Record: 20-62, 5th in Northwest Division, 15th in Western Conference
Statistical Comparisons
Notable:
30th in ppg differential (-8.8 ppg)
27th in opponent scoring (106.3 ppg)
28th in three-point %
29th in turnovers
26th in opponent turnovers
Others:
16th (tie) in the league in scoring (97.5 ppg)
23rd in field goal %
18th in opponent field goal %
24th in free throw attempts per game
9th in free throw percentage
16th (tie) in assists
23rd in steals
12th (tie) in blocks
Average offensive rebounding team
Average defensive rebounding team
Movement
Significant Additions: Joe Smith, Desmond Mason, Russell Westbrook (R), D.J. White (R)
Significant Subtractions: Luke Ridnour, Adrian Griffin, Francisco Elson, Donyell
Roster
Coach: P.J. Carlesimo
Key Players
PG: Russell Westbrook, Earl Watson
SG: Kevin Durant, Damien Wilkins
SF: Jeff Green, Desmond Mason
PF: Chris Wilcox, Joe Smith, D.J. White
C: Nick Collison, Johan Petro, Mouhamed Sene
Comments
OK, I feel constrained to say it (and probably will every time I mention this team for quite a while): moving the Sonics from
This team’s problems can be broken down into two general categories:
1. They’re putrid.
2. They didn’t get anyone this summer to make them less putrid.
Some will argue about Russell Westbrook and his brilliant future career. Maybe he’ll have one. But the key word there is “future”. Throw any point guard onto a team that can’t shoot from distance, can’t shoot from mid-range, and doesn’t draw fouls and you’re looking at a sad and lonely guy. Throw a rookie into that situation and he’s going to be in trouble. Westbrook could easily score big on his own, but that does not a point guard, nor team victories, make. The truth is you could throw coveted summer signing Baron Davis on this team and I’m not sure how much better they’d get.
Kevin Durant had a brilliant rookie year in terms of scoring. He’ll be one of the Next Big Things offensively in this league, as we all knew when he was drafted. If he develops legit three-point range in addition to his slashing, twisting, driving, and spinning game he’ll be near unstoppable. He could score 30 a game and still watch this team lost two out of every three, though. Jeff Green is a solid all-around player who would fit on any team. Chris Wilcox is a great rebounder when his head is right. Nick Collison can be a nice scorer and rebounder. That’s fairly faint praise, however. Even those players are semi-misfits and the rest of the roster qualifies fully.
With this hodgepodge of players it’s hard to pin down a system that’s going to produce results for
In short, it looks like another season of patchwork play, praying a bunch of youngsters (some tending towards middle-agers) develop quickly, and swallowing defeat after defeat. I believe P.J. Carlesimo is a good coach, but he can’t create an effective team out of what he’s got. He’s going to swallow a ton of losses until he’s let go 2-3 years from now and another coach takes over a team stocked with high draft picks.
(Homer Note: I wonder if the Blazers could steal Jeff Green sometime before then. He’s someone I’d like to have in our small forward corps. We might be able to make the Thunder a nice deal too if they’re looking for slightly more experienced players.)
Record: 22-60, 4th in Northwest Division, 13th (tie) in Western Conference
Statistical Comparisons
Notable:
26th in the league in scoring (95.6 ppg)
26th in ppg differential (-6.8 ppg)
27th in opponent field goal %
29th in free throw attempts per game
26th in assists
29th in blocks
Others:
21st in opponent scoring (102.4 ppg)
18th in field goal %
21st in three-point %
21st in free throw percentage
12th in steals
17th in turnovers
18th in opponent turnovers
Average offensive rebounding team
Average defensive rebounding team
Movement
Significant Additions: Kevin Love (R), Mike Miller, Jason Collins, Rodney Carney, Brian Cardinal
Significant Subtractions: Antoine Walker, Marco Jaric, Greg Buckner
Roster
Coach: Randy Wittman
Key Players
PG: Randy Foye, Sebastian Telfair
SG: Mike Miller, Rashad McCants
SF: Rodney Carney, Corey Brewer
PF: Kevin Love, Craig Smith, Ryan Gomes, Brian Cardinal
C: Al Jefferson, Jason Collins, Calvin Booth, Mark Madsen
Comments
On paper the Timberwolves look just as bad as the Thunder did last year. At least they got some help. Kevin Love is looking promising so far, and he is their main hope, of course. But they didn’t stay pat. They re-tooled their middle positions with offensive-minded Mike Miller and workhorse Rodney Carney. This allows Rashad McCants and Corey Brewer to resume their rightful places learning off the bench, hopefully providing a spark now and then. Randy Foye still has work to do at the point guard position, and
More curious, almost to the point of being amusing, is the Six Power Forwards of DOOM approach to the frontcourt. Their only true centers are Booth and Collins, both injured. Kevin Love and Al Jefferson should both score in droves. Craig Smith can also score and rebound. Between those three
In the end there are still too many holes and question marks to think the ‘Wolves are going to take a major step forward this year. But you can see where their hand is being built. They have a couple nice pieces available to move and a couple more upon which to build for the future. Saying there’s light at the end of the tunnel goes too far, but at least they’re moving in the right direction.
Read more about the Minnesota Timberwolves at CanisHoopus.com.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)