Timberwolves – Page 47 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Nanne Pumped to See Wild Rookie

Posted on January 6, 2021January 6, 2021 by David Shama

The Wild started training camp this week and the team opens its NHL season next week, debuting prize rookie Kirill Kaprizov. Minnesota hockey legend Lou Nanne, 79, is excited to watch the native of Novokuznetsk, Russia who is known for his offensive efficiency including game-winning goals.

“I can’t wait to see him,” Nanne told Sports Headliners. “I am like everybody else, wildly anticipating what he can do. I enjoyed watching him in the World Juniors…but now he’s in the NHL and we can see what he can do.”

What does the former Gopher, North Star defenseman and team president like about the 5-9, 195-pound forward? “Everything. The way he skates. The presence he’s got on the ice. The way he can shoot the puck. The way he can score goals. Stability on his skates—he’s built like a little fire truck…and he’s got magnificent hands.”

It appears based on past performance the Wild will struggle with goal scoring and Nanne emphasizes the importance of goaltending if Minnesota is to become a playoff team in 2021. “You don’t make the playoffs without goaltending if you’re not going to score a lot of goals, and I don’t see the Wild being a great goal scoring team. They’ll score enough to win (sometimes) but they don’t have an excess of scoring.

“They should be improved with Kaprizov coming because he can score goals, and (Kevin) Fiala coming into his own. So those two (Fiala led the team in points last season) give you some hope for a consistent scoring team. But they have to play tight defensively and they definitely have to have good goaltending.”

A playoff prediction for Minnesota? “Well, they’re going to have to battle to make a playoff position because they’re in a division where you’ve got Colorado, Vegas and St. Louis which are three teams that should be in the playoffs,” Nanne said.

Nanne, who thinks the Stanley Cup finalists could be Colorado and Tampa Bay, is one of six players on the 1960s WCHA All-Decade team announced Monday. The former Gopher All-American defenseman was named one of the WCHA’s 50 greatest players in 2002.

Nanne is looking forward to his 57th year of providing TV commentary for the boys state hockey tournament. Speculation is the tournament could be played in April, the latest dates in memory. It’s unknown, too, whether the boys basketball tournament will still follow the hockey tourney.

Worth Noting

It will be an interesting trio of games just ahead for Gopher center Liam Robbins who is emerging as one of college basketball’s best at his position. Tonight Minnesota plays Michigan, with freshman center standout Hunter Dickinson, and again on January 16. In between those dates (Sunday) is Iowa center Luka Garza, the favorite for college player of the year honors.

When the Gophers upset Iowa last month in a 102-95 home overtime win, Garza had the better stats with 32 points and 17 rebounds but Minnesota’s junior center, who transferred from Drake last year, was also effective with totals of 18 and five. Minnesota, 10-2, and Michigan, 9-0, play for the first time this season in Ann Arbor and the Wolverines are led in scoring by Dickinson at 16.9 points per game.

Robbins, who needs to avoid early foul trouble in his upcoming tests, is averaging 14.2 points per game and coming on strong as of late. His last three games include the first double-double of his Gopher career, scoring 27 points and grabbing 14 rebounds in Minnesota’s win over Ohio State Sunday.

Robbins’ value to the Gophers includes defense where the presence of the 7-foot Iowa native is a deterrent to potential scorers. He leads the Big Ten in blocked shots averaging 2.8 per game.

Former Gophers basketball public address announcer Dick Jonckowski has been diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The popular emcee and comic has been told the cancer is “not very aggressive.” He will have a series of eight rounds of chemo treatments. Several years ago he beat stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Ex-Gopher guard Andre Hollins is doing graduate work at the Carlson School of Management and serving as a graduate manager on the men’s basketball team.

The St. Thomas football program, headed to Division I status next fall, is looking for three nonconference games to balance out its Pioneer Football League schedule.

It’s not known whether WCCO Radio, the longtime broadcast home of Tommies football, will be airing games next fall.

Historic numbers: The Gopher hockey program, celebrating 100 seasons, boasts a 10-0 team for the first time in more than 80 years.

The CBSsports.com 2021 NFL Mock Draft out Tuesday has the Vikings using the No. 14 pick in the first round to select edge rusher Gregory Rousseau from the University of Miami. Marshall, Minnesota native Trey Lance, the quarterback from NDSU, is predicted to go at No. 8 to the Panthers. Gophers wide receiver Rashod Bateman isn’t included among the 32 mock picks in the first round.

If Gary Kubiak decides to leave the Vikings as offensive coordinator, that’s one fewer father-son connection on the team. Clint Kubiak is quarterbacks coach, while head coach Mike Zimmer’s son Adam Zimmer is co-defensive coordinator with Andre Patterson, whose son AC Patterson is an offensive quality control coach.

Former Vikings head coach Jerry Burns, who has spent part of his retirement years in Jamaica, will be 94 January 27.

It was 60 years ago last week that the Golden Gophers football team played in its first Rose Bowl, losing 17-7 to Washington. The Gophers returned to the Rose Bowl in January of 1962 and defeated UCLA, 21-3.

Anonymous basketball authority talking about the Timberwolves who are 2-5 and have lost five consecutive mostly one-sided games: “They’re hard to watch.”

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Zimmer Expects Cook & Thielen to Play

Posted on December 2, 2020December 2, 2020 by David Shama

Enjoy a Wednesday notes column:

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said this morning he expects running back Dalvin Cook and wide receiver Adam Thielen to play in next Sunday’s game.

Cook, who reportedly hurt his ankle last Sunday, has been a focal point of the offense this fall and taken a lot of hits from opposing players. Zimmer, though, wouldn’t commit to using his star runner any less, saying every game has different demands. “His health is fine, so we’ll just keep going and try to be smart about how we use him.”

Thielen missed the most recent game because of testing positive for COVID-19. “I think he’ll be ready to go,” Zimmer said.

The coach liked the way quarterback Kirk Cousins, not known for his running ability, scrambled in Sunday’s comeback win over the Panthers. “I just think it’s improving (the scrambling). It’s always a work in progress, but you don’t want to run when guys are open. There were times when he was flushed out of the pocket and then made plays with his legs.”

CBS televises next Sunday’s Vikings game at U.S. Bank Stadium against the 1-10 Jaguars. Beth Mowins, who in 2017 became the first woman in 30 years to call an NFL game, will do play-by-play.

In 14 of the past 16 NFL seasons, at least one team with a losing record after 11 games has qualified for the playoffs. The Vikings, Patriots and 49ers currently have 5-6 records.

With 24 players on opening weekend NFL rosters, Houston was first among cities producing talent. More 2020 NFL players graduated from high school there than any other community. Miami was second with 19 natives in the league followed by Fort Lauderdale and Tampa with 14 each.

Eden Prairie has three native sons in Blake Cashman, Ryan Connelly and Carter Coughlin. Minneapolis has Tyler Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald Jr. Other Minnesota natives in the NFL include Ben Ellefson, Joe Haeg, Zack Johnson, Kamal Martin, Billy Turner and Maxx Williams.

States with the most NFL players: Florida, 194; Texas, 192; California, 170; Georgia, 134; Ohio, 71; Alabama, 60; Pennsylvania, 60; Louisiana, 59; North Carolina, 59; New Jersey, 57; Illinois, 53; Tennessee, 45; Michigan, 44; Virginia, 44, Maryland, 39; South Carolina, 39.

Although the Gopher football team has cancelled its last two games because of the pandemic, Mohamed Ibrahim still leads the Big Ten in rushing with 817 yards, averaging 163.4 per game. Next closest in total yards is Iowa’s Tyler Goodson with 564.

Forget about Gophers junior point guard Marcus Carr returning next fall for a senior season. He is playing like a first round NBA draft choice, averaging 29.7 points per game and making clutch shots with none bigger than Monday night’s three pointer to win the game against Loyola Marymount, 67-64. In three nonconference games thus far he has made 54 percent of his field goals and 45 percent of three-pointers.

Meanwhile, long range shooting specialist Gabe Kalscheur has converted less than one percent of his three-point shot attempts. The junior shooting guard is making 28 percent of his field goals.

In three games against mid-major teams (played LM twice), the 3-0 Gophers have just a two rebound edge, 119-117.

Freshman Jalen Suggs, the former Minnehaha Academy guard from West St. Paul and the highest rated recruit ever at Gonzaga, is drawing early speculation as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Word is Timberwolves basketball boss Tom Thibodeau traded Ricky Rubio in 2017 because he thought the former lottery pick wasn’t a physical point guard and defensive standout. Rubio, reacquired this fall by current president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, is the kind of offensive creator who fits the aggressive run and shoot style the Wolves are now committed to.

Here is an obscure name to keep in mind when the Wolves start up their schedule in late December and into January. Reserve forward Jake Layman, injured and not playing much of last season, had a noteworthy impact on a team with an overall record of 19-45. Minnesota was 11-12 in games he played.

Monday’s column suggesting Tony Oliva belongs in the Hall of Fame drew reader response, including from local baseball historian Dave Wright who emailed that the three-time American League batting champion ranks far down the list in key career hitting statistics during an abbreviated career: “…It is a pity that injuries did him in—he never played an inning in the field after 1972. To me, he just doesn’t cut it. If you let him in, you open the gates for guys like Al Oliver, Rocky Colavito and many others who had some very good moments but they didn’t last.”

Wright agreed, though, with Monday’s reference to another former Twin, pitcher Jim Kaat, being Hall of Fame worthy. “Kaat is a different issue. It has always been a mystery to me because he was a starter, a reliever, a fielder, a decent hitter and was used as a pinch runner at times—a rarity for a pitcher. It is one of the great injustices in the game. …”

St. Paul Saints owner Mike Veeck, 69, has been selected by the Society for American Baseball Research as one of baseball’s most significant Off-Field figures in the last 50 years. For SABR’s 50^thanniversary the organization honored Veeck and others like Buck O’Neil, Bill James, Claire Smith, Frank Robinson, Peter Gammons, Ted Turner and Vin Scully.

Veeck told Sports Headliners yesterday he has no comment on the reported deal making the Saints a AAA Twins farm team until MLB makes an announcement.

It’s all but certain the Twins shopped left fielder and free agent Eddie Rosario in trade talks before placing him on waivers. Minnesota is likely searching for pitchers while ready to try top prospects to replace Rosario. Watch to see if ace reliever Brad Hand, from Chaska, becomes a Twin.

Bill Robertson, men’s commissioner of the Twin Cities-based WCHA, reports more than 10 schedule changes of games already this fall because of the pandemic. He has learned more than ever to “take things as they come,” being flexible and ready to adapt.

The WCHA is using regional game officials when possible to minimize travel. No fans, even family of players, are allowed at games. Big Ten hockey has the same spectator policy.

The Twin Cities Dunkers, the well-known organization that dates back to 1948, lost its most tenured member when Sid Hartman passed away this fall. Hartman, who was influential with the organization for decades, joined Dunkers in 1965.

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Clock Starts Now on Wolves Rosas

Posted on November 19, 2020November 19, 2020 by David Shama

The Timberwolves hired Gersson Rosas as president of basketball operations in May of 2019. Now he has been through one season and two NBA Drafts including last evening when he used the No. 1 overall pick to select shooting guard Anthony Edwards.

With draft choices and trades, including bringing back fan favorite Ricky Rubio to Minneapolis, Rosas has reshaped the roster. Assuming the NBA can have a 2020-2021 season despite the pandemic, the next 12 months will indicate whether Rosas can succeed with a franchise that avoids the playoffs like it was the virus.

With the Timberwolves up for sale, it’s a solid bet the next owner will come in with eyes wide open about Rosas. That new owner could already have “his own guy” in mind when he signs the paper work to acquire the franchise. But if Rosas has the Wolves rolling, his job security should be fine.

It’s hyper-competitive trying to build and maintain a winning NBA team. There are a lot of bright basketball operators in the league including Danny Ainge, R.C. Buford, Bob Myers, Daryl Morey, Donnie Nelson, Sam Presti and Pat Riley. Wolves faithful are hoping Rosas will some day have his name mentioned in the same group.

As for Edwards, the Wolves may have acquired the highest potential player in the draft. This week ESPN said analytics showed a 41 percent likelihood of Edwards becoming an NBA All-Star, a higher percentage than the two other consensus top draft prospects, James Wiseman and LaMello Ball.

Edwards is a potentially prolific scorer with his shooting range and ability to drive to the basket. The former Georgia freshman’s perimeter shooting and ability to run the floor is a welcome fit for the style Rosas wants his team to play. With only about a month until the season starts, and no preseason games, Edwards and other rookies will have a different kind of introduction to the NBA with a fast and difficult learning curve asked of them.

Hoopsrumors.com is reporting power forward Freddie Gillespie, the former East Ridge and Carleton player who walked on at Baylor, will sign as a free agent with the Mavericks. An NBA authority told Sports Headliners yesterday he thought Gillespie might be taken in the second round.

Four other Minnesotans were drafted including ex-Hopkins player and power forward Zeke Nnaji who was taken in the first round. “Energy. Always in the mix, playing hard,” said the source who requested anonymity.

The first pick in the second round was point guard Tyrell Terry, the former DeLaSalle and Stanford point guard. “He might be the best shooter in the draft,” said the source whose basketball background includes coaching and scouting.

After Terry was chosen at No. 31, the Gophers’ Daniel Oturu was taken at No. 33. There was speculation last spring Oturu, the former Cretin Derham-Hall center, might be a first round draft choice after making All-American his sophomore season at Minnesota.

Tre Jones, the ex-Apple Valley and Duke point guard, was drafted at No. 41. The NBA authority raves about him. “Just never, ever count him out. ..He’s a winner. His pedigree is really strong.”

As a first rounder, Nnaji receives a guaranteed contract. Second rounders don’t and often start out in the NBA’s development program, the G League, where for seven months players receive a base salary of $7,000 per month for five months.

Golden Gophers Turn into Underdogs

The way it looks now the Golden Gophers football team will be underdogs in their four remaining scheduled games. The most winnable for 1-3 Minnesota appears to be Friday night at home with 2-1 Purdue. The Boilermakers are about a three-point favorite and deserve a bigger spread based on how the Gophers are playing.

In Minnesota’s other three games, at 2-0 Wisconsin and 1-2 Nebraska, and home versus 4-0 Northwestern, the Gophers figure to be larger underdogs than they are tomorrow night. Try this as possible pre-game point spreads: Wisconsin by 28, Northwestern by 18 and Nebraska by 8.

In December all Big Ten teams will be assigned a ninth game against a divisional crossover opponent based on the strength of their 2020 record. That could be the next time Minnesota is favored in a game.

Minnesota’s 2020 performance is one of the most disappointing in college football. Coming off an 11-2 season last January, it seemed success would be sustained even if not at that level. The Gophers entered their October 24 season opener against Michigan nationally ranked. The program was showcased that Saturday with ABC televising the game across the country. Earlier in the day ESPN’s College GameDay produced its show inside TCF Bank Stadium.

Seldom in modern Gopher football history has a defense started the season so ineptly as this fall. Linemen are often pushed way off the line of scrimmage, the linebackers frequently don’t fill holes, and the secondary (sometimes out of position) is the last line of defense. The safeties lead the team in tackles. Minnesota is giving up a Big Ten leading 7.8 yards per play. The Gophers also are yielding a conference worst 20 touchdowns and 35.8 points per game.

Gone from last year’s defense are the best players, who used up their eligibility. It was understood before the season the defense would be suspect, but no one thought this bad. The pandemic and the cancellation of spring practice were setbacks for a defense trying to regroup. Inexperience and injuries have added to the challenge, but expectations were rightfully higher.

Head coach P.J. Fleck insists the talent is present for a better defense in the future but experience is needed first. However, with the program in its fourth year under Fleck, there should have been more capable and experienced defensive players in place to take over from last season’s seniors.

Futility was so evident in last week’s embarrassing 35-7 loss to Iowa. For Gopher fans the game was an unwelcome reminder of recent history in the Minnesota-Iowa series. The Hawkeyes have won six straight games for the first time in the 114-year-old rivalry. In the battle for Floyd of Rosedale, the series is tied at 42-42-2. Iowa has not trailed in games against Minnesota since the fourth quarter in 2016.

In this year’s game even the Minnesota offense, fifth best in the Big Ten averaging 29 points per game, was ineffective. Iowa controlled Minnesota’s usually productive running game, and the Gophers have been struggling to develop their passing attack other than with All-American wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Under new offensive coordinator Mike Sanford the Gophers, despite having most of their key players back, seem more conservative than last season. Creative play-calling is absent in the read-option offense that almost never has quarterback Tanner Morgan running with the football. Program woes also include special teams, with disappointments evident with field goals, extra points, kickoff returns and punt returns.

The Gophers need to find themselves starting tomorrow night, hoping for a result similar to two years ago. On November 10, 2018 Minnesota played Purdue at home and entered the game having lost five of its previous six games. The Gophers won 41-10 and took two of the next three games with an upset victory over Wisconsin in Madison and bowl game win versus Georgia Tech.

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