Flip Saunders’ Timberwolves traveled to Philadelphia and came away winners. By 31 points. The game was one sided at halftime and lopsided after that. Serious analysis becomes difficult when my biggest question is when Gorgui Dieng will check in the game to swing away at some blocks.
So that’s how we end up with photoshop posts.
It was a businesslike win for the once-again .500 Wolves; a win they needed and made sure they got.
A few serious observations about the game before calling it an early Monday night:
* The Wolves were 16-26 from downtown. The starters (who sat out the fourth quarter) were 10-14. Some of that was weak Philly defense. Some of that was Corey Brewer (3-3) making shots that he always gets and usually misses. Hot shooting was a key factor in building the halftime lead.
* Pek had 16 & 14. In under 23 minutes. He’s putting together the best stretch of his career. If he possesses the same Improvement skill that Kevin Love has, the Wolves will obviously be better off for it. He’s signed for five years.
* Good Alexey Shved made another appearance in this game. Shved’s 10 & 4 mostly came in the first half when he teamed with J.J. Barea and Dante Cunningham. Together, they turned what was a back-and-forth, no-defense affair into one where the Wolves took control and never let up.
* Robbie Hummel made a three-pointer. He hadn’t done that in his past 7 games. Now that that seal is broken he can resume being good at shooting. (I swear it’s true!)
* It seems like the Wolves are pretty unstoppable when Corey Brewer is making 3s. So I looked up his splits on nba.com and found this:
Wow. I wouldn’t have even guessed the difference was that significant. In losses, Brewer shoots 1.1 more 3s per game and makes 0.6 fewer (1.8 points for you math majors out there) per game. Considering how close many of the Wolves losses have been this year, that’s a telling statistic.
That’s all I’ve got. Good win. Next game is Wednesday at Target Center versus the upstart Phoenix Suns. We’ll try to get a preview of some sort up that day. Until then.
Season Record: 17-17
Punch-Drunk Wolves 
According to Britt’s sessions with Bill Bayno last season–for which I’m not going to pretend I wish I couldn’t have been a fly on the wall–Pek markedly improved his footwork, agility, and overall position on defense. This season, Pek has added a variety of moves, including a face-up jumper, as well as a nice little array of pirouette moves in the post, which he’s now converting into little Mikan scoops or baby hooks in a way he wasn’t even capable of attempting two seasons ago, or making good on last season.
The bottom line is, Pek is improving a lot on both ends, he still has room for growth, and his track record suggests he’ll make good on that potential. The future is bright for the Wolves in the middle, and as much as Pek is universally loved in Wolves World, I think the fact that the media and fans have dwelt on Love’s improvement (deservedly so) has obscured the fact that Pek is a likely All-Star center in the next two years if he can stay healthy.
Great game, phenomenal photoshop. The fact that Flip is Dennis, who pisses on the bar…pure gold. Who is Art Sloane though? And who just drank a cup full of poison? The NBA remains so full of mysteries.
Wolves.
Have respect
Idiots.
We are
Legends.
@BrettA: There is the D.E.N.N.I.S System. (NSFW, depending where you work): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZuOKUrwoys
To my knowledge, there’s no evidence as to whether there’s an analogue to the D.E.N.N.I.S System for recruiting and signing free agents. Snarky me thinks Coach Cal’s “system” in the college ranks is the closest approximation.
I can appreciate that analogy. If you’re not a 1-and-done, you get DENNISed by your sophomore year..
Seems like you’d be DENNISed the moment you sign your recruitment letter. We should probably give Cal the benefit of the doubt, though, and go with your version.