo, drenched in daylight considering the 10-win (six in the last two weeks) team is a tenement-in-progress?
“I’m just a believer in that if you earn something, it always means more,” McHale explained to Love…
In that case, how come McHale didn’t feel it was necessary to earn his minutes behind the desk before assuming VP duties for the T’wolves, or on the bench before taking over for Flip Saunders.
After Love went for 15 rebounds and 16 points in Wednesday’s win over Mayo’s Grizzlies and still warranted just 23 minutes, I can see it’s no use trying to get through to McHale; he’s too set in his old-world ways.
Beginning tonight against an improved Milwaukee team, the Timberwolves play their next three games against some stiffer competition. After the Bucks, they play Miami (18-16) and Phoenix (19-13).
Playing these teams on the heels of a big streak can only help. It’s not a determining factor, however.
“I tell the guys all the time, when you play against a tougher team nothing changes,” coach Kevin McHale said. “Every time you play basketball, it truly is about you. You cannot control the other team, you can’t control anything they run, anything they do. The coach might bench all five of his best players because they all missed curfew. No one knows.”
The Wolves have not performed badly against upper-echelon teams but haven’t been able to finish down the stretch. That is the next step.
Beyond the X’s and O’s, players say they appreciate McHale’s easygoing approach.
“He’s easy to play for,” Miller said. “He’s always positive. He always preaches that practice is his time; games are our time. He’s always got your back, and every shot’s a good shot. Any time you have a confident coach like that, it definitely helps.”
McHale said there are times when he yells at the players, but it’s always behind closed doors.
“I would never do it in front of everybody,” he said. “I don’t think that’s how you do it. If we have things to say, we say it to each other face to face, man to man, and you guys never hear about it. That’s the way it should be.”
NBA star Rashad McCants will be featured in season two of “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” on E! Network.
The Minnesota Timberwolves guard has been dating star Khloe Kardashian, 24, for the past several months.
“My boyfriend Reggie (Bush of the New Orleans Saints) introduced Khole to Rashad at this charity event in New Orleans. Khloe is very quiet and private and tried to keep things quiet as long as she could. But she really likes Rashad.”
Bur Bur & His Friends on Wolves mascot Crunch showing some kids a good time at a recent birthday party.
Jonah Ballow/Timberwolves site posts audio from Friday’s practice from Kevin McHale, Randy Foye, and Mike Miller.
Rebounding is an art form. Sometimes the biggest, strongest and tallest athletes are outrebounded by a more talented player, such as Kevin Love. At 6-foot-10, Love has a knack for corralling boards in his first year in the NBA. Love crashed the glass on Wednesday night for 15 rebounds and scored 16 points for his sixth double-double on the season. As a large part of the Wolves success in the four consecutive games, Love averaged 14.8 points and 10.5 rebounds off the bench. Love seems to relish the 6th man role and now averages 8.4 points and 8.1 rebounds on the season. The rookie out of UCLA ranks 8th in the league in offensive rebounding, 22nd in total rebounds, and is the top rookie rebounder in the NBA. Jefferson told the media last week that Love has powered through the “rookie wall” and should have a strong second half of the season.
Minnesota’s Al Jefferson is in many ways a power forward, but he plays center for the Timberwolves, meaning his 22.6 points and 10.5 boards plus 1.8 blocks aren’t a threat. His team was among the worst in the NBA by starting 4-17, but they’ve quietly won four straight and 6-of-8 to get to 10 wins (I know, still not enough for an All-Star berth, especially as Jefferson doesn’t play great defense).
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