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Michael Rand started RandBall with hopes that he could keep lies from conquering the minds of the weak. So far, he's only succeeded in using the word "redacted" a lot. He welcomes suggestions, news tips, links of pure genius, and pictures of pets in Halloween costumes here, though he already knows he will regret that last part.
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Posts about Wolves news
If you love numbers and hoops, you will love Box Score Replay
Posted by: Michael Rand Updated: March 15, 2013 - 11:57 AM
It's a relatively simple concept, but we love it nonetheless: Box Score Replay. Let creator Edd Morgan explain it via his site's about page:
As a basketball fan that lives outside of the USA (in Europe), it's difficult to watch games live. Sure, I can manage the first game tipping off on the east coast every night, but if there's a great game happening over on the west? That's too late. I got [redacted] to do in the morning.
So, sometimes I have to watch games the day after they air live, using League Pass. But, before now, I couldn't look at a box score or anything as the game is playing because it would spoil the result for myself. That's why this exists. So you and I can keep track of stats as they happen, even if they happened two days ago. Or something like that.
What does this mean? Well, you can look at already completed NBA box scores at any point in the game, simply by dragging a little orange bar. Here, for instance, are frame grabs from the Wolves/Pacers game a couple nights ago.
Check out the site. It's simple, but elegant.
TFD: Kevin Love's long recovery could mean another long April for Wolves
Posted by: Michael Rand Updated: March 14, 2013 - 6:00 PM
Kevin Love's first broken bone this year (knuckle pushups) damanged the Wolves' playoff chances, and his re-break, along with other assorted injuries, essentially finished off those chances.
But there was still one thing in the back of a Wolves fan's mind as the team endured another lost season: It seemed as though a lot of players would be getting healthy at the same time: Chase Budinger, Nikola Pekovic, Andrei Kirilenko ... and Love. Those first three might still be back around the same time -- maybe in about a week or so? -- but the recent news on Love was not good. He is apparently healing fine, but he will be re-evaluated by his hand doctor in 2-3 weeks, the team announced yesterday. At that point, is he really even going to play in a game the rest of this season, which ends April 17? Our guess is no.
Love hurt his hand Jan. 3, and on Jan. 9 it was announced he would be out 8-10 weeks. Those things are always estimates, but even if we use the Jan. 9 date, we were at the nine-week mark on Wednesday, the same day it was announced he would be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks. It didn't seem at the time like a season-ending injury, but it might end up being one.
Why does this matter? Well, in the context of the season it really doesn't. But in the context of the franchise gaining any kind of momentum for next season -- and playing decently in April, a stark contrast to their 1-26 record in that month over the past three seasons -- it hurts. Getting those other players back will help Ricky Rubio and his one-man band, but Love's return might have made the Wolves downright dangerous and able to gain some traction for 2013-14 in their quest to make "wait until next year" actually mean something.
TFD: Derrick Rose can play but isn't playing. Huh?
Posted by: Michael Rand Updated: March 8, 2013 - 5:34 PMPer ESPN Chicago:
Derrick Rose's doctor has cleared the Chicago Bulls' star to play, a team source said, but his long-awaited return to the lineup won't occur until he can confidently dunk off his left foot, Rose has told the team.
Rose, who had surgery to repair a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on May 12, has been videotaped dunking off each foot, but more casually than he would during a game. A source said that although he has been practicing and scrimmaging hard, he told the Bulls that until he feels "in his mind" he can confidently dunk off his left foot in a game situation, he is not 100 percent mentally ready to return to competition.
The team is not pressuring Rose, the source said, but the Bulls are confident he will return this season and are still hoping for a mid-March return, which would mark 10 months after his surgery. The Bulls play at Golden State on March 15.
The source said the team has been assured by Rose's doctor that there is no more chance of the former MVP getting injured upon his return than anyone else and that the doctor told the Bulls that physically "he can play now." Rose is now dealing with the psychological side of trusting his body.
We can sympathize, but we still have to say this: Get out there and play, Derrick. You're never going to be 100 percent mentally ready until you do. So just do it. The end.
Ricky Rubio has more steals in 10-game stretch than anyone in same span over past decade
Posted by: Michael Rand Updated: March 7, 2013 - 2:47 PM
Yes.
But just how many?
Well, according to the Timberwolves' hard-working PR department -- or maybe just Elias, which they credited -- Rubio has 43 steals in the past 10 games. That's more than any other player in a 10-game stretch since Metta World Peace (then Ron Artest) in 2002.
It's also the fourth-best total in a 10-game span in the past 20 years.
Unfortunately, the Wolves are 3-7 in that stretch.
Timberwolves jacket spotted at War Memorial of Korea in Seoul
Posted by: Michael Rand Updated: March 7, 2013 - 12:15 PMThe Wolves have a definite international flavor on their roster this year, with many different countries represented by their players. But the extent of the organization's reach really hit home when reader Erica sent us a picture taken in late February of this young lad wearing a Timberwolves jacket at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul.
We can't read any of the writing on the right, but we have to assume it says "Change this face. Be happy. Enjoy it."
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