Britt Robson The Minnesota Timberwolves traded one of the ten best players in the NBA, along with the rest of their starting lineup. They retained a coach who went 12-30 in the second half of last season, and a general manager who has become the default scapegoat–and not without reason–for anyone with even a passing acquaintance with … Read more
EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division 1. Boston Celtics (1st Playoff seed) Why: Three yeoman stars all accoustomed to carrying the load. A pair of role starters, Perkins and Rondo, who are better than advertised. Glue guys for points (House) and defense (Posey) off the bench. Worries: Mediocre coach, Ray Allen’s ankles. Overrated: The plus-30 ages of … Read more
Courtesy of Wolves stat guru Paul Swanson, here are the plus/minus total for the Wolves this exhibition season. 2007-08 Minnesota Timberwolves Preseason Plus/Minus Report (Final) Raw Minutes Team Opp Minutes Team Opp Net Player Plus/Minus On Floor Pts/48 Pts/48 On Bench Pts/48 Pts/48 Plus/Minus Telfair, Sebastian +25 74.3 101.4 85.2 319.7 88.4 97.9 +25.6 Ratliff, … Read more
The balmy weather and the impending denoument of my favorite season sent me up to Ely and then on to the Superior Hiking Trail for a little fresh air the past two days and I thus wasn’t able to make it back for the Wolves-Bucks tilt. Here are my questions and observations simply from gleaning … Read more
Let’s assume the news is true, and the Wolves are indeed, as is being reported by ESPN and other outlets, trading Mark Blount and Ricky Davis to the Heat for Antoine Walker, Michael Doleac, Wayne Simien and, perhaps most importantly, at least one future draft pick. This is a classic addition by subtraction deal. I … Read more
1. Theo In the Pivot Let’s begin with some positive news, eh? Theo Ratliff, valued first and foremost for the $11 million he will take off the books when his contract expires at the end of the season, is alive and swatting, providing the best interior presence this franchise has ever seen, at least as … Read more
Fresh off bad predictions in both league championship series (hat tip to Brad Zellar over at Warning Track Power who called both right), I’m not going to be cute or even especially original in calling the BoSox winners in six games or less. Here are the top two reasons why. * Patient hitters This was … Read more
Of the two folk-pop female vocalists who broke through to massiveappeal beginning in the late ’60s, Joni Mitchell was the hippieartiste, Judy Collins the classically trained songbird. Now, atsixty-eight, Collins has taken care of her clarion soprano, deliveringup lush, conservative material ranging from children’s and Christmasfare to interpretations of Dylan and, most recently, Lennon andMcCartney. … Read more
This is the most informative seminar on hip-hop microphone skills the Twin Cities will likely ever experience. While Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z, and KRS-One would all get some votes, Rakimis rightfully regarded as the greatest MC who ever drew breath, duemostly to his quicksilver-smooth flow and pioneering, now pervasivelyinfluential, rhyme schemes. The Wu-Tanger Ghostface Killahis a … Read more
The supposedly big news is that Cris Kirkwood is back from drugaddiction and a stint in jail. But the exciting part is that older broCurt Kirkwood—the alpha talent responsible for both the blistering,psychedelic guitar explosions and the sardonic, semi-sage lyrics thatare the Pups’ signature one-two punch—has responded to the siblingreunion by spooling forth Rise to … Read more