Wolves News 3/24/10

Here’s a link to tonight’s game thread in the forums: Wolves @ Bobcats

Sporting News has a preview for tonight’s game.

While the Bobcats are trying to secure the six-year-old franchise’s first playoff berth, Minnesota is looking for its first victory since Feb. 23. The Timberwolves matched a season-high with their ninth straight home defeat, 106-100 to Toronto on Monday.

Minnesota trailed by one at halftime but allowed 60 second-half points.

“Our half-court defense let us down in the second half,” said coach Kurt Rambis, whose team is surrendering 113.6 points per game during its skid.

Forward Al Jefferson, who led Minnesota with 22 points, had 19 with 10 rebounds against the Bobcats last month. He also had a career-high six blocks in the Timberwolves’ last visit to Charlotte – a 100-90 defeat on Dec. 1, 2008.

Minnesota has lost five of its last six against Charlotte.

The Wolves Make Moves for Playoff Push and Other Teams Aren’t Happy About Cardinal-gate.

Rob Mahoney has the story for ProBasketballTalk

After dropping 13 of their last 13 games, the Minnesota Timberwolves knew it was time to make a change. So they’re bringing in the big guns, and likely re-signing two-time MVP Brian Cardinal for the home stretch.

The Wolves are just 28 games out of the final playoff spot in the West, meaning that Cardinal’s services are as vital as ever. He averaged an impressive 1.7 points and 0.9 rebounds per game this year in 27 contests for the Wolves until he was included in a trade that brought in former All-Star Darko Milicic.

Click the link to read the rest of this little story. It’s pretty funny.

From Jerry Zgoda’s Twitter page: Why, when I’m traveling to the next #Timberwolves game, do I walk right past my departure gate looking for the one to Bataan?

You know things are bad when the beat writer for the team equates going to wolves games to going on a death march.

I’m Developing an Obsession with the D-League

Here’s the latest Call-Up Rankings from Ridiculous Upside

2. (tie) Morris Almond, Maine Red Claws (24.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 51% FG, 42% 3pt) – I attended his game last night, hoping to be astounded after I found out that in his first seven games in March, Almond was averaging 23.6 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 58% from the field and 51% from 3-point land. Wow.  Unfortunately, he matched-up against former D-League defensive player of the year Renaldo Major, which led to a sub-par game from Almond.  Almond shot well enough (5-of-11 FG’s, 1-for-3 3’s, 5-of-8 FT’s for 16 points), but he turned the ball over five times and looked completely out of sync.  He also didn’t look great on defense, but that’s never been a strong point and, ultimately, what’s keeping him out of the NBA right now.  Still, I refuse to base his call-up status on one game, and the numbers really tell a great story.  As much as the preceding paragraph makes it seem as though he’s undeserving of this spot in the rankings, he definitely is – teams can always use a scorer off the bench.

2. (tie) Alexander Johnson, Sioux Falls Skyforce (22.6 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 56% FG) – Everything I think you need to know about Johnson can be read here.  Considering his recent tryout with the Milwaukee Bucks (they still haven’t made a decision yet), I think he’s fairly close to getting an NBA call-up – whether it’s with the Bucks or another team, though, is still up in the air.  The one thing I’d like to hammer home is that the majority of his production in the D-League is while off the bench (he’s started just seven of his 19 games) – this, to me, is really what gives him a leg up.  He’s going to have to come off the bench in the NBA, so knowing that he’s capable of doing so well off the bench in the D-League is quite promising.

I have no idea how Brian Cardinal helps us more than these guys or anyone else on this list

FavreDollarFootlongs has a Tiger Woods Mistress Slot Machine

It’s pretty fun and addicting. If you save Tiger and Elin’s marriage you can win a free Favre Dollar Footlongs t-shirt! Lol.

Esquire.com is having a Sexiest Woman Alive Contest in the spirit of March Madness

If Dick Vitale saw some of the crazy upsets that were going on here his head would explode