http://www.startribune.com/508/story/919127.html
The Wild completed the first half of the schedule by winning 21 games and
losing 20. In the process, the St. Paul gents posted 44 points and
surrendered 52 to the opposition.
This put the Wild and Calgary in a seventh-place tie in the West, with the
Flames having played two fewer games.
The Wild started the season 10-2 and has gone 11-18 since then. These two
months of subpar hockey do not seem to have lessened the optimism that the
local sporting public has for this team.
On Friday night, the Timberwolves defeated Philadelphia 104-102 in overtime
at Target Center. It was their sixth victory in eight games and put the
Wolves in the same category as the Wild -- one more victory (16) than defeat
(15). They also hold the last playoff position (eighth) in the Western
Conference.
The Wolves' improved play over the past five weeks (11-6) has not seemed to
change the public perception that this is an inept collection not worthy of
much attention.
If a media type were to utter a negative comment about the Wild, followers
would be quick to scream, "We've had to play the past 35 games without Marian
Gaborik, our offensive star."
Conversely, if a media type were to offer any degree of credit to the Wolves
for moving above .500 while missing Rashad McCants their best outside
shooter, the response would be ridicule.
Doug Risebrough, the Wild's president and general manager, has been the
recipient of endless accolades for making a 30 percent turnover on the
nightly active list with the additions of Mark Parrish, Pavol Demitra, Keith
Carney, Kim Johnsson, Petteri Nummelin and Branko Radivojevic.
Kevin McHale, the Wolves' vice president for basketball, has overseen a 25
percent turnover on the nightly active list with the additions of rookies
Randy Foye and Craig Smith and free agent Mike James. The public would hoot
into submission anyone offering an accolade toward McHale.
A reporter decided to take the chance when he saw McHale in a Target Center
corridor before Friday's game and said, "Your team's playing better lately."
McHale shook his head and said, "Just when someone says that, we can turn
around and lose a game we're supposed to win ... lose a game like this."
The basketball boss came close to being clairvoyant with his caution.
The Wolves had no answer for Andre Miller, the point guard who came to Philly
in the Allen Iverson trade. Miller finished with 18 points, 11 assists and
seven rebounds in 45 minutes.
"Don't get me wrong here," Wolves coach Dwane Casey said. "Allen Iverson is a
different caliber, but I really like Andre Miller. He's an old school point
guard. He makes life easy for the guys around him."
Casey was referring to Miller's new teammates, not to James and Foye, the
Wolves point guards who spent the night trying to limit Miller's impact.
Foye played the fourth quarter and the overtime. His best moment came when he
blocked a Miller shot.
"Andre knew that the next time he had the ball, he could give a head fake and
Randy would go up and try to change the lightbulbs [in the ceiling]," Casey
said.
This came with 55 seconds left in regulation. Foye went for the fake, landed
on Miller, and Andre's two free throws tied the game at 96-96.
Kevin Garnett couldn't make a jumper in traffic before the buzzer and the
Wolves were back in overtime. It was 102-102 in the final minute and the
Wolves responded with a brutal possession that ended with Ricky Davis' shot
put toward the basket.
"[Foye] walked the ball up the floor," Casey said. "We need to get the ball
up the floor and get into our offense. Randy was trying to catch his wind at
the same time the shot clock was winding down."
Can't do that at crunch time? "No, sir," the coach said.
Fortunately, this wasn't the last chance. The Wolves had three seconds to win
it, and this time Garnett made the buzzer-beating jumper.
So, the Wolves are 16-15 and holding a playoff position in the West. That
means they deserve as many of our happy thoughts as the 21-20 Wild, right?
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