In tale of two rookies, Flynn scrounges as Jennings soars

Timberwolves followers already all too familiar with their team's draft history certainly couldn't have missed Milwaukee rookie guard Brandon Jennings' 55-point performance Saturday night, the most points scored by an NBA rookie since Earl Monroe scored 56 in a game 41 years ago.

Wolves rookie Jonny Flynn might have noticed, too.

Jennings has flourished in the freedom allowed by Bucks coach Scott Skiles' point-guard-oriented offense. With No. 1 overall pick Blake Griffin sidelined so far with the Los Angeles Clippers, Jennings has established himself as the early frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, and not just because he didn't score a point in the first quarter Saturday against Golden State ... and still scored 55.

Flynn, meanwhile, has labored to adapt to Kurt Rambis' firm guidance and complex system based on the passing triangle offense.

He is one game away from tying Donyell Marshall's franchise rookie record of scoring in double digits in the first 11 games of his career. He also has had nights like Saturday's game at Memphis, when he made five of 14 shots, scored 10 points and had twice as many turnovers as assists (6-3).

"It's tough," he said after Saturday's 97-87 loss to the Grizzlies, the Wolves' 10th consecutive loss. "I'm just following the game plan. I'm doing what Kurt wants me to do. A guy like me who likes to create off the dribble, likes to get in the lane and things like that, it's tough coming into a system like that. But nobody said coming into the NBA would be easy. It's always a big adjustment."

Rambis says it's unfair to compare the two players selected four slots apart -- Flynn sixth overall, Jennings 10th -- in last summer's draft because Jennings "has a lot more freedom than Jonny has" and because "I'm asking Jonny to do a lot more things."

"I think eventually when I get the trust from Kurt that I can set up the offense, he'll give me the leeway to do things like that," Flynn said. "First, I have to prove to him that I can run this offense the way he wants me to."

Shorthanded After playing five games in seven days last week, the Wolves play just twice this week. They didn't practice on Sunday. Forward Al Jefferson missed the past two games to be in Florida with his grandmother, who died Thursday. He is expected to rejoin the team for practice today.

Forward Kevin Love is scheduled to have his fractured left hand X-rayed again Friday to determine whether it has healed enough for him to return to practice.

"Everybody knows we're not going to be able to figure out who we are as a ballclub until Kevin and Al are back," Rambis said after Saturday's game. "And that may not be until Al feels he is 100 percent. When you have two key components out like that, it's very difficult to get wins.