Saunders-KG history spans growth from Da Kid to The Man

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Garnett interrupted his unwavering routine before Wednesday's game just long enough to walk over and give Wolves coach Flip Saunders a hug and pat on the back.

Their history goes back to spring 1995, when Saunders and Kevin McHale decided to make Garnett the fifth pick in that June's draft. Wolves assistant coach Sam Mitchell was acquired as a player to mentor Garnett, and assistant coach Sidney Lowe later coached him in Minnesota as well.

"I'm excited to coach against him tonight," Saunders said before the game. "I'll always have a soft spot; I had him when he was 18 years old. Sam was with us. We've had a huge part in seeing him develop as a player. We've seen him become Da Kid and then eventually The Man."

This two-game season series that concludes in March at Target Center could be the final times Garnett faces the franchise for which he played his first 12 NBA seasons. But Saunders isn't making any wagers that this will be Garnett's final season at age 38.

"I tell you, the way he played the last game, he might play another four years," Saunders said, referring to Garnett's 18-point, 14-rebound game at Detroit on Saturday. "He still has some tread on his tires. Everybody who knows KG knows he's going to play until he feels either he can't produce any more or he feels he's not having any fun doing it. … He's going to play as long as he has that passion."

On Wednesday, Garnett scored just two points but grabbed 11 rebounds.

Wednesday's game also reunited Saunders with new Nets coach Lionel Hollins, who Saunders interviewed for the Wolves' coaching job last spring. Saunders said Kevin Love's uncertain future with the team contributed to his decision to look elsewhere — to himself — for the job.

Now that Ricky Rubio has had several days to digest it, does the world look and feel different from the one he lived in before he signed a four-year, $55 million contract extension on Friday?

"No, I mean it's going to look different next year, but not right now," he said. "Now it's something I don't have to think about anything else but basketball. It was something that was kind of bothering me during summer, talking about it here and there. All I want to do is play basketball. Of course, there is a business side and you have to take care of it. But it's better to do it before the season than during the season."

Fined $15,000 Monday for impersonating Sam Cassell's celebratory strut from long ago, Wolves veteran Kevin Martin played the first game of the rest of his life Wednesday with this promise.

"From now on, I'm just going to be me," Martin said. "Make my shots and run back down the court like nothing happened."

• Forward Thaddeus Young had 10 points and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes against the Nets after he was knocked out of Saturday's game because of an elbow to the head.

• Hollins on his talks with the Wolves last spring: "It was just an interview. They hired somebody else. That's where it went."