Minnesota Sports Forum

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/17709030/nba-tim-thibodeau-ready-reshape-minnesota-timberwolves

I was wondering why our first preseason game starts so late and this article helps answer that:

Thibodeau essentially designed three training camps. Though technically voluntary, every Wolves player was doing full workouts for 2-3 weeks before the beginning of actual training camp. According to players, these were de facto practices. Then Thibodeau scheduled 11 days between the start of official practice and his first preseason game. Some teams had as little as four days of practice before the preseason opener. In a way, that is the "second" training camp. The third is an unusual nine-day preseason road trip that will take the Wolves to five cities, including stops in Kansas City, Missouri; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Louisville, Kentucky. This will enable a long bonding session, much of it in non-NBA cities, that will mimic an offsite training camp.

I'm impressed. He seems to be fully calculated and has a well thought out plan. Really like that he is giving special attention to Wiggins, and am looking forward to seeing what kind of impact he has on him.

I've read numerous times about the camp before the camp and how all these guys had already been working with the coaches for two straight weeks prior to the real camp opening day. Aren't there rules around this, and if not, why does the "official" training camp start at the same time for everyone?

Q12543 wrote:I've read numerous times about the camp before the camp and how all these guys had already been working with the coaches for two straight weeks prior to the real camp opening day. Aren't there rules around this, and if not, why does the "official" training camp start at the same time for everyone?

Q what I read on Twitter is during that time the coaches can work with players as long as no more than 5 roster players are on the court at any time. So basically they couldn't run a full practice or coach led scrimmage but you can get in plenty of good work rotation guys in and out.

Thanks for posting this Ricky it was interesting stuff.

Nice article. I know some here were concerned about Thibs' grind it out style, but I've heard him say in multiple interviews he's gonna adapt to our strengths, i.e., running and gunning. I know we've heard that before, but I hope he can make it work with our youth and speed.

monsterpile wrote:

Q12543 wrote:I've read numerous times about the camp before the camp and how all these guys had already been working with the coaches for two straight weeks prior to the real camp opening day. Aren't there rules around this, and if not, why does the "official" training camp start at the same time for everyone?

Q what I read on Twitter is during that time the coaches can work with players as long as no more than 5 roster players are on the court at any time. So basically they couldn't run a full practice or coach led scrimmage but you can get in plenty of good work rotation guys in and out.

Ah, got it. I did not know that.