From TSN's Minnesota Team Report http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/teams/timberwolves/ by John Millea of the Minnesota Star-Tribue: <HR WIDTH=75%> For the NBA's top teams, the stretch run every year means looking up in the standings and trying to catch a team or two in order to improve their playoff positioning. The Timberwolves are not in that category. They were the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference last season, but they finished closer to ninth place than sixth. The ninth-place team was Houston, which split four games with the T-wolves. Minnesota must be aware that the Rockets are a young, improving team, one that should make a strong run at the postseason in the season to come. There are plenty of other non-playoff teams from last year that might be able to creep up on Minnesota. A prime example is the Clippers, which also went 2-2 against Minnesota last season. The Rockets and Clippers used similar tactics against the T-wolves; they depended on individual play. One of the burning memories from last season was Houston's Steve Francis working himself into a on-one-on matchup with Sam Mitchell, then screaming simply "Mitchell! Mitchell! Mitchell!" as a plea to his teammates to get him the ball. That's the kind of isolation basketball that was troubling for the T-wolves last season. This year's rule changes should work in their favor since they can play solid team defense. And that fact alone could make the difference between winning enough games to again get to the playoffs or losing enough games to be bypassed by up-and-coming teams. <HR WIDTH=75%> Sounds like the Rockets have the respect of the beat writers in Minnesota. Sounded more like a Rocket team report.
Yes we do! The part I loved though was: <b>This year's rule changes should work in their favor since they can play solid team defense. </b> Normally I would agree with him, but for Rockets, if they can't slash against the zone they'll shoot right over it now. Normally shooting over a zone doesn't always work, but when you have 3 perimeter players in the game at one time, and a low post scorer who can hit the outside shot with Mo, that just shreds a zone. Look at what Duke did to Temple's zone, the best in basketball, last year!
The Timberjabronis weren't the 7th seed, they were the 8th seed. You would think this Minnesota writer would know that.
Rocks: didn't they play Portland in 2000 and were a 7 seed that year? I can't remember for sure because any year the Rockets don't make the playoffs, I really don't follow it as closely as I do when they do make it.
No, that year the Wolves were a 6 seed. The Blazers had the 2nd best record in the West that season behind the Lakers, but were a 3 seed because the Jazz were the Midwest champions and granted the 2 seed.
Yea, I remember now. As a matter of fact, I was fixing to edit my post but I saw that you had already responded. The Jazz played the Sonics that year. I remember it was like Payton was the only person on Seattle's team that showed up to play the Spazz. It's still hard for me to believe that the Timberjabronis have made the playoffs 5 years in a row but they have been the 6th, 7th, 8th, 6th, and 8th seeds, but yet Flip Saunders is always talked about what a great coach he is!! The fact that he has led them to the playoffs 5 straight years is remarkable especially considering Garnett has had minimal help over the years. However to not finish higher than 6th and to be eliminated every year in the first round does not constitute a great coach, IMO.
What's this guy talking about? The TWolves OWNED the Rockets the last 2 seasons. The Rockets and TWolves split the season series last year, and the Rockets won both of the last two.
The TWolves were 6-2 vs the Rockets the past 2 years. In the 2 games the Rockets won, Hakeem exploded. It wasn't the isolation game that gave Minnesota problems, it was the big man in the middle, something the Rockets don't have for next year.
The first game we won because of Maurice Taylor's stellar play that day. Olajuwon had a good game, but Taylor was the difference. The second game we won because Minnesota didn't give a ****.
The Rockets may not have "the big man in the middle" anymore but they have a lot more fire power, maturity, and depth then they had the past 2 years, and Wolves have added NOTHING! Their only offseason move was replacing Ellis with Smith. The Rockets don't need Hakeem to beat Minnesota, they just need to come together as a team.
Little reminder that in the zone defence will make basketball boring. Just like those old boring games in the 50's.
