Wolves Updates 3/6

Click here for the forum’s thread for tonight’s game against Houston
Game previews:
The Timberwolves are planning a campaign later this month to promote Corey Brewer for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award — which is as close as they can find to the trophy he really deserves.

Too bad there’s no recognition for “Most Surprising Player,” because Brewer might win it unanimously. His season, Brewer admits, has shocked him, too.

“Coming off [knee] surgery, I knew I was going to be rusty,” said the third-year guard, who turned 23 on Friday. “But I was surprised. My explosiveness came back. I’m feeling a lot more confident.”

Minnesota will own a length advantage in tomorrow night’s contest, especially in the post. Big man Ryan Hollins has become an integral part of the Wolves gameplan on both sides of the floor. In preparation for facing Luis Scola and Chuck Hayes, Hollins battled Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Darko Milicic and Oleksiy Pecherov in several drills today. Hollins is more confident with his game after a season in the starting lineup and next to several different frontcourt teammates.

“I definitely know it’s a lot better, more so, a lot of adjustments, I have changed a lot of things, adjust to the offense and get used to my teammates also,” Hollins said. The former UCLA center has just started to tap into his potential talent as he continues to bring non-stop motor to the court.

From City Pages: Charles Barkley, Al Jefferson, Antoine Walker: NBA DUIs
From Stephen Litel/SLAM Online: A Week of Wolves
From David Thorpe/ESPN: Rookie Watch: West whipping East
1b. Ricky Rubio

The Timberwolves hold his rights, and either he’ll play for them or serve as a great trade asset for Minnesota in a year or two.

Let’s say Rubio comes over in 2011-12 and tears it up. Let’s say he actually does play like Jason Kidd, a player to whom he’s been compared lately. Well, Kidd won Rookie of the Year in 1994-95 (sharing the award with Grant Hill). So yeah, that means the West could have three straight Rookies of the Year, all from the 2009 draft.

It’s not likely, and John Wall and Evan Turner will have some say in this next season, but it’s certainly possible. Rubio is the lead guard for what might be the best team in the world outside the NBA and is gaining invaluable experience in how to run an elite team. Think about how well Jennings and Omri Casspi played early this season, and consider that Rubio has had much more of an impact in Europe this season than those two guys did before they came over.

Fans can join Love and the Hoops team during the week-long celebration by logging on to hoopsforstjude.org and donating to St. Jude. All funds raised will help children battle cancer and other deadly diseases. While visiting hoopsforstjude.org, fans can also bid on exclusive autographed items donated by the Hoops team members and other NBA stars, including Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
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