2:15The last thing anybody, particularly Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman, wanted from Monday night's preseason opener was overtime. So when it came with a 108-106 loss to CSKA Moscow at Target Center, the best Adelman could call it was a "good teaching experience" for his players young and old alike.
From his starters, he wanted better professionalism on a night when his team fell behind by 18 points in the second quarter and led by four points late, long after his first unit went to the bench for the night.
From second-year guard Alexey Shved, he wanted better decision-making than the silly foul he committed with 7.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter that sent CSKA Moscow guard Milos Teodosic to the free-throw line for two shots that forced overtime.
And from forward Derrick Williams, he wants two hands on the ball when the game's on the line.
Shved and Williams carried the Wolves' second unit from eight points behind to start the fourth quarter to the brink of victory, only to watch it slip away in the final 78 seconds of regulation time and overtime.
Shved committed the unnecessary and untimely foul in the fourth quarter's final seconds after he had made a clutch three to give the Wolves a four-point lead — their biggest of the night — with 1:18 left against the team that raised him as a professional.
Williams scored 14 of his team-high 21 points in the fourth quarter and overtime but missed three of four free throws late in overtime. Before that, he missed a flying, one-handed putback dunk in the fourth quarter's final minute that left Adelman gesturing for him to use both hands.
"He tried twice to make the one-handed slam — the hero play," Adelman said. "Just grab it with two hands and put it in. We need the basket. It's just something you've got to learn. But there were a lot of other things out there, too."
