Will KG play again this season?

[polandprzem]

Hmm
Tim had good team at the begining, but check out the first championship squad (1999) and the last (2005), the teams are totaly different.
Tim won in 2003 with a 2nd year 20 year old playmaker, a guy who did not even catch up for the whole roster in NJ, a guy from Argentina - rookie who was selected with a 47th pick, and there was Dave also, not the same Dave. There was a 6th man Malik Rose who was something like 48th pick in a draft.
How is it possible that TD was succesfuol with totaly different squads? Ina same team.

[JamStone]

No one is taking anything away from what Tim Duncan has accomplished or his abilities.

The point is that Tim Duncan went to a better situation more condusive to immediate success than Kevin Garnett did in going to Minnesota.

It's like Magic Johnson being drafted in 1979 to the LA Lakers on a team that already had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Norm Nixon, and Jamaal Wilkes. It take nothing away from Magic Johnson as a player, leader, and champion, but Magic does not have that same immediate success if he's drafted by a team like the Clippers or Cleveland at the time.

What Tim Duncan has done in his career has been amazing. I think he would have been one of the best all time even if he didn't go to San Antonio. But, I doubt he would have had the success, much less three championships if he had gone somewhere else other than San Antonio.

[TDMVPDPOY]

for those sayin duncan had a mentor in drob, wattabout KG he had a guy in management name mchale who he couldve learn from, wait he rob the wolves of a max contract which is way overpaid, 1/4 of the amount he earns couldve been used to build around him. so dont blame on duncan for his fortunes when KG himself created the mess his in with the lame contract.

[JamStone]

McHale was/is in management, and is not a teammate. I'm sure KG did learn from McHale in many ways. But, he didn't have a superstar TEAMMATE to learn from. It's not the same.

KG restructured his contract a few years ago so the Wolves could make moves for better free agents and trade possibilities. And, it's not KG's fault that he is way overpaid. It's the fault of Minnesota's management and ownership. If you're a 23-24 year old kid, and a professional sports team wants to offer you a $120 million contract, what are you going to do? Say NO???? Come on.

KG didn't create the mess in Minnesota. Kevin McHale and Joe Smith created the mess. They lost three first round draft picks. And, the personnel moves were not KG's decisions. It wasn't KG's fault that Stephon Marbury demanded a trade because Marbury couldn't stand being second fiddle. It wasn't KG's fault that Latrell Sprewell thought zero money was better than $21 million. It wasn't KG's idea to trade Sam Cassell AND a draft pick for Marko Jaric.

There's plenty of blame in Minnesota to put on KG, but not nearly as much as some of you are claiming.

[Darrin]

If the situations were reversed and Duncan couldn't get it done in Minnesota, I would have the same compassion for him. Of course, we'll never know because Duncan wasn't drafted by a Boston or a Minnesota.

I don't think Duncan is James Worthy, I think he's Magic Johnson. That doesn't mean that Magic would've won 5 rings with the Dallas Mavericks.

[Spurminator]

News: The St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports Kevin Garnett has tendinitis in his knee and he might not return for the rest of the season.

Analysis: If you own Garnett in daily Fantasy leagues, consider reserving him immediately as this minor injury has suddenly cropped up and is playing major havoc with everyone's lineup just because the Timberwolves want to keep their first-round pick.

[Darrin]

That's why I didn't draft him this year; I knew this team wasn't going to go anywhere, and he had knee problems last season. All of my fears have come to fruition.

[sickdsm]

Its a made up injury, he's not hurt. Funny, people question KG's charactor, he's been around for 10 plus seasons, playing with a bunch of kids, they WON"T even let him play and he's profesional about it. Yet you have a centerpiece of a franchise in Ben wallace, who's team is one of the best ones in the league securing HCA throughtout and he throws his team under the bus shorthanded as it is and he's underated/charactor guy?

That shows what this argument becomes.

Billups was NOT told by Mchale and Flip that Brandon was their guy. Pison fans have selective memory. I've had it out with a few of them on here that Flip had total player control (which they didn't deny) in MN. Flip wanted Brandon to start, McHale wanted Billups. They went to Taylor (owner) to break the tie so to speak and he went with Flip's decision. That was very public earlier this season after the pistons played the wolves. Brandon was pathetic in his lack of defense throughtout his carreer. He was called "terrible" brandon for a reason, not bc of his great offensive numbers.


For those Spur fans who also have selective memory, when Shaq left orlando, that put fear in EVERY team, especially the wolves who like Orlando came into the league the same year. MN finally had a franchise player and saw what the Magic got left with. That's why MN offered so much up to KG. Spurs fans like to blame the lockout on Kev but in actuallity it was Shaq.

Had KG left, the franchise would have been moved, dissoved, what have you. There is no argument on that. It isn't the same as an established franchise, to FINALLY have your guy and poof, he's gone?

[JamStone]

Its a made up injury, he's not hurt. Funny, people question KG's charactor, he's been around for 10 plus seasons, playing with a bunch of kids, they WON"T even let him play and he's profesional about it. Yet you have a centerpiece of a franchise in Ben wallace, who's team is one of the best ones in the league securing HCA throughtout and he throws his team under the bus shorthanded as it is and he's underated/charactor guy?

I don't agree with what Ben Wallace did. I think it was unprofessional, selfish, and disrespectful. But, comparing KG to Ben?

In my opinion, what Ben did showed how much he hates to lose, and how his frustrations with his teammates and coaches led him to do that because he wants his team to be as great as it can be.

In my opinion, Kevin Garnett being professional about not playing at the end of this season shows his acceptance of a losing situation.

You can criticize Ben Wallace for what he did. That's fair. But, don't just paint him as a bad guy because you want KG to appear more professional.

Billups was NOT told by Mchale and Flip that Brandon was their guy. Pison fans have selective memory. I've had it out with a few of them on here that Flip had total player control (which they didn't deny) in MN. Flip wanted Brandon to start, McHale wanted Billups. They went to Taylor (owner) to break the tie so to speak and he went with Flip's decision. That was very public earlier this season after the pistons played the wolves. Brandon was pathetic in his lack of defense throughtout his carreer. He was called "terrible" brandon for a reason, not bc of his great offensive numbers.

So, Billups was told by FLIP SAUNDERS Terrell Brandon would start, and not McHale. Whooopedeedoo! I don't see the big difference. At the end of the day, the final decision was that Terrell Brandon would start over Billups if Brandon were healthy. I don't see how that's different than what we've already said. If you want to wash Kevin McHale's hands free from that decision, fine. Same thing to me.

[exstatic]

So that money buys patience with an owner who is suspended for a season, and GM who's forced to take a leave of absence because they cannot figure out how to negotiate a freaking contract with Joe Smith?

Perhaps if Garnett weren't hamstringing their cap with his 25+M per year contract, they wouldn't have had to cheat to get a marginal player. Chicken or egg.

[Obstructed_View]

Perhaps if Garnett weren't hamstringing their cap with his 25+M per year contract, they wouldn't have had to cheat to get a marginal player. Chicken or egg.

When people try to make the argument that the Joe Smith deal was incompetence rather than an attempt to get around the salary cap in a desperate attempt to get players for KG, no argument is going to change their mind.

[Darrin]

Perhaps if Garnett weren't hamstringing their cap with his 25+M per year contract, they wouldn't have had to cheat to get a marginal player. Chicken or egg.

It's on KG to say "no" when the T-Wolves offer him that kind of payday? It's still on the Wolves management. For instance, Dumars let Stackhouse walk when he wanted too much money.

[Obstructed_View]

It's on KG to say "no" when the T-Wolves offer him that kind of payday? It's still on the Wolves management. For instance, Dumars let Stackhouse walk when he wanted too much money.

Interestingly, Kevin Garnett didn't have an agent or anything negotiating for his contract. He was just sitting on his couch when the 'wolves called and said "Here, have a huge sum of money."

[Darrin]

Interestingly, Kevin Garnett didn't have an agent or anything negotiating for his contract. He was just sitting on his couch when the 'wolves called and said "Here, have a huge sum of money."

Still, the agent signs the checks? Jerry Stackhouse had an agent, too. When he asked for too much money, you know what Joe Dumars did? He traded him for another player.

If KG could've gotten that money from another franchise, he would've given the Wolves a nice return. They chose to sign the check instead.

[Obstructed_View]

Still, the agent signs the checks? Jerry Stackhouse had an agent, too. When he asked for too much money, you know what Joe Dumars did? He traded him for another player.

If KG could've gotten that money from another franchise, he would've given the Wolves a nice return. They chose to sign the check instead.

Okay. He's a player that gets elite player money, yet can't seem to do the things other elite players do. Since his smells like rainbow sherbet, it's not his fault that he doesn't win.

[Darrin]

Okay. He's a player that gets elite player money, yet can't seem to do the things other elite players do. Since his smells like rainbow sherbet, it's not his fault that he doesn't win.

What hasn't he done? The man averages 20, 11, 4.5, and 1.7 over the life of his career. In the playoffs, where he's played 47 games, those numbers racket up to 22, 13, 5.0, and 1.9.

-I have a game where he laid 20 points, 22 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 blocks in a 95-81 win over the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs.

- In the only game seven of Garnett's career, he recorded 32 points, 21 rebounds, 5 blocked shots, and 4 steals. Of those 32 points, he scored 13 straight points in the fourth quarter. He made two huge defensive plays down the stretch of the game, and was guarding Chris Webber when he missed a three ball that would've tied the game and sent it into overtime.

-The only team to win a game in the Alamodome in the 1999 playoffs was the Minnesota Timberwolves (25-25) led by Kevin Garnett's 23 points and 12 rebounds. The Spurs cut the lead to 4, but Garnett scored 2 of his 10 points in the 4th quarter to make it 72-66 with 3:34 to play in the game. The Spurs would never get any closer. This snapped the 13-game home winning streak by the Spurs, by the way. They would run off another impressive streak of 13 straight wins overall before the Knicks won game 4 of the NBA Finals.

-The Wolves took a 2-1 series lead in their 2002-03 Playoff matchup with the three-time Defending Champion Los Angeles Lakers behind Garnett's 33 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocked shots. It was the first series lead in the history of the franchise. I want to remind you this game was on the road in LA in overtime.

He'd follow that up with 28 points, 18 rebounds, and 5 assists in a 104-97 loss to LA in game four. The Wolves would have an eight-point 4th-quarter lead after an Anthony Peeler free throw with 6:34 to go in the game. Devean George would give the Lakers back the lead in the next 2 1/2 minutes, 88-87.

Garnett would nail a 3-pointer with 35 seconds left in the game to pull the Wolves within 1. He missed two free throws that would've cut the lead back to one with 15 seconds left in the game, and made a turnaround J with 8.8 seconds left to make it 100-97.

So he made a 3-pointer, missed two free throws, and made a jumper. Sounds like a mixed bag to me.

KG's postgame comments: "Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn....Damn."


I want to point out that the Wolves had a chance to win - without Sam Cassell or Chauncey Billups or Terrell Brandon - when Shaq went for 34 points and 23 rebounds, and Kobe went for 32 points.


What hasn't he done? He's shown up everyday, he's been a MVP-type player, he's been the playoffs 9 times, and only been favored to win two playoff series of 11. He's given money back after he signed that massive deal, the Wolves are headed for the first losing season since his second season (1996-97).

Why he has this reputation as a choker, I'll never know.

You know who deserves the reputation that Garnett has right now? Alonzo Mourning. The man has been a starter on a team that has made the Conference Finals exactly once just like KG. But unlike KG, his teams have been favored to win the Conference year in and year out.

2001: (3) Miami Heat vs. (6) Charlotte Hornets - swept by an average of 19 points a night.
2000: (2) Miami Heat vs. (7) Detroit Pistons - Swept them, but the Pistons played with a hobbled Grant Hill for two games, and he was guarded by Terry Mills and Mikki Moore.
2000: (2) Miami Heat vs. (4) New York Knicks - instead of demanding the ball, he lets Clarence Weatherspoon take the last shot in game seven on his home floor, and they lose to the Knicks again, 4-3.
1999: (1) Miami Heat vs. (8) New York Knicks - they become the 1st number one seed in the East to lose to an eighth seed.
1998: (2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks - they lose to the Knicks because he chose to fist-fight with former teammate Larry Johnson which got him suspended.

That's a 10-13 postseason mark with exactly one series win in 4 years. Over the course of those four years, the Heat were 190-106 (.642) with 4 Divisional les.

Go lynch him and leave KG alone.

[TDMVPDPOY]

lamest excuse from wolvesfans havin to offer kg 120mill contract to keep him and the team, um charlotte bobcats has what a 25mill cap, that didnt stop them from operating or keepin themselves in teh nba or relocating like teh first time. Noh is another example. wattabout the hawks who are a joke, with many lottery seasons when wilkens left, they are still in teh nba today....dont give me this bs about the wolves and KG.

[sickdsm]

lamest excuse from wolvesfans havin to offer kg 120mill contract to keep him and the team, um charlotte bobcats has what a 25mill cap, that didnt stop them from operating or keepin themselves in teh nba or relocating like teh first time. Noh is another example. wattabout the hawks who are a joke, with many lottery seasons when wilkens left, they are still in teh nba today....dont give me this bs about the wolves and KG.

LOL, The bobcats are there because their stank ass team left them bc they sucked w/out their franchise player. The hawks have been around before the 50's and are one of the major markets in the country. To imagine the wolves leaving would be like to imagine an NHL team leaving the hockey hotbed of minnesota. , that's been done, hasn't it? If you had a clue about this situation you'd know that the Wild are doing things totally different then their past franchise.

FWIW, both the vikings and twins are continually being pushed to relocate.