HoopsHype - Articles - Familiar spot heading into the playoffs

After a 30-10 start the Timberwolves were the darlings of the NBA. Kevin Garnett was talked about as league MVP, Wally Szczerbiak was a first-time All-Star, and Flip Saunders was the frontrunner for coach of the year. Life was good in the Land of 10,000 Lakes (and a few less No. 1 draft picks), and for once, this team not only seemed like it had a legitimate chance to gain home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but to win a playoff series for the first time in team history.

Fast forward to the present.

The Timberwolves are 48-30 with four games remaining and fighting to hold on to the fifth playoff spot in the Western Conference. Garnett is being criticized throughout the Twin Cities - some fans even suggesting the Wolves trade the $26 million man. Szczerbiak may be feuding with jealous teammates again, and Saunders, even though owner Glen Taylor gave him a vote of confidence, could be on the way out with another first-round playoff loss. The freeze is off those Minnesota lakes, but the cold-hearted reality is this team appears headed for another first-round playoff disappointment.

Even though the team won six of seven games before a recent loss -a disheartening 19-point defeat at that-
to Sacramento, the inconsistencies of this team make it hard to believe this club is ready to move out of the first round of the playoffs. And even if the Wolves did somehow defeat it’s two likely first round opponents - San Antonio or the Los Angeles Lakers, do they have enough firepower to make it past the second round?

Let’s not get ahead of the game. Instead, it’s time to look for that silver lining of hope - like pretending the Wolves are in the Eastern Conference, where they would be the second seed behind New Jersey (some Timberwolves fans desperately try to use that as a reason for optimism). But the truth hurts, and the truth of the matter is, the Wolves need to find something to fuel the fire and bring the passion back for the stretch run. Remember, the team that went 30-10 also had Terrell Brandon running the point. But also remember they also went a good stretch of those games without Brandon and had success. They defeated the Lakers twice at home this season, including a 120-102 blowout at the Target Center on January 11, and they spilt the season series with the Spurs, including a 112-88 victory at the Alamodome Feb. 23.

The potential is there. The Wolves know it. The Lakers know it. The Spurs know it. The fans know it. But it’s time to stop talking about potential and about results. In order to get the results Minnesota fans want, here is a look at what the Wolves need to do to win - a playoff series, not just one or two games:

Go-To Garnett: In an 88-87 loss to Denver April 4, the Wolves trailed by one with 11 seconds left and the ball. The final shot went to Anthony Peeler. He missed, the Wolves lost. Wolves fans can live with the miss, even MJ missed some buzzer beaters, but they can’t and shouldn’t have to live with Peeler taking the last shot. For this team to be successful in the playoffs, Garnett has to become more selfish, he has to assume the role of go-to guy - not just at crunch time, but in the first quarter when the shot clock is running out, in the second quarter to stop an 8-0 run, and in the third quarter to finish a team off.

People knock Szczerbiak for being selfish, but at least he has the confidence to put the game into his own hands. Garnett is the consummate team player, but right now, they need him to develop more of a me-first attitude. If anything, the streaky Peeler shouldn’t be taking clutch shots, especially in the playoffs.

Will the real Chauncey Billups please stand up?: Billups had his first career triple-double (26 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) against Memphis and the next night in Denver he scored 13 points, had two rebounds
and five assists. Billups looks like an All-Star one night, like the journeyman he has been so far in his short career the other night. His erratic play has finally made Timberwolves fans realize they do need Brandon, and that as good as Billups can be one night, he can be just as bad the next. He doesn’t need to be triple-double good for the Wolves to win, but he has to get to the hole, create shots for KG and Wally, and hit his open shots when given the chance. He also needs to remember he is the point guard and the third scoring option. Distribute and create first, score second.

Wally’s World: Danny Ainge said he saw KG call Wally selfish in the Wolves’ loss to the Kings April 9. The
feud between those two is on-again, off-again, and no one really knows how legit it is. The bottom line is this, why shouldn’t Wally be selfish? He is shooting 51 percent from the field - which is almost unheard of by today’s NBA guard standards. He plays with fire, with energy and intensity. He plays for one reason - to win, and will do whatever it takes to do just that. If players or fans think its selfish, so be it, but you have to respect his passion. Wally needs to get 20 shots per game in the playoffs - even more shots than KG. When he is on he opens up the game for everyone else, KG and Billups included, and especially for role players like Sam Mitchell, Joe Smith, Gary Trent and Rasho Nesterovic. It’s Wally’s World, welcome to it.

The big’s: Everyone knows to succeed in the West, you need big-time play from the frontcourt. Unfortunately,
that is not the Wolves’ strong spot. KG was recently moved back to small forward (although it’s guaranteed
he will be going toe-to-toe with Duncan, or doubling down on Shaq in the playoffs), so Smith, Trent, Rasho,
Mitchell and Marc Jackson will have every opportunity to prove themselves in the playoffs. The 39-year-old
Mitchell is ageless and a great guy to have in the playoffs, but he is not a banger, someone who can throw his weight around. Still, his play (and outside shooting touch) will be a much-needed lift. Smith (10.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg) is struggling lately because the death of his cousin, but still has the ability to play solid defense against the best of the West, and is a great garbage man on offense.

Trent is a wide body who is limited offensively, but works his tail off on both ends of the court. More than anything, he will need to rough it up down low, take a few shots and give a few shots. As for Rasho and Jackson, they are almost afterthoughts in the offense, but a few garbage baskets can really ignite these two. The tandem offers a balance of finesse and muscle to throw at guys like David Robinson, Duncan, Shaq and Samaki Walker.

The bench: Peeler (8.8 ppg) is as streaky as they come in the NBA. Wolves fans vividly remember his hot
shooting in a playoff series against Seattle a few years ago (when you haven’t won a playoff series those are the memories that give hope). They also remember the wild three-pointers, the airballs and crazy shots that perplex and leave you shaking your head. Robert Pack has been a decent addition as a backup point guard, but how much can be expected from someone who was out of the NBA a month ago? Felipe Lopez is often a forgotten man, but he is a versatile player who can play both guard spot

s, and is an energy-type player who can get hot in a hurry - if he gets in the game. Loren Woods looks good on the roster at 7-1, but with Jackson coming over from Golden State, Woods has barely seen the floor.

The coach: Flip Saunders is a former Minnesota Golden Gopher, a throwback who came from the Lacrosse
Catbirds of the CBA, and a good guy who Timberwolves fans adore. But it’s time for him to put together a team that can get out of the first round. How will he do that? According to recent reports, the team is going back to it’s big lineup, and back to it’s matchup zone defense that was thought to be the key to winning 30 of the first 40 games. Because of new personnel the team backed away from that defense the second half of the season. Now, it appears that zone will be the key to its playoff success. After all, Shaq hates the zone, Duncan is unstoppable one-on-one, and at this point, why not try it? The team will still play man-to-man, but if the zone works, then Flip juts might be able to silence the critics - for at least one series that is.

Prediction: The Wolves are good team with a great player in Garnett, a very good player in Szczerbiak and a decent player in Billups. But why does it seem every year come playoff time, this team has a different makeup to it, some pressing issue or flaw that keeps them from reaching it’s potential? It’s the same story this year, only a different chapter. Whether it’s the Spurs or Lakers, the Wolves are one and done. They might even go five games with these two clubs, but that’s it. Another first round playoff loss looms. Let the trade rumors fly.

Matt Krumrie is a Twin Cities-based freelance sports writer who covers high school, college and pro sports. He is a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com

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