A Foundation to Build On

Okay, let’s forget about making the playoffs for a second.

Let’s forget how awful our wing play can be and how frustrating it is to watch our second overall draft pick sit on the bench.

Let’s forget about buzz words like “production” and “fit.”

Instead, let’s talk about what is clearly a team that is just one or two years away from being a championship contender.

Click “Read More” to find out why Jon Schweppe is making ridiculous outlandish statements!

Against the Houston Rockets last night, we saw the Timberwolves at their best. We saw their three stars (THREE!) play pretty damn well. In fact, each of them deserve a couple paragraphs.

Nikola Pekovic

So… yeah. Let’s talk about Pek. Did any of us see this coming? I always thought Pek had some solid post moves, but he has really put it together in the last couple weeks. Tonight Pek put up a career high 30 points with 12 rebounds. He’s really turning into an I-can’t-believe-I’m-saying-this-but-it’s-completely-true-go-to-scorer. 

Most importantly, he’s been consistent. He’s shooting 62% from the field. This isn’t an aberration. Pek is easily one of the best post scorers in the NBA, and it’s not close. He’s also improved dramatically on defense. Out of nowhere, we have a starting center not named Darko Milicic. Wow.

Kevin Love

Love continues to impress me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone put up 33 points and 17 rebounds as quietly as he did tonight. At the beginning of the season, I’d make the argument that Love was a top 20 NBA player. Now I’m ready to say top 5. How many players would you trade him for straight up? Lebron? Durant? Howard? Sure. But who else? It’s time to start asking the question: Is Kevin Love the best player from the 2008 draft class (instead of Derrick Rose?)

Houston made a predictable run at the start of the 4th quarter, and actually closed the lead to one point. Then Kevin Love took over, put his team on his back, and scored the next 8 points (2 three pointers and a put-back) and walked the Timberwolves into a victory.

Also, are you serious? When was the last time two starting bigs both had 30-10 games? If this keeps up, we have one of the best frontcourt offensive tandems in the league.

Ricky Rubio

I’ve gushed and gushed about Rubio, and I don’t need to repeat myself. He’s an incredible player to watch. He’s a born leader. In just half a season, he’s passed Kevin Garnett as my favorite player of all time. And most importantly, he is going to get a lot better. He had a fantastic game (18 points, 9 assists), but I was most impressed with his poise under pressure. I just love this guy.

Also, I’m choosing to point this out on a night he didn’t get several steals, but… who’s better than Ricky Rubio at defending the point guard position while playing exceptional team help defense? Who? Anybody? Bueller?

These three players are our stars of the future. Do we have the wing positions solidified yet? Probably not. We have some potential guys (Derrick Williams, Malcolm Lee), some questionable guys (Michael Beasley, Martell Webster), and some truly terrible guys (I don’t need to name names)… but it’ll come together.

We may not make the playoffs this year, and I’m okay with that. We’re going to have the privilege of watching a championship contender for the rest of the decade, and that’s something worth cheering about.