The Three Pointer: Coming Home to Roost

^{Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)}

Game #60, Road Game #28: Minnesota 76, Utah 105

Season Record: 12-48

1. Giving Up

Said Sebastian Telfair, "We had no energy, no intensity. We just kind of gave up." Said Kirk Snyder: "They grind it out. They just kept doing what they do and we kind of broke down." Said Randy Wittman: "We’ve got to go and get our edge back."

In the 60th game of the season last year, the Wolves beat the Los Angeles Lakers 117-107 in double overtime to run their record to 27-33. Two years ago on Game 60 they also lost to the Jazz on the road–by three points, 93-96, to erode their record to 26-34. And three years ago they beat the Celtics, 93-90, to square their mark at 30-30. That history lesson is for all the folks, including owner Glen Taylor, who steadfastly claim that this year’s team has been so much more fun to watch than the previous years of ineptitude.

2. The Plan For "Big Al"

The Utah Jazz beat the Wolves into submission last night; beat them until the Wolves rolled over and put their collective tail between their legs. Last time I checked, the regular season ends April 16, exactly six weeks from yesterday. During that time, 22 games will be played. Seriously, what’s the plan between now and then?

We’ve heard way too plenty about "Build It Together," with a different member of the front office trotted out on the advertising-free halftime show to inform the miniscule audience of masochists how much better things are going to be down the road. But beyond platitudes like "We’ll see who really wants to step up and who doesn’t," the strategic thinking for how to prepare and array this current roster–you know, the one everyone who bought into "The Blueprint For the Future" last season is now paying full price to witness–has not been so explicitly and relentlessly shoved down our throats.

But we’ve certainly been given clues. The dumping of Theo Ratliff (reported savings to Glen Taylor, $2.5 million) and the sparse playing time for Chris Richard (whose plus +1 in a garbage-time abetted 19:04 last night was five points better than any other Timberwolf) indicates that Al Jefferson will continue to be played out of position at the center spot. Over at 82games.com, which probably hasn’t factored last night’s 29-point pasting into its data base, the numbers on Jefferson’s offensive performance at center versus power forward are not that different. He shoots a little more accurately (if a tad less often) at center, yet rebounds a little better, and commits fewer fouls and turnovers, at the power forward slot.

But if you want to know why Jefferson has twice as much of an advantage over his fellow 4s (+10.5 in PER rating) versus his fellow 5s (+5.1 PER rating), check "Big Al"’s differing ability to defend centers as opposed to people more his size. The eFG% (which factors in three-pointers, not much of a consideration for centers and power forwards) for the power forwards Jefferson defends is 42.7%–pretty good D. The eFG% of centers against Jefferson is 57%–pretty horrible D.

Is stockpiling centers that don’t play–even after buying out Ratliff, nearly half the Wolves’ seven-person bench is comprised of Richard, Madsen and Doleac–while throwing your best player and lone true cornerstone into a less natural and effective position, is that part of last season’s "Blueprint" or this season’s "Build It"?

3. Around The NBA

Spurred on by the fuzzy audio resulting from the Wolves simulcasting Hanneman/Petersen/McKinney’s Utah call over both TV and radio (due to illness sidelining the radio play by play man), I decided to keep listening to the audio of the Celts-Pistons game instead while watching the Wolves-Jazz. Then, during halftime and after the game, I flipped over to ESPN’s telecast of the Suns-Nuggets. None of this discouraged my against-the-grain opinions that the Celts will beat the Pistons if the two should match up in the Eastern Conference Finals, and that the Suns and Mavs are in a race to the bottom that could easily see one, and perhaps both, fail to make the playoffs.

The Eastern Conference Finals prediction is admittedly complicated by the fact that I think the Pistons helped themselves more by adding Ratliff than the Celts did adding Cassell and P.J. Brown. But add in how well the Cavs bolstered themselves with the West/Wallace acquisitions and that any team with Dwight Howard can’t totally be counted out, and the Celts/Pistons/Cavs/Magic quartet in the conference semis is the closest thing to a lock in what shapes up as an unbelievably exciting playoff season. Personally, I think whoever has to face the Cavs in the semis will be at a disadvantage in the finals–provided they get past the LeBrons, of course. As for now, I’ll stick with the Celts, who enjoyed a season high 31 from KG in their signature victory over Detroit.

In the West, Phoenix and Dallas gambled for a ring or bust this season, which is somewhat admirable, considering that both teams really didn’t look to advance much standing pat. But the pressure–not only on Shaq and Kidd, but Kerr and Cuban, and by extension D’Antoni and Avery Johnson–is going to be excruciating. Meanwhile, Denver, Golden State and Houston all have elements that make them loosey-goosey, which could be a curse or a blessing as the calendar flips to April and every loss is magnified.

Don’t count out New Orleans. Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler may not be your typical 1-2 punch of stars, but the incredible versatility and charismatic leadership of CP3 and Chandler’s continually superb defense (always underrated, every year, when prognosticators sort things out) make this a very dangerous club.

Finally, kudos to Allen Iverson and Deron Williams for putting on a clinic as to how the point guard position can be played in very very different but equally satisfying and effective ways. The manner in which D-Will carved up the Wolves on that opening 15-0 run to start the second half should be stenciled into Randy Foye’s cranium while he sleeps every night. And Iverson, twirling for 25 shots a dozen dimes and zero turnovers last night, remains my favorite player to watch when the defense is pliable (as Phoenix’s always seems to be) and he’s in rhythm. Coupled with Williams’ 11/0 assist to turnover total, it made for a glorious display of dishes.