Everyone who has visited or lived in the Twin Cities during thistime of year knows how ridiculously cold it can get. What almostno one can figure out in Minnesota and around the NBA is thedeep freeze the Timberwolves have plunged into.
Kevin McHale, Minnesota’s VP of Basketball Operations, finallytook his team’s temperature on Saturday and decided to call 911.Actually, he called long time Timberwolves coach and longer timefriend Flip Saunders to inform him he was being relieved of hiscoaching duties. Then McHale announced that he had a replacementfor Saunders waiting in the wings - himself.
Nearly every preseason forecast had the Wolves and San Antoniomeeting in the Western Conference finals, and many felt thiswould be Minnesota‘s year to win it all. Yet if the playoffsstarted today, Minnesota would be on the outside looking in,with Los Angeles - yes the Clippers, and Denver only one gameback in the loss column for the 9th seed. How does a team thatwas the #1 seed in the West last year, two wins from the NBAFinals, and returning all their key players, go so far south soquickly? For starters, their home record is dismal for any teamthat has playoff hopes. Through Saturday, only five teams in theleague have lost more games at home than the 12 the Wolves havedropped, and those five teams (Utah, Golden State, Charlotte,Atlanta, and New Orleans) are the five worst teams in theleague. Their record against the Eastern Conference is anequally disturbing 7-13, one of only four teams in the West thatdon’t have a winning record against the East (again, see Utah,Golden State, New Orleans). If you can’t dominate at home, andagainst the East, you aren’t going far in the West.
At least give McHale credit for trying to clean up the mess helargely created. The blame for the NBA’s biggest bust thisseason sits squarely on his shoulders. Saunders is a quality guyand a good coach who truly paid his coaching dues on the way tothe NBA. But he wasn’t the right guy for the Wolves, and McHalelet his friendship with Saunders cloud that reality. If Saundershad coached anywhere else, in any pro sport, he would have beengone long before having the chance to lose in the first round ofthe playoffs his first seven tries. Regular season wins arenice, playoff series wins are mandatory. McHale was apparentlysatisfied with that nice regular season record, until a shortageof those wins jeopardized another trip to the playoffs.
The Wolves’ current roster presents some serious challenges forany coach. McHale had to know he was playing with fire byobtaining Latrell Sprewell, and it’s coming back to burn him.Sprewell has become an aging two guard who can’t feed his familyon $14+ million a year. Sam Cassell was brilliant last year butis suddenly an aging point guard, and he followed Spree’sopening with his own contract demands. Then there’s MichaelOlowokandi, who must have finally realized his NBA gravy trainis parked on a side track, given his recent auditions as aclosing time nightclub act and a boxer. McHale made this bed,and he has less than two weeks to extricate himself before thetrade deadline. All three players need to go, but with contractand cap issues, can you move them, and what can you get inreturn to salvage the Wolves’ season? McHale’s cell phone betterbe charged, with extra batteries in his pocket, because thistask is going to require a lot of talking, much of it from thesides of his mouth. The best guess is McHale probably can’t makethe kind of changes needed by the trade deadline to right theTimberwolves. He no doubt realized this, and figures his bestchance is to try and coach a turn around with the talent he has.
Which brings us to McHale’s ace in the hole, MVP Kevin Garnett.The Wolves are often referred to as “Kevin’s Team”, and many arequick to cite what a great leader he is. Garnett may be the bestall around basketball player on the planet, but great leadersdon’t ever let their teams implode. Saunders let KG run theshow, which lately has meant far too many no and one passpossessions. Maybe Garnett has lost confidence in his teammatesabilities, or maybe he is just playing for his own stats. IfMcHale can get Garnett on his page, both on the floor and in thelocker room, the Wolves have a chance to make the playoffs,perhaps a draw with San Antonio in the first round instead ofthe conference finals.
That’s a long way from the lofty expectations, and probablymeans the Timberwolves will have a chance to warm up quickly -on the golf course.
About the author:Ted Bauer writes for http://www.hoopsavenue.com
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