Post All Star Break: Wolves still have work to do

If you are a fan of the Timberwolves you have been pleasantly surprised at how well the baby Wolves have been playing this year. It hard to point your finger at one thing that has made last years worst team in to a team one game out of the 8th seed in the western conference. The easiest thing to do is credit Kevin Love for his MVP-like play. Last year he made huge strides by becoming a double-double machine. This year he has taken his game to another level and is arguably the best power forward in the game because of his rebounding and in and outside scoring ability.

Love has been fantastic but we can not forget about the addition of Ricky Rubio and what he has done for the team. If you do not watch the Wolves play, you will never understand his value. His 11 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds per game have been what we expected, just not this soon. His shooting percentages are low (37% from the field) but those were expected coming in. Outside of stats, he keeps this team together. He plays with high energy all the time and is always looking to push the ball. He keeps his teammates engaged because they know that if they are open, he will find a way to get them the ball. If he is not looking to score he’s keeping the offense flowing. There is a reason why in the first month of the season, Rubio lead all NBA players in 4th quarter minutes. His defense has been underrated and his 2.4 steals per game is second in the league behind Mike Conley. The best thing about Ricky is that because of his skill set the Timberwolves are able to play two and sometimes three point guards on the floor at once. It is not unusual to see Rubio and either Luke Ridnour or JJ Barea on the floor at the same time. We can also credit the poor play of the wings for this. Rubio has been very good statistically but if you watch the games, you know his value to the team is almost equal to Kevin Love’s.

Outside of Rubio and Love, there has been another surprise, the emergence of Nikola Pekovic. The hard nosed big man is the definition of a bruiser. Coming into the league he was compared to Luis Scola and just in his second year, he is already living up to those comparisons. He’s tough inside and knows his limitations. He has turned into a great compliment to Love in the paint.
The downside is that the wing play has been mediocre at best. Wes Johnson transformation into a shooting guard has been a terrible experiment. He’s not a guard and please, I do not even want to get started on his shooting. He is shooting 38% from the field, 21% from deep and 63% from the line. He does not scare anyone on the defensive end and his 2 rebounds a game pretty much places him in the top-5 of the ‘why does this person start in the NBA’ list.

Michael Beasley started the year off strong as he found his role with the new look Wolves in Adelman’s system. An ankle injury sidelined him three weeks and it has been down hill from there. The team learned to play and win without him and with Derrick Williams eager for more minutes it is all but certain that Beasley will be traded by the March 15th deadline.

Derrick Williams has had a slow start to his rookie season. At times he has shown why he was taken 2nd overall. He is loaded with talent and physical gifts. Unfortunately, the majority of the time he has shown that he has a lot of learning to do and should be happy that he was not forced in to a starting role. For now he is a consistent ESPN top-10 highlight almost every game.

So where do the Timberwolves go from here. If they make a run, they could find themselves in the playoffs. They still have glaring weaknesses on the wing and could use another ball handler. A guard or forward that can create his own shot would be great. With the trade deadline two weeks away here are a few ways the Wolves can improve their team and possibly sneak into the playoffs.

First, make the easy decision and get rid of Beasley. The kid has talent but needs to be on a veteran team. He is not in the Wolves future plans so it is best to part ways now. If they can get a first round pick in the back half of the draft, they have to make the deal. Remember the Wolves acquired Beasley for a second round pick, so if they can flip him two years later for a first rounder David Kahn deserves some credit. The Lakers, Pistons and Celtics have all been rumored to have interest in Beasley and his expiring deal.

The next move needs to be made for a wing that can create his own shot. This move has to be made without giving up any core pieces. That rules out names such as Monta Ellis and Kevin Martin. Players in play are Ben Gordon, OJ Mayo and Stephen Jackson. Gordon and Jackson bring defense to the table and all three bring much needed outside shooting. Stephen Jackson is not the type of player I would place in a young lockeroom, so that leaves Ben Gordon and OJ Mayo. With Mayo you have to hope he will resign this year and hope it will be for a reasonable price. Gordon is locked in for two years and if it does not work, the Wolves still have their amnesty clause. Gordon is the player the Wolves should target first. He is a veteran and the asking price will be very low for him. Low risk high reward scenario.

Outcome: If the Minnesota can flip Beasley for a future pick and turn a combination of role players including Anthony Randolph into either Ben Gordon or OJ Mayo, they have a legit chance at sneaking in to the playoffs. If not, they at least would have a more balanced team and rotation moving forward.

--Justin Lovett
@J_Lovett26

Top-15 Mock Draft

1. Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck, QB 6’4 235, Stanford University
There is not much to say here. Luck has been the top prospect of the last two drafts. It looks like the Colts are headed for a major overhaul and Peyton Manning will not be part of the rebuilding process. This pick is a no brainer.

2. St. Louis Rams – Matt Kalil, OT 6’7 295, University of Southern California
The St. Louis Rams offense was hard to watch last year. Sam Bradford was constantly hurt and when he did play, he did not player very well. A large part of this was his lack of targets. Justin Blackmon could be the pick here but if Bradford can not stay healthy, having Blackmon does not mean much. Matt Kalil should be the pick. In any other draft he would likely be the top prospect. Rams do yourselves a favor and keep Bradford off the turf.

3. Minnesota Vikings – Justin Blackmon, WR 6’1 211, Oklahoma State University
The Vikings are in a unique position. They are clearly in the process of rebuilding but it is not a complete overhaul. Christian Ponder showed promise last year so there is no need to pull the gun on RG3. Justin Blackmon can be Ponder’s go-to guy for years to come and would present a nice compliment to Percy Harvin.

4. Cleveland Browns – Robert Griffith III, QB 6’1 218, Baylor University
The Cleveland Browns should have another solid draft, thanks to the trade they made with the Falcons last year. Colt McCoy can still be an NFL starter but will he ever be a franchise quarterback? It can be assumed the Browns will answer no to that question, which is why they can not pass on RG3.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Morris Claiborne, CB 6’0 173, Louisiana State University
The Bucs have a lot of gaping holes on their roster. They need explosiveness on offense, and help everywhere on defense. Trent Richardson would be a solid pick here but the bigger need is at corner back. There is no telling when Ronde Barber will retire and Aqib Talib’s off the field troubles could force him off the team.

6. Washington Redskins – Riley Reiff, OT 6’6 300, Iowa University
The Redskins would love to strike a deal that would put them in place to land RG3. I doubt they will be able to jump in front of the Browns. We know they will target a QB either in the draft or in free agency but who ever their next franchise guy is, he will need protection. Riley Reiff will seal the right side of the line.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Quinton Coples, DE 6’5 280, University of North Carolina
Jacksonville needs immediate help on offense. Outside of Maurice Jones-Drew their offense was…as Bill Simmons once said…Poo Poo Platter. Unfortunately, at this stage in the first round, the value is in defensive players. Jags should take Quinton Coples, a player who scouts question his motor but has a huge ceiling. He dominated in the Senior Bowl, which is very encouraging.

8. Carolina Panthers – Michael Brockers, DT 6’6 305, Louisiana State University
The Panthers surprised a lot of people this year. It appears they found a gem in Cam Newton. This year they should focus on getting him more targets at receiver and revamping the defense. No better place to start on your defense than it’s core. Michael Brockers should be able to control the middle, to help solidify their front.

9. Miami Dolphins – Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB 6’1 275, University of South Carolina
Any fan of SEC football knows that Melvin Ingram is a monster. Right now scouts believe he will be a hybrid OLB/DE. I think he will ultimately be a Justin Tuck type of player that can play any position on the defensive line in certain situations.

10. Buffalo Bills – Courtney Upshaw, OLB 6’1 273, Alabama University
The Bills pass rush was absolutely horrible. There was not one player on their defense that tallied at least 6 sacks last season. Last year they upgraded up front by picking Marcel Dareus. This year they need to upgrade the linebacking core and pass rush. Courtney Upshaw should be an instant impact player.

11. Kansas City Chiefs – Trent Richardson, RB 5’11 225, Alabama University
Trent Richardson is a top-4 talent in this draft. He is a sure thing at running back with his combination of strength, speed and agility. What will likely hurt him is that running backs are not valued very high anymore. I suspect a lot of teams will pass on Richardson and address a position with a higher value at the top of the draft. Trent Richardson is a player I can see a team moving up for in the top-10 to take. If not, he could slip to the Chiefs.

12. Seattle Seahawks – Nick Perry, DE 6’3 250, University of Southern California
The Southern Cal standout is definitely on Pete Carroll’s radar. The two already have player-coach chemistry and Perry would address a major need on the Seahawks defensive line.

13. Arizona Cardinals – Jonathan Martin, OT 6’6 305, Stanford University
There have been rumors that the Cardinals will be targeting a new quarterback for next season. Peyton Manning has been one of the names whispered. No matter who the QB is, he will need protection. Offensive tackle makes sense for them.

14. Dallas Cowboys – Dre Kirkpatrick, CB 6’2 190, Alabama University
The Cowboys could use this pick to sure up their offensive line, but corner back is a bigger need. Terrence Newman should not be a starting cornerback in the NFL and Mike Jenkins is coming off a poor injury riddled season. Dre Kirkpatrick could be a starter immediately.

15. Philadelphia Eagles – Luke Kuechly, MLB 6’2 235, Boston College
It is no secret that the weakest group on the Eagles roster was the linebacking core. They were astonishingly terrible. Luke Kuechly is a tackling machine with a high motor. He has the ability to run that defense for many years.

--Justin Lovett
@J_Lovett26

Combine Preview

The 2012 NFL combine started yesterday in Indianapolis. This is the part of the offseason where we let numbers typically change what our eyes have told us. Sometimes the numbers reassure what our eyes have confirmed after watching a season of college football but usually this is event showcases the best athletes and not necessarily the best players.
Here are a few “workout warriors” to look forward to watching during the combine.

Kendall Wright, WR Baylor
Wright benefited from Robert Griffith III’s breakout season. He caught 108 passes for an astonishing 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has track speed and will likely wow many scouts.

Mohamed Sanu WR Rutgers
Sanu is quite an athlete. He originally came to Rutgers as a safety but quickly moved to the offensive side of the ball. While his primary position was receiver, Rutgers also used him at running back in the 2010-11 season. He caught 115 catches this season for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns. He stands at a solid 6’2 and weighs about 215 lbs. Scouts will definitely be watching his combine numbers.

Mike Martin, DT Michigan
Mike Martin is flat out strong. Like really really strong. The Michigan powerhouse is 6’2 300 lbs and plans on breaking the bench press record at the combine this year.

Brock Osweiler, QB Arizona St
Osweiler catches many peoples eye with his height. He stands at a very tall 6’8 and is a solid 240 lbs. He has a strong arm and is clearly a pocket passer. His physical attributes alone have some believing a team will take a chance on him in the late first round/early second round area. While his 2/1 touchdown to turnover ratio is not great, you can not teach size and arm strength. Think Joe Flacco.

--Justin Lovett
@J_Lovett26

Light at the end of the tunnel

After watching Austin Rivers put the finishing touches on his best game as a collegiate player last night, I was left wondering if this was the turning point in Rivers young career. Take a second and think about what type of player and person we are talking about. Rivers, son of former NBA player and current Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers. He was born with the pedigree, and also wealth that most would kill for. He was born with the gift and the work ethic to be one of the best of his age group. He’s seen his older brother play college ball but not live up to what Poppa Doc did. As a senior he carried Winter Park, a Florida based high school to national rankings. He brought media coverage, Youtube highlights, college and pro scouts. He can shoot like Steve Nash, he has the quickness of Derrick Rose, the explosiveness of Brandon Jennings and the competitive nature of Kobe Bryant. He is an absolute star in the making, but still a project.

Similar to many stars, Rivers is used to being the man and carrying the team. He sees no limits to his game. This is a gift and a curse. No one questions Rivers scoring ability, it is his decision making that worries scouts and his coaches. If you have watched Duke at all this season, you are familiar with the terms “That’s a bad shot,” “He needs to get the rim,” “He is quite a talent but he needs to stay another year,” “Too much one on one ball.” Austin knows he needs to work on having a better understanding of how basketball is a team game. He knows his defense needs a lot of work. He also knows his greatest strength is scoring in one on one situations. This is why he came to Duke. “I think somewhere else they would just let me do what I want to do. But not here.” He later went on to say, “In high school, AAU, you do what you kind of want. Here, this is Duke University, man. And at the end of the day, it’s going to make me better. I wanted that. I wanted to be able handle situations like this. That’s why I chose Duke." He clearly had no desire to play somewhere that would let him do as he pleased.

That decision will ultimately be the difference in his career. His game is more suited for the NBA, which is more isolation based and spread out, so I know he will be a star but it is important that he has been humbled at Duke. His up and down games have led many to believe that the once top recruit in the country needs another year of college basketball. Last night we saw a player determined to win and with a game winning shot of that magnitude, he may have turned the corner.

Rivers once said he wants to destroy Lebron James one day. If last nights game was a sign of what’s to come, he may get his chance sooner than we think.

Is Kobe running out of challenges?

On Monday, Kobe Bryant passed Shaquille O’Neil on the NBA’s all-time leading scorers list. Bryant, now with 28,601 points is 5th all-time with just Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul Jabar ahead of him. We saw this day coming years ago. The main story is the personal achievement but the underlying story is the way it happened.

The Los Angeles Lakers entered Wells Fargo Arena, in Philadelphia Pennsylvania in search of a win against a hot Sixers team. It was unclear which way the game was going to go, but we knew for sure Bryant would pass Shaq on the all-time scoring list on this night. Outside of Staples Center, would there have been a better place? Kobe returned home and had the opportunity to write history in the place that hasn’t accepted him in years.

Bryant started the game off hot, racking up 24 first half points, passing Shaq with a long jump shot mid second quarter. Fast forward to the end of the game, Bryant finished the game with 28 points. Before I go any further, it is important to note that 76ers stepped their defense up in the second half and made it hard for Bryant to even get the ball, never mind score. With that said, we cannot dismiss the fact Bryant went 8-14 in the first half and after he passed Shaq, he did not score again in the half, even with five minutes remaining in the half. In a close game, Bryant attempted just two shots in the third quarter. He then finished the game going 1-10 in the fourth as his team squandered a lead and ultimately ended up losing.

We hear all the time that Kobe is the most competitive and driven player in the NBA. He showed that in the first half. Why? Because he was chasing Shaq. He had a distinct goal in mind for that game. Once he achieved that goal, he was not the same player.

Recently on Max and Marcellus, Kobe Bryant mentioned that he scored 18 first quarter points on the Charlotte Bobcats because when the two teams squared off last season, Gerald Henderson was talking a lot of trash and playing Bryant very physical. Kobe simply said he did not forget that game and had something to prove this time around.

We know Bryant wants more championships but on a night to night basis does the level of his play revolve around the personal challenge he has given himself for that night? Did Kobe care more about passing Shaq on Monday than he did about beating Philly? Does the idea of regular season games bore Kobe at this point in his career?

I think these are all relevant questions and something to think about.

The trade that would put the NBA on hold for the next 4 years

We are about five weeks into the NBA and to say the season has been a bit wacky would be an understatement. As a fan, I love that basketball is on everyday. I love that my team plays 4 games a week. What I do not like is the quality of basketball I have been seeing. Short training camp, no practices, no rest…yes ladies and gentlemen that is a recipe for turnovers, injuries and bad basketball.

Regardless of how poor the play has seemed at times, it is still entertaining. To be honest, bad basketball is better than what we had in November. While there are so many stories to this season so far, I’m only going to focus on one of them right now. The Orlando Magic. The Magic are currently fighting a battle that can not be won. It can only be dragged out and there will be more casualties the longer this goes on. They are currently 12-9 but have lost their last four. It has been ugly. In two of those games they did not surpass the 70 point mark and in another one of those games they gave up a 26 point second half lead to a Rondoless Boston Celtics team. Again, it has been ugly.

During this stretch Dwight has been good at times but the real story is his teammates. They will not say it but the team is playing like they have given up on their star. Just like he gave up on the team and secretly demanded a trade. The inevitable is that Dwight will be wearing another team’s jersey next year, the question is how soon? Only Orlando Magic general manager Otis Thorpe knows the answer to that question. Thorpe knows the All-Star game will be held in Orlando later this month and he absolutely must have his star in a Magic uniform. That’s fair and understandable but as soon as the final whistle blows in that game, the clock will be ticking.

I’m a fair believer that a team will never get back equal value when trading a superstar. The idea is to set your self up for the future. The Nuggets managed to trade their superstar, collect valuable young pieces in the process and have actually become a better team. I doubt that will happen for the magic but they can still come away with a good deal. Take a look at the deals that have been circulating the media. It is hard to tell which deals have actually been offered:

Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu for Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum

Dwight Howard for Andrew Bynum, Matt Barnes, Andrew Goudelock and future picks

Dwight Howard for Brook Lopez, MarShon Brooks, Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Damion James, and 3 first round draft picks

Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu for Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Taj Gibson and CJ Watson

Here is the block buster trade that no one is thinking of that not only positions Dwight to win multiple championships but also leaves the Magic with a young core and the ability to make the playoffs every year:

Dwight Howard and DeAndre Liggins for James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins and Eric Maynor

I know that is probably a lot to digest but can you imagine a starting lineup of Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Kevin Durant, Nick Collison and Dwight Howard. Leaving Daequan Cook, Reggie Jackson and Nazr Mohammed coming off the bench…Incredible. You would instantly have the most dominant big man since Shaq, the best pure scorer and the closest thing to Derrick Rose not named Derrick Rose all on one team!

Do not worry, the Magic would not leave empty handed. They would then bolster a starting lineup of Jameer Nelson, James Harden, Ryan Anderson, Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins with a solid bench featuring Eric Maynor, J.J Redick, Hedo Turkoglu, and Big Baby Davis. Harden is clearly an up and coming star and with the chance to be the featured player in an offense he could turn into an all star caliber player. Ibaka is a premier shot blocker in the league and a decent low post defender. His offense can only get better. Perkins proves leadership and attitude. Two years down the line, they will be able to shed all the dead weight on their roster and surround their core with better talent.

It is unclear if this trade will ever be offered and released to the media but just in case it is, remember where you heard it first.

A New Poster For Blake Griffin

The dunk everyone has been talking about. Watch Blake Griffin posterize Kendrick Perkins!

Lebron James Dunk Over John Lucus

This dunk was so remarkable that most people didn't realize what happened until they showed the replay.