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Timberwolves Notes

Posted on December 12, 2011December 29, 2011 by David Shama

News, quotes and opinion from the Timberwolves pre-training camp opening news conference:

New coach Rick Adelman impressed with his no nonsense talk. He said last season’s 17-65 team played “horrendous” defense and that must change. As Houston’s coach, he recalled coaching against the Timberwolves in the final game of the 2010-11 season and seeing the league’s most generous defense.

“We (the Rockets) got whatever we wanted in our first option,” he said. “We never even had to go anywhere else.”

The 65-year-old Adelman has played and coached a lot of basketball. He plans to put a stop to the Wolves’ habit of giving up easy baskets including in transition defense.

He described the Wolves as a “pretty good offensive team” but negatives include leading the NBA in turnovers and not producing enough assists. He and his staff will preach changes on both offense and defense during a short training camp and two exhibition games leading up to the season opener at home on December 26 versus Oklahoma City.

“There’s a trust level in the way you play the game at both ends of the court that we’ve gotta ingrain in them (his players),” Adelman said. “We’ve gotta make them understand this is how we’re gonna play.”

Adelman wishes he had more veteran leadership on a team that could have five starters 25 and younger. He’s labeled forward Kevin Love, 23, as a team leader. Adelman said Love will have the ball in his hands more this season. “There’s no way he should average two or three assists per game,” the coach said.

Love said he grew emotionally over the summer, almost crying when recalling conversations with family that he declined to detail. He’s ready for leadership including being a “facilitator” in the offense and utilizing his superb court awareness. He’s also ready to “hopefully get this team going in crunch time.”

Assists will increase, too, with the arrival of point guard and passing whiz Ricky Rubio. Love broke up the press confidence when asked his impression of Rubio after scrimmaging with him: “I think he passed the sh.. out of it.”

Love reduced his weight after a summer in which he deliberately ate better. Gone is the baby fat and flab of the past. He looks like a different person and seems more mature.

While Love is a certain starter, Adelman will encourage competition for playing minutes. There will be no set starting team for early practices.

The Wolves will have 16 fewer games during the strike-shortened upcoming schedule to better last year’s 17 wins total. Take the bet the Wolves will do just that.

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Worth Noting

Posted on December 12, 2011December 29, 2011 by David Shama

Timberwolves rookie forward Derrick Williams talking about the competition for playing time including at power forward where several players like him are in the mix: “Even people on your team are enemies.”

The Wolves will play only two preseason games — at home against Milwaukee on December 17 and at Milwaukee on December 21— and both will be televised on FOX Sports North.

Vikings placekicker Ryan Longwell said his friend Brett Favre mentors nephew Dylan Favre, a college quarterback who has left Mississippi State. “When you have a resource like Brett Favre in the family tree, you should certainly use it,” Longwell said.

Longwell plans to work during the offseason with a PGA pro to improve his golf game and possibly qualify for the 2012 U.S. Open next June. He said his golf project won’t hurt preparations for football. He doesn’t kick during the offseason until a “couple weeks” before minicamp and training camp.

Vikings rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph: “Whenever the ball is in the air, I treat it as mine.”

Mankato West’s Phillip Nelson was selected as the Mr. Football winner yesterday. He passed for 35 touchdowns and threw for 20 this season. The Gophers recruit and all-state quarterback was also honored as Minnesota prep player of the year by the Associated Press and ESPN. The Mr. Football program is sponsored by the Minnesota Football Coaches Association and the Vikings.

Troy Gloster, who is a redshirt freshman linebacker at West Virginia, is the grandson of the late Sandy Stephens, the former Gophers All-American quarterback.

The 10-1 basketball Gophers play Central Michigan tomorrow night at Williams Arena. The Chippewas are 4-4 and lost their last game, 65-57 to Tennessee State. The team’s best player is guard Trey Zeigler who is averaging 17.8 points and 8.3 rebounds. Dad Ernie Zeigler is head coach.

Point guard Andre Hollins, who has an ankle injury, didn’t play in the Gophers win over Saint Peter’s on Saturday but Minnesota coach Tubby Smith said after the game he expects Hollins to be ready for tomorrow night.

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien emailed news that DeLaSalle sophomore Reid Travis has been offered a scholarship by Northwestern.

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Worth Noting

Posted on December 7, 2011December 29, 2011 by David Shama

Former Minneapolis South High star Tayler Hill, now at Ohio State, is the Big Ten Women’s Player of the Week after averaging 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals in wins over Florida State and Oklahoma last week.

Eric Dungy, son of former Gophers quarterback and Vikings assistant coach Tony Dungy, is a reserve redshirt freshman wide receiver who has played in five games for Oregon but has no receptions.

Former Vikings assistant coach Dean Dalton is supportive of head coach Leslie Frazier. He said keeping perspective on the difficult challenges Frazier has faced including a reduced off-season working with players because of the NFL labor dispute and the multiple team injuries have impeded progress. The coach has shown leadership and Dalton said, “I like the coaching staff Leslie Frazier has put together.”

Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder has thrown eight interceptions in seven games. No question Ponder has forced a number of passes but what fans miss is the entire scheme of the play including whether receivers were in the proper spots on the field, according to Dalton.

When the Vikings released quarterback Donovan McNabb last week, the move only fueled speculation that the veteran’s work habits were lacking.

Sports Illustrated’s December 5 NBA preview issue includes a prediction the Timberwolves will finish last in the Northwest Division. The publication said the team is “no longer lacking for talent” and describes the rookie tandem of Derrick Williams and guard Ricky Rubio “as enticing as any.” No playoffs for an eighth straight year, but improvement and “maybe even some long-overdue fun,” according to S.I.

Gene Glynn, who has been named manager of the Twins Rochester farm team, was the first Minnesota Mr. Basketball winner back in 1975 after an outstanding athletic career at Waseca High School.

If as reported on the Twins Website general manager Terry Ryan is shopping for a corner outfielder at the winter baseball meetings, it’s probably a solid indication he doesn’t expect to sign both Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel. Among the factors in favoring Cuddyer being retained by the Twins is his right-handed bat. Past Twins lineups have been heavy on left-handed hitters like Kubel.

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