Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau vowed after Sunday's victory over Golden State that he'd give his new three-guard lineup a "better plan" the next time around.
That time comes tonight against the Wizards in Washington with Thibodeau still committed to playing Tyus Jones, Derrick Rose and Jamal Crawford together. It's a 6 p.m. Central tip on FSN and NBA TV.
Rose played just 6 1/2 minutes Sunday when the Wolves went from 11 points ahead to six points behind while that three-guard lineup was on the floor. Afterward, Rose admitted he showed "rust" in his first game played in five weeks and "anxious" as well.
"Like anything else, the more they're out there together, the better it's going to be," Thibodeau said at the Wolves' morning shoot today. "I like the idea of what they can do. You have the dribble penetration by all three guys. You have Tyus and Derrick's explosiveness and Jamal, to me, Jamal's not really a point guard, he's not really a 2. He's sort of in between."
With this lineup, just call Crawford the small forward.
"It's just kind of the way the game is going now," Jones said. "Having multiple ballhandlers on the court, different guys who can attack and make plays. I definitely think it's something that can work and we're going to make it work, for sure."
Still without injured Jimmy Butler, the Wolves play a Wizards team that has played on while All Star guard John Wall continues to work himself back from knee surgery. The Wizards are 12-7 without him and in fifth place in the East.
The Wolves are sixth in the West, by mere percentage points, and still must play the Wizards, San Antonio, Houston and the L.A. Clippers in this tough seven-game stretch in the schedule.
Butler remains in Los Angeles this week, rehabbing his knee after meniscus-cartilage surgery.
Thibodeau said Butler will remain in L.A. most of this week.
"Doing well, still rehabbing the initial phase," Thibodeau said. "He's adding more each day."
