ducks
10-03-2004, 10:33 PM
Ready to pounce?
BY MIKE WELLS, Pioneer Press
Shaq calls South Beach home now, leaving Kobe Bryant to carry the reins with a "who's he?" group of players in Los Angeles. Sacramento is still one of the most exciting teams in the NBA, but its window for success might have closed on Chris Webber's missed three-pointer in the playoffs last season. There's still no "D" in Dallas. The Carmelo Anthony-led Denver Nuggets acquired Kenyon Martin, and they'll probably have the most highlight dunks each night, but they still might be a year or two away. And the Timberwolves, well, they re-signed their own players as other teams in the Western Conference raced to see which could improve the most and take over the top spot in the conference now that O'Neal has moved to the Eastern Conference.
On paper, it appears the Wolves and San Antonio are the favorites in the West. As the Wolves prepare to open training camp Tuesday at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn., they still have issues to address before they can think about the NBA Finals.
Here are 10 issues the Wolves face heading into camp.
1. Can the Wolves get to the NBA Finals?
Yes. They have all the pieces to get there. Besides having last season's most valuable player, all the players know each other's tendencies, and that should help the Wolves in a conference that went through a major overhaul. San Antonio is expected to be the Wolves' biggest competition.
2. Can Flip Saunders keep everybody happy?
This was supposed to be the coach's dilemma at the start of last season. But he didn't have to worry about that because of injuries to Michael Olowokandi, Wally Szczerbiak and Troy Hudson. Now Saunders has to make sure the Wolves, a favorite in the Western Conference, don't get ahead of themselves. Saunders won't be doing that, because Kevin Garnett will make sure things don't get out of hand.
3. How will Sam Cassell be following hip surgery?
This wouldn't be a question if Cassell were in his 20s. But the Wolves' best clutch player will be 35 this season. Cassell's hip and back injuries caused him to miss Games 5 and 6 of the Western Conference finals. Cassell, not one of the quickest point guards in the NBA, had surgery on the hip in June and supposedly looked good during the offseason. A healthy Hudson should allow Saunders to cut back on Cassell's minutes during the regular season.
4. Can Troy Hudson stay injury free?
Last season was one to forget for Hudson. A severe ankle injury in the exhibition season started a series of setbacks for the Wolves' sixth man. Injuries to both his ankles allowed Hudson to play in only 29 games last season. Some say the Wolves would have advanced to the NBA Finals if Hudson had been healthy. When he is, Hudson, who averaged nearly 24 points a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2003 playoffs, and Cassell give the Wolves an explosive point-guard combination.
5. Can Wally Szczerbiak handle playing a reduced role?
Remember when Szczerbiak made his first all-star team in 2002? It seems like ages ago. Szczerbiak has endured two injury-filled seasons since then and gone from Garnett's sidekick to a player coming off the bench. For what seems like a 10th offseason in a row, Szczerbiak's name popped up in trade rumors during the summer. Szczerbiak is going to push Trenton Hassell for a spot in the starting lineup. Saunders will have to decide if he wants to start the offensive-minded Szczerbiak, who is the second year of his $63 million contract, or the defensive-minded Hassell alongside the Big Three this season.
6. Is Trenton Hassell worth $27 million?
All Hassell had to do was average 5.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists to get a $27 million contract. The Wolves didn't sign him to the deal for his offensive game. That money is for his defense. Hassell became one of the league's premier perimeter defenders last season after shutting down the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Peja Stojakovic. Hassell, who started 74 games last season, is going to be pressured this season because Szczerbiak, a former starter, will be breathing down his neck to get his starting position back. Hassell didn't play well when Szczerbiak was in the lineup, which caused Hassell to play even less.
7. Can Michael Olowokandi contribute?
Olowokandi was supposed to be the Wolves' answer at center. The Wolves signed him to a three-year deal in 2003, and how does he repay them? He voluntarily takes himself out of the starting lineup and gives them a measly 6.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks a game. Olowokandi got a free pass last season because he missed 39 games because of a knee injury. There won't be a free pass this season: Continued poor play by the former No. 1 overall draft selection could lead to him being traded.
8. Can Latrell Sprewell play at a high level throughout the season?
Sprewell was the Wolves' second-best player in the playoffs. He improved his scoring average by three points a game to 19 during the Wolves' run, but it was obvious he was tiring toward the end of the regular season. Sprewell's effort never will be questioned, but his shooting last season was inconsistent. One way to make sure Sprewell, who will be 34 this season, stays fresh is to play him less during some games. That shouldn't be a problem as long as everybody stays healthy.
9. Can Kevin Garnett be more aggressive and get to the foul line?
Garnett's 465 free-throw attempts were good enough for 14th in the league last season. But the leader, Shaquille O'Neal, recorded 676, and Paul Pierce, who finished second, had 631. Some of the Wolves complained during the Western Conference finals that Garnett wasn't getting all-star treatment from the officials. It is hard to give Garnett that type of treatment when he has a reputation of settling for jumpers instead of taking the ball to the basket and drawing a foul.
10. Who will be the third point guard?
After watching what happened last season after losing Cassell and Hudson to injuries, Wolves officials were adamant in saying they will keep three point guards on the roster this season. The Wolves drafted Blake Stepp in the second round, and they will bring some veterans to training camp to compete for a roster spot.
Mike Wells covers the Timberwolves and the NBA. He can be reached at [email protected].
BY MIKE WELLS, Pioneer Press
Shaq calls South Beach home now, leaving Kobe Bryant to carry the reins with a "who's he?" group of players in Los Angeles. Sacramento is still one of the most exciting teams in the NBA, but its window for success might have closed on Chris Webber's missed three-pointer in the playoffs last season. There's still no "D" in Dallas. The Carmelo Anthony-led Denver Nuggets acquired Kenyon Martin, and they'll probably have the most highlight dunks each night, but they still might be a year or two away. And the Timberwolves, well, they re-signed their own players as other teams in the Western Conference raced to see which could improve the most and take over the top spot in the conference now that O'Neal has moved to the Eastern Conference.
On paper, it appears the Wolves and San Antonio are the favorites in the West. As the Wolves prepare to open training camp Tuesday at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn., they still have issues to address before they can think about the NBA Finals.
Here are 10 issues the Wolves face heading into camp.
1. Can the Wolves get to the NBA Finals?
Yes. They have all the pieces to get there. Besides having last season's most valuable player, all the players know each other's tendencies, and that should help the Wolves in a conference that went through a major overhaul. San Antonio is expected to be the Wolves' biggest competition.
2. Can Flip Saunders keep everybody happy?
This was supposed to be the coach's dilemma at the start of last season. But he didn't have to worry about that because of injuries to Michael Olowokandi, Wally Szczerbiak and Troy Hudson. Now Saunders has to make sure the Wolves, a favorite in the Western Conference, don't get ahead of themselves. Saunders won't be doing that, because Kevin Garnett will make sure things don't get out of hand.
3. How will Sam Cassell be following hip surgery?
This wouldn't be a question if Cassell were in his 20s. But the Wolves' best clutch player will be 35 this season. Cassell's hip and back injuries caused him to miss Games 5 and 6 of the Western Conference finals. Cassell, not one of the quickest point guards in the NBA, had surgery on the hip in June and supposedly looked good during the offseason. A healthy Hudson should allow Saunders to cut back on Cassell's minutes during the regular season.
4. Can Troy Hudson stay injury free?
Last season was one to forget for Hudson. A severe ankle injury in the exhibition season started a series of setbacks for the Wolves' sixth man. Injuries to both his ankles allowed Hudson to play in only 29 games last season. Some say the Wolves would have advanced to the NBA Finals if Hudson had been healthy. When he is, Hudson, who averaged nearly 24 points a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2003 playoffs, and Cassell give the Wolves an explosive point-guard combination.
5. Can Wally Szczerbiak handle playing a reduced role?
Remember when Szczerbiak made his first all-star team in 2002? It seems like ages ago. Szczerbiak has endured two injury-filled seasons since then and gone from Garnett's sidekick to a player coming off the bench. For what seems like a 10th offseason in a row, Szczerbiak's name popped up in trade rumors during the summer. Szczerbiak is going to push Trenton Hassell for a spot in the starting lineup. Saunders will have to decide if he wants to start the offensive-minded Szczerbiak, who is the second year of his $63 million contract, or the defensive-minded Hassell alongside the Big Three this season.
6. Is Trenton Hassell worth $27 million?
All Hassell had to do was average 5.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists to get a $27 million contract. The Wolves didn't sign him to the deal for his offensive game. That money is for his defense. Hassell became one of the league's premier perimeter defenders last season after shutting down the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Peja Stojakovic. Hassell, who started 74 games last season, is going to be pressured this season because Szczerbiak, a former starter, will be breathing down his neck to get his starting position back. Hassell didn't play well when Szczerbiak was in the lineup, which caused Hassell to play even less.
7. Can Michael Olowokandi contribute?
Olowokandi was supposed to be the Wolves' answer at center. The Wolves signed him to a three-year deal in 2003, and how does he repay them? He voluntarily takes himself out of the starting lineup and gives them a measly 6.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks a game. Olowokandi got a free pass last season because he missed 39 games because of a knee injury. There won't be a free pass this season: Continued poor play by the former No. 1 overall draft selection could lead to him being traded.
8. Can Latrell Sprewell play at a high level throughout the season?
Sprewell was the Wolves' second-best player in the playoffs. He improved his scoring average by three points a game to 19 during the Wolves' run, but it was obvious he was tiring toward the end of the regular season. Sprewell's effort never will be questioned, but his shooting last season was inconsistent. One way to make sure Sprewell, who will be 34 this season, stays fresh is to play him less during some games. That shouldn't be a problem as long as everybody stays healthy.
9. Can Kevin Garnett be more aggressive and get to the foul line?
Garnett's 465 free-throw attempts were good enough for 14th in the league last season. But the leader, Shaquille O'Neal, recorded 676, and Paul Pierce, who finished second, had 631. Some of the Wolves complained during the Western Conference finals that Garnett wasn't getting all-star treatment from the officials. It is hard to give Garnett that type of treatment when he has a reputation of settling for jumpers instead of taking the ball to the basket and drawing a foul.
10. Who will be the third point guard?
After watching what happened last season after losing Cassell and Hudson to injuries, Wolves officials were adamant in saying they will keep three point guards on the roster this season. The Wolves drafted Blake Stepp in the second round, and they will bring some veterans to training camp to compete for a roster spot.
Mike Wells covers the Timberwolves and the NBA. He can be reached at [email protected].