A little over halfway through the season, the Minnesota Timberwolves find themselves sitting at 10 wins and 33 losses- a hideous record, but still one ahead of last years' pace. President of basketball operations David Kahn has pledged improvement for his team in 2010, and while there have been glimmers of hope and optimism, it becomes hauntingly obvious that there are miles to go the minute the Wolves step on the floor against a legitimate opponent.
The biggest thing that has plagued the Wolves this season is the ability (or curse) to gain huge leads on opponents, only to find a way to lose the game somewhere in the final quarter. This has happened against some of the best teams in the league, from the Boston Celtics to the San Antonio Spurs. The Wolves could have won these games, but the composure and the discipline during the moments that mattered were not present. Turnovers have been a huge issue for the Wolves this season, and they would usually pop up at the worst times. The Wolves simply don't know how to take care of the basketball in the crunch time, and when they do find ways to hold onto the ball, the shot selection is often iffy at best. At times it looks like the Wolves think they are a jump-shooting team, when in reality they have only one or two players, Wes Johnson and possibly Martell Webster, who are capable of the task.
There is absolutely no doubt that forward Kevin Love has been the most valuable player for the Wolves in 2010 and into 2011. Love has had a year for the ages, averaging 21.3 points per game and a stunning 15.6 rebounds per game. The runner-up in the rebounds category is Orlando center Dwight Howard, with a "mere" 13.3 boards per contest. Love, while not the most athletic specimen in the league, simply finds himself in the right position for the ball. The third-year player out of UCLA has also developed a deeper offensive game, with Love shooting an impressive 0.437% (59-135) from the three-point range, a skill seldom seen out of player leading the NBA in rebounds. Any conflict between Love and coach Kurt Rambis has completely disappeared, as the workhorse is currently receiving 36.9 minutes a night on the hardwood. Kevin Love could be a cornerstone for this franchise for years to come, and the Wolves need to work on putting a better team around him, or we may be facing another Kevin Garnett situation sooner than we think.
Michael Beasley and Darko Milicic are two other players who have been important for the Wolves. The Wolves received Beasley from the Miami Heat for almost nothing, and he instantly become the premier scoring option for the offense. Beasley, averaging 20.6 points per game, can both shoot from outside and drive to the basket, usually drawing the attention of the opposing teams best defender. If he can manage to cut down on the turnovers the Wolves will have a nice scorer for the foreseeable future. Milicic, like Beasley, has been an infamous figure in the league for his lofty spot taken in the draft and, until recently, his ability to play up to expectations. Taken ahead of the likes of Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh, Milicic has often been the punchline of many an NBA joke, but he has started to show at least a little bit of his potential this season after receiving a significant raise in the offseason. He is undoubtedly the most talented center the Wolves have right now. Milicic's hook shot in the low post has come in quite handy this season, and his defense has progressed as well. Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of Milicic's game has been his shot-blocking. He is third in the league in the blocks, rejecting 2.39 shots per game. In fact, Milicic has eight blocks over his last two games. Between Beasley and Milicic the Wolves have at least a semblance of a supporting cast around Kevin Love.
The rest of the Minnesota Timberwolves team has been underwhelming, at best. Neither Luke Ridnour nor Jonny Flynn have the given the Wolves any consistency, or hope, at the point guard position. Ridnour can shoot the jumper once in a while, but he is still awfully sloppy with the basketball. Flynn, coming off of hip surgery, has barely been a presence on the court, and when he has played it has not been to the level of last year, which still is not outstanding to put it mildly. Rookie Wes Johnson has shown us he has a smooth jump shoot in his repertoire, but there has also been infuriating stretches of rookie mistakes. He gets a pass, since this is still his first season in the pros. Guard Corey Brewer provides solid defense on end of the floor and confusion on the other. Reserve centers Nikola Pekovic and Kosta Koufas have been uninspiring stopgaps for the times Milicic has had to miss games (the only real qualm about him this season). Forward Martell Webster has been a decent scorer for the Wolves this season, but is nothing to write home about. Needless to say, the times the Wolves usually start to lose the game are the ones Kevin Love, Michael Beasley and Darko Milicic are on the bench.
For the second season in a row the Minnesota Timberwolves will likely win less than 20 games. This should give them a reasonable spot in the next draft, and point guard is where they should be focused. Kyrie Irving and Brandon Knight are two of the better point guard prospects and they would likely be immediate improvements over anyone currently on the roster. One need look no further than the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Boston Celtics or the Chicago Bulls to see how far a great point guard can take a team. Maybe the Wolves can draft their own one.
