SB Nation Minnesota - Timberwolves Schedule: Minnesota Face Three Teams From Texas This Weekhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48959/mn-fave.png2012-01-27T09:00:56-06:00http://minnesota.sbnation.com/rss/stream/24914322012-01-27T09:00:56-06:002012-01-27T09:00:56-06:00Timberwolves Schedule 2012: Challenging Week Continues For Minnesota As They Face San Antonio And Los Angeles
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a> continue to be a tough team to parse in NBA action. They just signed star <span>Kevin Love</span> to a large contract and defeated the defending champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Dallas Mavericks</a> during the week, but are still only 8-10. They face two more very tough tests this weekend as they meet the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Los Angeles Lakers</a>.</p>
<p>San Antonio are having their usual strong season at 12-7 right now. <span>Tim Duncan</span> and the gang continue to dominate games like they used to and they're <a href="http://www.poundingtherock.com/2012/1/26/2736056/Spurs-win-over-Hawks-Parker-continues-strong-play">scoring plenty of points</a> as well in their wins. The Spurs come to Target Center Friday night at 8 PM EST.</p>
<p>The Lakers are next on Sunday night at 6:00, also at Target Center. At 11-8 they're having a mediocre season by Laker standards but are still doing work thanks to continued dominance by <span>Kobe Bryant</span>. <span>Pau Gasol</span> hasn't been <a href="http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2012/1/26/2739419/the-eternally-hidden-flame-of-pau-gasol">too much of a slouch </a>either.</p>
<p>The Wolves luckily get both of these tough games at home, so there might just be a chance that they can go .500 if they can feed off the Target Center crowd.</p>
<p><i>More on the Wolves can be found at <a href="http://www.canishoopus.com/">Canis Hoopus.</a></i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-timberwolves/2012/1/27/2751996/2012-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-scheduleChris White2012-01-25T11:01:23-06:002012-01-25T11:01:23-06:00NBA MVP 2012 Power Rankings: Kevin Love Still An MVP Candidate
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<p>SB Nation's latest 2012 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/25/2732023/nba-mvp-power-rankings-kyle-lowry-kyrie-irving">NBA MVP Power Rankings</a> are out and once again, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a> are represented by <span>Kevin Love</span>. Currently being behind names like Lebron James, <span>Kobe Bryant</span> and <span>Dwight Howard</span> is nothing to sneeze at for a player on a mediocre team like Love, but he's certainly earned the title of MVP candidate with his numbers so far in the 2012 NBA season.</p>
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<td><b>5.</b></td>
<td><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nba/players/35085/kevin-love">Kevin Love</a></b></td>
<td><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nba/teams/minnesota-timberwolves">Timberwolves</a></b></td>
<td><b>24.9 points on .559 TS%, 13.9 rebounds</b></td>
<td><b>6</b></td>
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<td colspan="5">Love is falling off of his Kareem pace (25-15), but 25-14 or 25-13 will do the trick. Something to keep in mind when considering Love's value: the Timberwolves are actually an average team these days! That's no small matter for a club that went 32-132 the past two seasons. Without Love, the Wolves would be back on that sort of pace ... or worse.</td>
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<p>Time will tell if Love's form translates into some more Wolves wins, because if it does it will be a lot harder to dismiss the big guy's contributions to the team and in the MVP race. Either way, if he keeps his successful season up at the pace he's at he'll be impossible to ignore either way.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Timberwolves, check out <a href="http://www.canishoopus.com/">Canis Hoopus.</a></i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-timberwolves/2012/1/25/2732241/2012-nba-mvp-minnesota-timberwolvesChris White2012-01-23T13:47:09-06:002012-01-23T13:47:09-06:00Michael Beasley Injury: Timberwolves Forward Continues To Miss Time With Sprained Foot
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Timberwolves</a> haven't been too terribly injured this season as they've gone a surprising 7-9, but small forward <span>Michael Beasley</span> has missed ten games in a row now with a sprained foot, suffered at the end of a game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> earlier in January. He's reportedly been <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards/michael-beasley-wont-travel-to-la-or-utah-with-timberwolves-because-of-strained-foot/2012/01/19/gIQANnpNBQ_story.html">out of the walking boot</a> for a while but did not travel with the team to Utah or Los Angeles for the last prolonged roadtrip.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/JerryZgoda/status/161532102117031936">Jerry Zgoda</a>, Beasley had the following to say about the whole situation:</p>
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<p>Beasley on that sprained foot that has now kept him out 10 games: "I've been hearing next week for 3 weeks now."</p>
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<p>Fortunately, <span>Ricky Rubio</span> and <span>Kevin Love</span> are more than covering for the minutes that Beasley and his sprained foot are missing. It's unlikely that Beasley's mere presence would have turned most of those losses into wins. Either way, the Wolves are certainly hoping that Beasley gets better soon.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Wolves, check out<a href="http://www.canishoopus.com/"> Canis Hoopus.</a></i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-timberwolves/2012/1/23/2727978/michael-beasley-injury-minnesota-timberwolvesChris White2012-01-23T11:51:49-06:002012-01-23T11:51:49-06:00NBA Power Rankings 2012: Timberwolves Wins Move Them Up To 19th
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a> might not have the best record in the league but <span>Kevin Love</span> and <span>Ricky Rubio</span> along with coach Rick Adelmen have taken the Wolves to much higher ground than anyone predicted before this season began. Tom Ziller's SB Nation <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/23/2727049/nba-power-rankings-chicago-bulls-miami-heat">NBA Power Rankings</a> seem to be impressed by the recent showing of form from the squad.</p>
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<td><b>19.</b></td>
<td><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nba/teams/minnesota-timberwolves">Minnesota Timberwolves</a></b></td>
<td><b>7-9</b></td>
<td><b>W: SAC, DET, LAC; L: UTA</b></td>
<td><a target="_blank" href="http://www.canishoopus.com/"><b>Canis Hoopus</b></a></td>
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<td colspan="5">Even if <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nba/players/98688/rick-adelman">Rick Adelman</a> doesn't win Coach of the Year -- Ty Corbin, Doug Collins and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../nba/players/98720/nate-mcmillan">Nate McMillan</a> are right up there -- he deserves some sort of honor for getting this club to nearly .500.</td>
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<p>The team being .500 would certainly be a feat only a year after they finished 17-65 and in the basement of the Western Conference. The team even being included in playoff discussions after the first few weeks of the season should give them some</p>
<p><i>For more on the Minnesota Timberwolves, check out<a href="http://www.canishoopus.com/"> Canis Hoopus.</a></i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-timberwolves/2012/1/23/2727570/2012-nba-power-rankings-minnesota-timberwolvesChris White2012-01-23T10:27:56-06:002012-01-23T10:27:56-06:00Timberwolves Vs. Rockets: Minnesota Face Houston At Home
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a> had a very impressive week that ended on a sour note when they fell to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Utah Jazz</a>, but an impressive week nonetheless that featured <span>Darko Milicic</span> of all people scoring 22 points to help beat the talented <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a>. Now at 7-9, the Wolves can push themselves up to .500 and into the playoff discussion with a decent week. They'll start Monday night against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Houston Rockets</a>.</p>
<p><span>Ricky Rubio</span> and <span>Kevin Love</span> continue to tear up their opposition every single evening, the question for the Wolves when it comes to the playoffs is if the terrible twosome can put more wins on the chart rather than great performances in losses.</p>
<p>The Houston Rockets come to Target Center boasting a slightly better record at 9-7 but not a particularly more talented team. Houston have won their last six straight games to blaze to their winning record including an impressive defeat of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a> in their last game. They are currently being led by guard <span>Kevin Martin</span>, who is averaging 18 points per game.</p>
<p>The Wolves are two games away from .500, winning at home against a mediocre but hot Rockets team would be a good start for them to get there.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Wolves, check out <a href="http://www.canishoopus.com/">Canis Hoopus.</a> Rockets info can be found at <a href="http://www.thedreamshake.com">The Dream Shake.</a></i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-timberwolves/2012/1/23/2727395/rockets-vs-timberwolves-preview-recap-ricky-rubio-kevin-loveChris White2012-01-23T09:21:06-06:002012-01-23T09:21:06-06:00Timberwolves Schedule 2012: Minnesota Face Three Teams From Texas This Week
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<p>The Timberwolves face three teams from Texas this week.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canishoopus.com/">Minnesota Timberwolves</a> improved their season record to 7-9 after going 3-1 in the last week with wins over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.sactownroyalty.com/">Sacramento Kings</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Detroit Pistons</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Los Angeles Clippers</a>. A Sunday loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Utah Jazz</a> muddled the week a little bit but there's still plenty of games to go and in the NBA there's always plenty of room for lower level teams to snag playoff spots.</p>
<p>The Wolves have three games this week with a Texas flair, starting Monday at home against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Houston Rockets</a>. The Rockets recently <a href="http://www.thedreamshake.com/2012/1/21/2724596/recap-rockets-grind-out-a-close-victory-at-home-versus-the-spurs">beat the San Antonio Spurs in a close affair</a> and are currently hanging on to a winning record at 9-7 despite a somewhat weak 2011 season bringing their expectations down.</p>
<p>Minnesota travel to Dallas to take on the defending champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavericks</a> on Wednesday, but it's not quite as powerful a Mavs team as we saw steamroll through the playoffs in 2011. They're 10-7, but have had a weird season <a href="http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2012/1/20/2721550/the-mavs-cant-do-anything-right">as only the Mavericks can</a>. The weekend brings a game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a> back home in Minnesota and a Sunday draw against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Los Angeles Lakers</a>.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Wolves, check out <a href="http://www.canishoopus.com/">Canis Hoopus.</a></i></p>
https://minnesota.sbnation.com/minnesota-timberwolves/2012/1/23/2727258/2012-minnesota-timberwolves-NBA-scheduleChris White