Flynn overcomes flu bug, takes the floor for opener

By JERRY ZGODA, Star Tribune

Last update: October 29, 2009 - 12:53 AM

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Flattened by the flu for two consecutive days, Timberwolves point guard Jonny Flynn recovered well enough to start his first NBA game in Wednesday's opener against New Jersey at Target Center.

If he hadn't, he would have known what to blame.

Being a rookie.

"Actually, I had the same exact thing Al had last week," Flynn said, referring to teammate Al Jefferson. "That's what the doctor said. I think it was from me carrying his bags, doing that rookie treatment for him. He joked around with me when I came to practice. He said, 'My fault for making you do all that stuff.'

"It's cool, though. I'm here now and I'm just ready to go."

Flynn was instrumental in the Wolves' 95-93 comeback victory over the Nets on Wednesday, recording 18 points, two assists and three turnovers in 29 minutes in his NBA debut. Fellow rookie Wayne Ellington recovered from his own two-day bout with the same flu, scoring eight points in 23 minutes.

"I feel a lot better, actually," Ellington said. "Thank God. I was in pain for two days. I felt terrible two days ago. I couldn't even stand straight up. My head was pounding, my body was sore, everything."

Flynn learned he had the same virus that Jefferson had, but it wasn't the H1N1 flu. "That was a huge relief," Flynn said.

Watching from afar

Coach Kurt Rambis watched parts of the Los Angeles Lakers' opener Tuesday night against the Clippers, including the pregame ceremony where players, coaches and staff received their NBA championship rings. He said the best part was seeing consultant Tex Winter, Phil Jackson's longtime mentor with the triangle offense, looking healthy again after he suffered a stroke in April.

Rambis won't receive his ring for last season's title until the Wolves play the Lakers in Los Angeles in December.

"I'll get my ring," he said, "assuming it hasn't been put in a pawn shop already."

Big Al, too

Jefferson watched Tuesday's Lakers game, too, and saw how effortlessly they ran the triangle offense, portions of which Rambis is installing.

"Watching the Lakers last night the way they run it, you could tell they've run it for years now," he said. "There are a lot of options. Until we get it down pat ... once we get it like that, it's going to be real hard to double team me."

Watching

Newcomer Nathan Jawai was inactive Wednesday -- along with injured Kevin Love and persona non grata Mark Blount, of course -- because, well, he arrived just last week. But Rambis hinted you'll see him some Friday when Cleveland and Shaquille O'Neal come to town.

Changes

Two little signs of the changing culture at Target Center:

• A large emblem has been placed on the floor in the hallway where the Wolves gather before they head onto the court. Its slogan: "United We Run."

• Linda Rambis, the coach's wife in town for the opener from the family's home in southern California, entertained players' families at an opening- night reception in a Target Center suite before Wednesday's game. Former late-night talk show host Craig Kilborn -- a longtime Wolves fan from Hastings and friend of the Rambis family -- watched the game from near the Wolves bench.

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