Wolves: Losing leaves Wittman searching for a solution

Jim Bryant, Associated Press

Timberwolves head coach Randy Wittman is searching for an answer to his team's losing ways.

The Wolves coach is promising to shake things up. How? "I'm thinking," he offers.

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: December 31, 2007 - 12:33 AM

LOS ANGELES - The Timberwolves end a challenging December and a transformational 2007 with tonight's New Year Eve's game against the struggling Los Angeles Clippers, with Wolves coach Randy Wittman promising that something has to change.

Just what, he's not sure yet.

"Maybe we have to look to shake things up," he said.

Saturday's 109-90 loss at Seattle -- the team's fourth consecutive loss, all on the road, and its 25th in the first 29 games -- left him pondering the possibilities after the Wolves led by nine points entering the second quarter and trailed by as many as 28 points in the second half.

Whether fatigued by losing or affected by the second of back-to-back games at Portland and Seattle, the Wolves, in Wittman's estimation, played without purpose or life after a fine opening quarter, in which they scored the final nine points.

"I don't know," Wittman said, when asked what options he has to shake things up. "I'm thinking. I don't have an answer. We've got to do something. We can't just accept a defeat like that. Do I have to do something to grab back their attention?"

The Sonics played the final three quarters without prized rookie Kevin Durant, who left the game because of a sprained index finger. Reserve guards Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak, the former Timberwolf, provided the energy from the Seattle bench that the Wolves completely lacked.

"I'm disappointed in how it all happened, forget who's on the floor," Wittman said. "I'm not disappointed because Durant was out of the game. I'm disappointed in how we played those middle two quarters, when we didn't show any fight."

The Wolves got outscored 36-16 in the second quarter and 27-13 in the third, for a total of 63-29 in those middle two quarters.

"I don't think our bench gave us any energy," Wittman said, "and it kind of snowballed from there."

The loss left the Wolves with half as many victories as Memphis, Miami and New York, tied for second-to-last with eight victories. Wolves starting point guard Sebestian Telfair was asked how he and his teammates try to keep from accepting losing.

"One thing we're not going to accept is losing," he said. "As a point guard, I'm not going to allow my team to do that. We've got to get things going for us."

The Wolves now are 0-8 in the second half of back-to-back games. They have lost three of those eight by 18 points or more, including a 34-point loss at New Orleans at the start of their current losing streak and Saturday's 19-point loss at Seattle.

"We have not been good [in that situation]," Wittman said.

Tonight's game against the Clippers -- who are on their second six-game losing streak of the season while remaining without injured star Elton Brand -- ends a December when the Wolves played 11 of 16 games on the road, including the month's final five.

"It has been a hell of a month for us, we all know that," Wittman said. "But that's not an excuse."

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