WARRIORS (21-32) 97, WOLVES (25-31) 94
BOX SCORE — AP RECAP — STRIB RECAP
The Timberwolves blew a 20-point lead Wednesday night to the awful Golden State Warriors, and sadly, I don’t really care.
I was conducting a series of interviews during the game and wasn’t able to watch much. I glanced up after one interview and saw they were killing it in the first half, then glanced up again after I finished another interview and saw they were getting killed in the third quarter. Then I saw Wayne Ellington, of all players, trying to put the team on his back in the fourth quarter and carry it to a win. He wasn’t quite able to do it, but I commend him on his effort.
Kevin Love, on the other hand, couldn’t quite raise his game in this one. Although he had 29, 12 and five, he was 0-for-7 from three, 12-for-28 from the field and was outplayed by David Lee in the second half. In the postgame interview, he did what he doesn’t like to do and made an excuse.
I don’t like to use that as an excuse, but I can feel it on my body and my legs, especially my shot. They aren’t under me right now. I try to play Superman every night, but it’s tough when you lose three or four of your best players and you have to play undermanned. – Kevin Love, via the STrib recap
Well, the Wolves have J.J. Barea back and Nikola Pekovic back, so the don’t have much of an excuse to lose to the Warriors. Also in that STrib recap, Rick Adelman said his guys just got beat to every loose ball and got out-hustled throughout the second half. That didn’t happen because of injuries. Injuries didn’t stop them from building a 20-point lead in the first half.
Love does have an excuse because he has been busting his ass every night trying to carry the team. I just don’t like seeing him make excuses about losing, or saying he’s been trying to play Superman. Whatever, though. At least he’s playing and not Mauering the rest of the season away.
Which reminds me, baseball’s almost here! Yay, Twins!!!
A couple points:
- Hofstra product Charles Jenkins summoned the spirit of Speedy Claxton and torched J.J. Barea and the Wolves for 17 points (and yes, going for 17 points is torching a player when you’re the 44th pick of the 2011 draft). Jenkins scored seven of the Warriors’ last nine points. Barea had seven of the Wolves’ 19 turnovers.
- Twelve minutes, three points, four rebounds and two turnovers for Derrick Williams off the bench. I don’t think Adelman really likes him. I’m still not sure how I feel about him.
- Good read on Malcolm Lee provided by Hardwood Paroxysm. Check it out.
- Scheduling Note: Six of the Wolves’ final 10 games will not be on FSN North. Maybe some of them will be on FSN North Plus, but I don’t really care since I can’t get that station. Also, Monday’s game against Phoenix will be on ESPN2. The Clippers game earlier in the year where K-Love hit the game-winning three was in L.A. This has to be the first nationally-televised Wolves game in Minnesota in at least a couple years. Don’t worry, folks, we’ll have a ton next year.
Come back already Rubio
.
Wouldn’t that be great? Man, Ricky being gone has really shown how valuable he was to the team, even in the games where it seemed like he wasn’t playing that well. Hopefully he’ll be able to reach full strength at some point next season.