For the Wolves, it almost felt like a funeral in their locker room. Guys were totally dejected. Many left before speaking with the media.
Head coach Randy Wittman did talk to the media, and I asked him if his team’s eight-game losing streak and inability to hold fourth quarter leads was more physical or psychological. He responded by chuckling and saying he wasn’t sure but that maybe he should go see a psychologist.
Pretty much sums up the state of affairs right now for Minnesota. They are a young and very talented group that just can’t seem to closeout games.
In truth, this thing really has become psychological for Minnesota. All the physical tools are there, it’s just that mentally you can see the team waiting for the other shoe to drop in the fourth quarter.
Rookie Kevin Love came out of Sunday’s starting lineup in favor of Ryan Gomes after four consecutive starts. In two preseason games against Denver, Love struggled to defend the Nuggets’ Martin.
“Kevin’s going through playing people for the first time,” Wittman said. “I think he now, after we played them twice in the preseason, has an understanding who Kenyon Martin is, who [Linas] Kleiza is. Sometimes playing a guy for the first time, it’s an adjustment.”
Wittman said after Saturday’s game against Portland that he had to keep substituting for players who weren’t doing things the right way, but he admitted it left the Wolves a little short on the court at times.
Case in point: When center Al Jefferson left the game with 3:30 to play in the third quarter, his team had a 65-57 lead.
When he returned with 9:27 left in the fourth, the Blazers scored to cut it to 73-71.
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