Minnesota Sports Forum

I fortunately didn't have to see much of last night's game, but I am staying in to watch tonight's. I have no expectations of a win with our best player out, but I do need to see some things tonight. Here's my list:

1) Pek needs to work harder to get the kind of position he needs in order to be effective offensively. If he can't set up within 3 feet of the basket, I don't want to see our guys passing the ball to him...nothing good will come from that. I know Chandler isn't an easy matchup for most centers, but Pek has had some good games against him. Establish position, and then make the frickin' 3-footer.

2) I want to see Kevin Martin working hard and moving without the ball to get open. I recognize that neither Zach nor Mo will be as effective as Ricky at finding Martin when he's open, but Kevin needs to keep working anyway. If he's not taking, and making, his shots, there's no reason for him to be on the floor.

3) As a follow on to ! and 2 above, if either Pek or Martin plays like last night, I expect Flip to limit their minutes. Gorgui, Corey, Bud, etc. are hungry for some minutes.

4) I want to see Gorgui at his real position...Center, not PF. Start AB at PF if he's healthy, or Robbie if he's not, and give Gorgui plenty of minutes at center.

5) We're not going to win this game anyway, so I want to see Bud get some meaningful minutes to see if he can produce. If KMart shows he doesn't want to play tonight, divide the SG minutes between Corey and Bud.

6) I want to see Muhammad show some interest in getting his teammates involved. He seems able only to consider two options...an attempt to score, or if no opportunity is there, a return pass to the player who passed to him. There were two games this year where Bazz looked like he was getting it, and he moved the ball effectively within the offense. But I haven't seen this Bazz in over a week. If he can add any semblance of effective passing to his game, he will earn a lot more minutes. If not, I think Flip will continue to limit him to 10 minutes a night.

It's cold here tonight, so I'm choosing to stay in and watch this hapless team. I don't need or expect a win...I just want to be able to put a checkmark next to some of these things.

Oh, and keep the score within 40 please.

What do you guys want to see tonight? "A win" will be accepted as an answer by the committee, but you may be asked what you are smoking.

Think you have to start Brewer because Ellis will eat Martin alive. I also think it is a perfect matchup to start Gorgi against Chandler. It will allow Gorgi more freedom, and we wont' have to watch Pek eat the ball four times tonight, and then start throwing balls at the backboard from 6 feet.

Well, we have some company. Cleveland just shot 78% from the field in the first quarter against Atlanta, including 9 of 9 from 3-point land. Unbelievable shooting display.

Maybe Zach will record an assist tonight and K-Mart will make a field goal. Both could happen in one play. We're comin'.

I am expecting a much more competitive game tonight. Bennett gets the start.

It would be great if we were pissed off enough to just go out and win!

I wish I was feeling a little more positive, but I don't think we cover the 12 point spread tonight. We're starting 3 teenagers (or almost, in AB's case) and two normally high scoring vets who don't play well without Rubio. Ellis has a huge night tonight, I'm afraid.

Mo Williams is J.J Barea 2.0.

Williams doesn't look like the guy I have watched before. Sure, he often would have a poor shooting game, but seldom so many horrible games in a row. At least Martin is working hard on offense and hitting the boards. Ellis is a tough assignment for him, though, even when he seems interested like tonight

Edit: And no sooner do I finish typing, and Mo hits two in a row.

Pek's conditioning is a disgrace, Trent Tucker has hinted on his radio show that Pek doesn't show up in shape at the start of the season, and it certainly looks like it this year.