Scoldings help school Flynn

Bruce Bisping, Star Tribune

Rookie guard Jonny Flynn is the Wolves' second-leading scorer but hasn't yet been the distributor he is expected to be.

The Wolves rookie guard takes Kurt Rambis' blunt feedback and benchings to heart, using them to help sharpen his NBA acumen.

By PHIL MILLER, Star Tribune

Last update: November 13, 2009 - 12:36 PM

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The Timberwolves are 1-8, but that's not the only irritation making Jonny Flynn's life difficult. Kurt Rambis lectures the rookie on his mistakes, yanks him from games for bad decisions and worse shots and piles on a Ph.D.-level workload.

So Flynn finally fired back at his coach Thursday. His retort?

More, please. More.

"Oh, he's definitely on me," Flynn said with his characteristic what-losing-streak grin. "But it's good for me. He's got to be harder on his point guard. Every coach in the league is going to be tough on the point guard because that's the heart of the offense, that's the engine that makes the train run. So I welcome it."

Particularly since the electrifying rookie, nine games into his NBA career, is just as hard on himself.

"I tell myself, when you learn something new at this level, especially something where detail is so important, it's going to be tough," he said. "Nothing is going to be easy right now, but the important thing is to improve from it."

That's Rambis' objective, too.

"I've sat him down for different things. I realize he's going to make mistakes, and I sit on my hands through a lot of them, but if things become glaring, really detrimental, I have to give him some time to think about it," the coach said.

Wednesday night, for example, Rambis substituted for Flynn because, the guard admitted, "I wasn't running back hard on defense. He talked to me, because he wants me to get back, get active. It motivated me."

It probably won't be the last time Rambis has to deliver such a not-so-subtle message. Flynn is only 20, two seasons out of high school.

"He's trying to run the offense, he's trying to figure out his teammates, he's dealing with guys pressuring him that he's never seen before -- and those aspects that I mentioned right there, that's a lot," Rambis said. "It's a ton. And it's just way, way, way too early for that to be absorbed."

Which is why Flynn, whose ability to drive to the basket has made him the Wolves' second-leading scorer behind Al Jefferson, hasn't yet become the distributor the team expects he will be. The rookie averaged 6.7 assists last season at Syracuse (and 8.9 in his final 10 games), but has yet to reach that level even once in the NBA.

His scoring average of 15.0 points per game ranks 52nd in the NBA, but only two other starting point guards, T.J. Ford of Indiana and the Lakers' Derek Fisher, average fewer than Flynn's 3.2 assists.

"You have to react to what the defensive game plan is," Rambis said. "If they're giving him good quality open shots, he's got to take them. If they're putting pressure on him, taking away avenues, he has to make sure he's getting us into our offense and getting other people involved."

Safe bet: Rambis will keep bugging Flynn. Also safe: Flynn will appreciate it.

"Kurt being on me, wanting me to be my best, it's really helping me. Sometimes you need the toughness of a coach to make you a better player," Flynn said. "It's motivating me, hopefully to be something special in this league."

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