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Jerry Zgoda missed the entire Kevin Garnett era, but he's back covering the Timberwolves after working the beat for their first four seasons two decades ago. In between, he covered a bit of everything: Gopher men's and women's basketball and NCAA athletics, golf, outdoor recreation, sports media and a little Vikings and Twins.
Posts about Wolves injury report
Say what? Wolves rally, win in Denver 101-97 without Love
Posted by: Jerry Zgoda Updated: January 4, 2013 - 2:45 AM
OK, so let the great debate continue:
Are the Timberwolves better without their best player, Kevin Love?
Denver coach George Karl contributed to the discussion after he watched Love leave Thursday's game in the third quarter clutching that right shooting hand again and then saw the Wolves quickly wipe away a 10-point deficit and beat his team at home for only their second loss in 12 games there this season.
The only other team that has beat the Nuggets at Pepsi Center?
Not the L.A. Clippers, who had their 17-game win streak end there on Tuesday.
Yes, that's right: The defending champs, Miami, is the only other team to win there this season, on Nov. 15.
That was an eight-game home winning streak in between losses.
One night after that stinker in Utah, the Wolves won while Love went to the locker room to discover he appeared to sprain the third metacarpal -- one of two bones he broke in October -- on that shooting hand and then came to watch some of the fourth quarter from the bench.
They did so with Dante Cunningham taking over for Love at power forward in a final quarter when Derrick Williams and J.J. Barea also stepped forth.
And guess what?
WIthout Love, the Wolves defense, particularly in transition, improved noticeably and Barea took over offensively with a strategy that often appeared to be: Give him the ball and get the heck out of the way.
No telling how long this latest setback with that hand will last.
Is it time to rest the hand for some time and get it completely healthy without him continually banging it?
Love wasn't talking after the game. He hid out in the training room, reading something and not getting treatment, well after the game and didn't want to talk to reporters.
Karl did.
"I think Minnesota at times plays better without Love," Karl said afterward. "They're kind of a machine-like offense. They give guys different opportunities. But they're pretty good."
OK, so short term, with Love struggling so, they're better.
Anybody here willing to argue long term they're better without him.
That's just plain silliness, but I know you're out there, so pipe up...
Homecoming: Kirilenko returns to Utah
Posted by: Jerry Zgoda Updated: January 2, 2013 - 2:23 PMThe Timberwolves have come and gone from morning shootaround at EnergySolutions Arena here in Salt Lake City and Andrei Kirilenko avoided stepping foot in the visitor's locker room in his first visit back after playing 10 years for the Jazz.
"I haven't been in there, I'm afraid to go in," he said. "I didn't even know where the guest locker room is. And now I know."
The Jazz drafted him 24th overall in 1999 and developed a relatively unknown Russian into an All Star and then massively paid him like one with an $86 million contract once upon a time.
"I mean, I had a great 10 years here," he said. "I feel like I know every fan for the first 10 rows. It's going to be fun. It's doing to be a very strange feeling, but I guess that's the basketball life...I feel special when I step in EnergySolutions Arena and see all the staff that worked here for 10 years and I know them by name, every one of them. They're happy to see you and I've very happen to see them. That's special.
"I grew up here as an NBA player, coming into the league 19, 20 years old, become an All Star and get the majority of my career here. There are tons of great moments here. There is no one moment. It's part of my life here.
"I was thinking, `How many games I play here? 500, 400 games here? That's a lot and every game is special.. You really feel special when you play for 10 years for the same team. It's a great feeling."
He said likely will be both cheered and booed by Utah fans when he is introduced tonight.
"I've always been a fan of remembers as a good person rather than just a good player," Kirilenko said. "I think if the people remember you as a good personality, I think it goes a long way rather than just a good player but being a jackass or whatever."
He still has a house in Salt Lake City and his wife, Masha, will be here tonight.
"It looks like a little bit lonely, but it's life," he said about visiting his house on Tuesday. "We're always trying to do the best thing for your family, for yourself, so..."
One other thing:
* Newly signed Lazar Hayward said his two practices with the team have prepared him to play as much as Rick Adelman needs him tonight, what with Ricky Rubio home in Minnesota because of those back spasms and the Wolves down to just three healthy guards again.
Adelman likes to scrimmage a lot in his practice, and Hayward called that approach just right these last two days.
"That's exactly what I need for these guys to get comfortable with me and see how I play a little bit," Hayward said. "I'm definitely ready. I'm just waiting, hoping Coach gives me a good opportunity to give what the team needs."
Adelman says he'll play Hayward some at shooting guard out of necessity, and Hayward says he is willing and able.
"I played it a little bit in Oklahoma City when I got in the game, so I'm familiar with it," he said. "It's not anything I can't do. It's just guarding it, that's all, just guarding smaller guys. Defense, rebounding, hitting open shots, whatever the team needs, I'll be that."
Rubio not expected to make two-game trip West
Posted by: Jerry Zgoda Updated: January 1, 2013 - 1:59 PMMy colleague/boss Dennis Brackin covered practice for me today at Target Center while I head to the airport to catch a flight westward for this quick two-game trip to Salt Lake City and Denver.
He reports:
* Don't expect Ricky Rubio to make the trip because of that stiff back that caused him to miss Saturday's victory over Phoenix.
Rick Adelman said it didn't make much sense to put Rubio and his spasming back on a plane to Utah and Denver for back-to-back games, the second of which he's wasn't going to play anyway.
Instead, unless there's a late change in plans before the team flies today, they'll keep him here for treatment and try to get him healthy for Saturday's game against Portland.
The start time for that 7 p.m. game, btw, won't be changed to avoid conflict with the Vikings' playoff game at Green Bay because Portland plays the night before in Memphis and needs 24 hours before it plays again and because the Wolves have their big, annual prep Shootout scheduled for Saturday and the headlining Apple Valley-Robbinsdale Cooper game is set for 3 p.m. and there's no wiggle room to move the start time up a couple, three hours.
* Andrei Kirilenko makes his return to Utah to play the Jazz for the first time after playing his first 10 NBA seasons there.
He said after practice that he can't imagine how he'll feel walking out onto the court and said he probably will recognize every fan sitting in the first 20 rows there.
Roy to explore "additional treatment options'' on knee; Rubio out tonight
Posted by: Kent Youngblood Updated: December 29, 2012 - 7:01 PMThe Wolves just gave us this release from Brandon Roy:
"Last week while practicing, I suffered a setback in my recovery," Roy said in the statement. "I've felt better since the recent surgery (on his right knee Nov. 19). The past two days I have been weighing all of my options as I try to continue my basketball career. I have decided to explore additional treatment options and an extensive rehabilitation plan. My goal has been, and continues to be, to return to the basketball court as healthy as possible in order to help our team."
President of basketball operations David Kahn will be talking shortly. I will update this blog when I have more information.
Meanwhile, the team just announced Ricky Rubio will miss tonight's game with back spasms.
Roy contemplating retirement?
Posted by: Kent Youngblood Updated: December 29, 2012 - 2:11 PMIt appears the Wolves and Brandon Roy are at or near a decision about Roy’s immediate future, and whether the NBA will be a part of that future.
Roy was not part of the Wolves’ morning shootaround Saturday. This a day after he missed Friday’s practice for what the team called personal reasons.Also Saturday came a report that Roy had suffered setbacks from his return from right knee surgery.
On Thursday Roy, who had the surgery Nov. 19, took part in a vigorous practice, and said how he recovered from such a hard workout would give him a good idea of when he could return to action. Indeed, Roy even hinted that a strong Friday practice might prompt him to lobby coach Rick Adelman to play Saturday.
He has not practiced since then.
President of basketball operations David Kahn, who was at Target Center Saturday morning, declined comment. But it appears clear a decision has to be made concerning Roy, whether it be further rehab, getting a second opinion on the knee or ending his NBA comeback by retiring again.
Knee issues forced Roy into retirement, and he missed all of last season. After undergoing platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, Roy felt good enough to attempt a return to the NBA. He went through training camp and most of the preseason before bumping knees in a game late in the preseason. He appeared in the team’s first five games before pain in the knee eventually forced Roy to undergo an arthroscopic surgery, his seventh such procedure.
Saturday morning Yahoo! Sports reported Roy has had setbacks in his recovery from that surgery that has delayed his return to action.
Love getting better
Wolves forward Kevin Love said this morning that his body has felt as good as it has all season over the past couple days and he’s looking forward to rebounding from his difficult game against Houston Wednesday.
“It’s fun to actually have my body feel good out there,” he said. “And it has the last couple days.”
Love has been plagued with injuries much of the season, starting with the two broken bones in his right hand sustained before the start of the season while doing knuckle pushups at his home. He has also battled the flu, some back pain and a painful poke in the eye. All, he said, have made it difficult both to get his conditioning to where it needs to be and to find a rhythm with his shot.
“But I have to look at it like 2013 is right around the corner,” Love said. “And every game is a new day, a new time to improve the team, improve myself, and keep pushing through this.”
Love said his hand still sometimes feels stiff and his shot sometimes feels strange coming off his hand. He admitted that his conditioning has not yet been where it needs to be.
But both, he said, are coming along.
“I was just getting back really to myself as far as conditioning goes, and then I got poked in the eye, and I couldn’t do anything for five days,” he said. “That was definitely tough, and coming back on the 26th was no exception, having just had a shootaround and no workouts. You know, I just hope to stay healthy for the rest of this year, 2013 and beyond. There’s still a lot of games left, and I’m looking forward to it.”
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recent posts
- Postgame: Say what? Wolves rally, win without Love
- What will it be tonight for Wolves?
- Homecoming: Kirilenko returns to Utah
- Rubio not expected to make two-game trip West
- Wolves bring back Lazar Hayward
- Wolves sign Lazar Hayward
- Postgame: Wolves heating up in December
- Roy to explore "additional treatment options'' on knee; Rubio out tonight
- Roy contemplating retirement?
- Roy misses practice for personal reasons
- B-Roy eyes Saturday return, Pek back at practice
- Postgame: Wolves lose another lead in Houston loss
- Love will play vs. Rockets, more Ricky likely, too
- Without Love, Wolves go small today in New York
- Eye injury will keep Love out of the lineup Sunday
- Postgame: Wolves stop that streak at 12, beat OKC
- Wolves waive injured Howard, Lee could be lost for season as well
- Postgame: Wolves double up Heat on boards, still lose by 11
- Pekovic, Love will play tonight at Miami, Rubio won't
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