Pregame rant: Wolves' early schedule is sadistic

My new theory is that it wasn't the chance to play with LeBron James that drove Kevin Love to Cleveland. It was a fear that if he remained with the Wolves that this time he might not escape uninjured from a smoke-filled arena in Mexico City.

Have you looked at the schedule that the NBA gave the Timberwolves to start this season? Apparently, in Glen Taylor's role as the chairman of Board of Governors, he has to accept whatever heaping, stinking pile of garbage the league office decides to heap upon his franchise.

The Timberwolves opened in Memphis on Wednesday, returned to face Detroit in the home opener on Thursday, and stay home to play Tom Thibodeau's tough guys from Chicago.

And after that, they don't play a home game for 18 days. If you want to go to Target Center from Nov. 2 until the Knicks come here on Nov. 19, all you're going to see is Garth Brooks.

That's right — in November, the NBA's opening month — Target Center is booked for Garth appearances (seven) more days that it's booked for its tenants, the Timberwolves (six).

After getting pounded on by Taj Gibson and his Chicago pals on Saturday night, the Wolves stick around for a couple of days, then head for the East Coast next Tuesday. They will play in Brooklyn on Nov. 5, followed by back-to-back games at Orlando and Miami on Nov. 7-8.

This is followed by a home game. Except, this home game is scheduled to be played in Mexico City: Wednesday, Nov. 12, vs. Houston.

The NBA didn't have the guts to order Gregg Popovich and the Spurs to return to Mexico City for a regular-season game again this season. They were involved in one of three exhibitions played as part of the NBA's schedule of "Global Games."

The Wolves? Adam Silver and his honchos apparently sent out this memo: "We're sending your worthless hides back to Mexico City, and it's one of your home games, and if a few of you wind up with Black Lung Disease, who cares, you're the Timberwolves."

Yup. One in New York City, followed by back-to-backs in Florida, and then just shut up and fly across the Gulf to Mexico, or however you get there, and good luck with Dwight Howard and James Harden in Mexico.

"At least we get to come home for a while after that, right?" whimpered the NBA's sad sacks.

Nope. We're going to have you stop over in New Orleans after Mexico to get any shot within 10 feet of the basket swatted away by Anthony Davis or Omer Asik, and the next night, we're going to have you make another stop in Dallas.

Seriously, there could not be a more horrendous way for Flip Saunders' return to the sideline to be laid out.

There is a 40 percent turnover in the roster with veterans Mo Williams and Thaddeus Young mixed with rookies Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Zach LaVine and Glenn Robinson III.

There are nine returnees, but even that brings major change. Gorgui Dieng didn't get much chance as a rookie until the closing weeks of the season, and Shabazz Muhammad played few minutes when it mattered.

Nikola Pekovic played in 54 games, Chase Budinger in 41 games and Ronny Turiaf in 31, all due to injuries. Robbie Hummel was a part-timer.

Kevin Martin missed 14 games. Ricky Rubio (all 82) and Cory Brewer (81) were the only iron men.

When you're starting over, again, as are the Wolves, a favorable early schedule would be of sizable benefit … a few wins to encourage the athletes and create interest with a beaten-down fan base.

Instead, the NBA has given a start to the season that borders on the sadistic.