From John Hollinger/ESPN: In-Season All-Improved Team
Brewer might be the most improved shooter in the league. Or the most improved shooter ever, for that matter. Here’s a stat that will floor you: As of Jan. 7, he’d made 23 3-pointers his entire career. Since then, he’s made a triple in 27 consecutive games — breaking Minnesota’s franchise record. As you might imagine, the improved stroke helps his other numbers, too: Brewer averaged 15.6 points on 47 percent shooting in February.
Timberwolves coach Kurt Rambis told me that Brewer’s balance was the key: Brewer had been leaning back or to the side too often as he went up for his shot, and the Wolves had worked with him on going forward toward the rim as he launches. Apparently it’s worked; he’s made 43.1 percent of his 3s during the current streak, and a shot opponents once happily conceded to him now shows up on their scouting reports.
Terry said the blow broke his orbital bone, the area that encases the socket of the eye. A timetable will be released after the surgery is performed.
“It was completely inadvertent. There wasn’t anything malicious to what Corey did. That’s what the referees saw, too,” Rambis said. “That’s unfortunate for Jason. That’s unfortunate for the Mavericks, as well.”
Love, the first NBA player to sign on with St. Jude, has been joined by Pau Gasol, Shane Battier, Danny Granger, Rudy Gay, Steve Blake and Karl — the Denver coach touched profoundly and publicly by cancer. Each player has pledged to donate money for every basket he makes this season with a minimum pledge of $20,000 apiece. Coaches throughout the league are wearing Hoops for St. Jude lapel pins this week, and autographed jerseys from superstars like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and others are being auctioned on eBay to raise more money for the cause. Bids are being taken through Sunday.
From Jerry Zgoda/Star Tribune:
Wayne Ellington and Nathan Jawai didn’t practice again today with that sprained ankle each sustained in practice on Monday. Best case scenario for Ellington would seem to be Monday’s rematch with Dallas, but that may be optimistic.
I usually get the turkey sandwich (that whole “trying to eat healthy” thing), but when I drop my inhibitions, I believe they have an item called the “Super Nacho” that’s about as deliciously naughty as you can get.
However, in this season of struggle for this very young team, it’s tragic this has happened and turned so much of the attention away from the team’s and Al’s work.
I know this has hit Big Al hard. He’s one of the hardest workers in practice, he’s truly happy to play in Minnesota and he enjoys being a T’Wolve standout. Jefferson also knows he makes a boat load of money and knows that this kind of action carries consequences.
“It’s a great environment,” Hollins said. “It takes you back to your college days.”
For Flynn, that’s a whole year removed. “It’s a great arena, great fans, great energy,” Flynn said. “They bring out the best in us, I guess.”
The Wolves lost 112-109 to the Mavs on Wednesday, five days after they got clobbered in front of a loud, sellout crowd in Oklahoma City. “Guys like to perform, absolutely,” Rambis said. “But I’d have them look at the Oklahoma City game: Same college environment, packed house. We didn’t fare too well there. Maybe you should have brought that up to them.”
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