The After Party
Jonah BallowRelated Images
Las Vegas will swallow you whole with evil temptations from the gigantic casinos, high-profile clubs, and a multitude of options from dusk till dawn. This past week, NBA basketball added another dimension to Sin City. It's time to take a look back and assess the action for the Wolves...Vegas style.
Blackjack
Players at the blackjack table love to see card totals of 11. This allows the player to double down on their bet with a chance at hitting 21 or blackjack with the next card. Rookie Jonny Flynn sports this all-important number for the Wolves this year and displayed his potential value to the team during the weeklong Summer League games.
The windmill dunk. The 24 points. The 14 assists. The killer crossover. It's hard to pick one aspect of Flynn's dynamic game to highlight in this Summer League recap. Flynn lived up to all the expectations from the June Draft when Minnesota used the No. 6 overall pick on the former Syracuse point guard. However, in the first contest against Houston, Flynn struggled by only shooting 3-for-10 from the field and recording 11 points.
The next day, the true point guard stepped into the spotlight with 14 dimes against the NBA D-League Select squad. Flynn seemed to elevate his game by calming down and dictating the pace while executing the fast break to perfection. Flynn's full court right-handed bounce pass brought the Vegas crowd to their feet on several occasions, which should translate to an exciting season for Wolves' fans starting in November.
The three-day break allowed Flynn and his new teammates to hit the practice floor and build some cohesion for the games at the end of the week. Flynn's competitive juices overflowed in the victory over the Wizards on Friday night. Off the bench, Flynn led the Wolves with 21 points in a relentless attack to the basket. Flynn made a living in the paint on 7-for-11 shooting and 7-for-7 from the free throw line.
On Saturday, Flynn did not rest on his laurels and blasted out of a cannon against New Orleans. Facing a head-to-head battle against Darren Collison, Flynn scored game-high 24 points. The step-back jumper was on full display as he finished 4-for-5 from the 3-point arc. Most detractors felt Flynn needed to improve his jump shot to become a productive NBA point guard. In the loss to New Orleans, Flynn was simply fantastic and began to create substantial buzz around the NBA circuit.
On how Flynn would recap his week: "I think it was great other than the standpoint that we went 1-4. I think from an individual standpoint, I think I showed a lot of people that I can play this game. There were probably a lot of doubts about me when I was going sixth overall, but I think I came out and silenced some of those."
Flynn capped off an exciting week with a highlight-reel windmill dunk in the closing minutes of the Chicago game. He also earned the T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Month Award prior to the contest. Flynn averaged 15 points and 7.4 assists per game while shooting 48 percent from the field and 58 percent from the 3-point line. No. 11 is a sure bet, just be ready to double down on Flynn in 2009-10.
On being named Rookie of the Month: "It definitely feels good. It means that I'm getting acknowledged for the way I played out here. It means a lot of people took a liking to my game. I just don't want to get complacent. I want to keep getting better and keep working on my game every day."
On his plans before training camp: "I think I'm coming back out here August 2 for camp. A lot of us are coming back out. Me and Wayne (Ellington) are coming back out. Bobby Brown and I think a lot of the rookies throughout the league are coming back. That's definitely in the plans. You've got the rookie transitions in New York City that's mandatory to go to and then after that I think I might go to Cleveland and workout with LeBron James. It's an eventful summer for me, but it's all fun."
Jonah Ballow with Jonny Flynn
Rehab
Most hardcore Vegas fanatics are familiar with the Sunday pool party at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel. The Hard Rock named this event, "Rehab" even though it is nowhere near a place to restore good health.
Corey Brewer landed in Las Vegas with the focus of rebuilding the strength in his surgically repaired right knee. For the first time since December 5, 2008, Brewer had the chance to play against NBA competition.
Mid-air collisions, hard hits, high-flying alley-oops, and blocked shots were all seen from Brewer during his four games this week. The former Gator bounced back each time he hit the floor, which should give the 6-7 versatile forward confidence heading into the 2009-10 season. Brewer produced 20 points and grabbed four boards in 32 minutes of court time on Sunday, his best performance in Summer League.
On how the knee is feeling: "Felling pretty good. Still not back to normal. It's better than I thought it would be."
On the biggest obstacle of coming back from that injury: "Not thinking about it. That's the biggest thing. If you start thinking about it because if you start thinking about it, you get scared to do certain things. So I'm just trying to play through it. Play knowing that I'm hurt, but just keep playing."
On what else he wants to get out of Summer League: "Just get back in games. Get my timing back, I guess you could say. Get back to playing basketball and work on my game all around."
On excitement of returning: "It's really exciting. It was tough last year sitting and watching the whole time. Right now, it's good I feel."
Assistant coach JB Bickerstaff on any other players that have stood out in the first four days in Vegas: "Corey has been great. It's good to see Corey back out on the floor playing, competing. His energy has been great. He's been doing all those things that he's always done as a player he's been doing now. That's a good thing to see because sometimes when guys take that time off it's hard for them to bounce back and have that timing, especially the way Corey plays. And his timing has been good. He works hard. He competes. I think that's one of the things we were looking for out of him out of this camp."
Jonah Ballow with Corey Brewer
Bankroll
Wayne Ellington was money in the bank throughout the Summer League action last week. It's easy to find the sharpshooter out of UNC...just look at the 3-point line. Ellington launched 25 threes in his five games and connected on 52 percent of those attempts. Every time the defense collapsed on a streaking Flynn to the basket, Ellington waited for his opportunity to deliver the long ball.
In the second game against the D-League squad, Ellington scored 12 of his 22 points from the arc. His quick release and ability to find his shot from the perimeter is remarkable to watch in person. Minnesota will rely heavily on Ellington's catch-and-shoot mentality after dealing Randy Foye and Mike Miller to the Wizards this offseason.
Surprisingly, Ellington was extremely effective in reaching the lane and finishing around the rim. The 6-4 shooting guard utilized the pump fake to create open space when an opposing defender closed on the shot. Ellington plays under control and only committed a total of seven turnovers in the week of action.
Dean Cooper on Wayne Ellington's driving ability: "He's done a really good job of getting to the lane. He canplay off the pick-and-roll if you throw the ball to him. He's got pretty good vision. He worked on his footwork already this week. We've talked about some things to help him do that. He's already tried to put it in his game."
Wolves' fans will enjoy Ellington's sincere personality off the court this season. He truly looks ecstatic to have the opportunity to play for an NBA team. Minnesota might have selected the steal of the 2009 Draft.
On feeling more comfortable with the team: "Definitely. We're getting better every day. Starting to get more comfortable with each shot and the result and I think my shooting percentage has gone up."
On what he is seeing on the floor that is improving day in and day out: "I think the young guys are getting more familiar with the NBA style of game. I think we're getting more comfortable as a team. We're starting to know each other a lot more and just developing a relationship on the floor."
On it being a little different than college: "Definitely. A lot of guys that are already in the NBA I've seen in college or highschool so I am familiar with a lot of guys. But at the same time, it's different. It's a different level."
On whether it makes him hungry for the season to get going: "No question. I'm definitely looking forward to it and can't wait. As a rookie, you're just hungry to get there and play at the highest level."
On what aspects of his game he is looking to improve: "Everything. I want to continue getting better shooting the ball and get my percentage up. Defensively, I want to continue to get better as well as putting on the floor and making plays for my team."
Jonah Ballow with Wayne Ellington
Insurance
The blackjack dealer turns over the up card to reveal an ace. Insurance is offered to the player as a side bet as protection against the dealer's chance at blackjack.
At this point, the Wolves are a bit thin on the frontline behind potential All-Star Al Jefferson and rising star Kevin Love. Minnesota acquired Oleksiy Pecherov from Washington in the Foye-Miller trade last month. At 7-0, Pecherov will play a pivotal role off the bench for the Wolves this upcoming season.
Pecherov presents incredible upside with his seven-foot frame and shooting range all over the floor. One thing is for sure; Pecherov is not shy. If the skilled big-man finds an open spot the court, he will certainly pull the trigger. Pecherov showed his all-around talent in the contest against the D-League team on July 13. After scoring 15 points and hitting 3-for-4 from the 3-point line, onlookers in Vegas witnessed a potential scoring threat. In the second game for the Wolves, Pecherov also hauled down 10 boards (four offensive) despite his slight frame at 234 pounds. Pecherov can score with his back-to-the-basket by using both hands and solid touch around the tin. There is no question, Pecherov owns an innate sense for basketball and should improve over time.
Adding Pecherov to the Wolves' frontline this season provides insurance for the second unit. With his versatile game, Pecherov can play next to Love or Jefferson in multiple rotation sets. Also, expect Pecherov to be heavily involved in the pick-and-roll, he can step out to drain the 3-point shot or roll to the basket for an easy layup.
Check Out Time:
Assistant coach Dean Cooper on how he would evaluate Summer League: "I think it has been real positive. I think we can see Jonny (Flynn) getting better. You can see Wayne getting better and learning alittle bit more about the NBA game. We're getting to know (Oleksiy) Pecherov alittle bit better. We knew him because he was in the league, but up close and personal. We had him play with our older guys for a few days of practice, which, to be honest with you, is as beneficial as anything because they are playing against guys that have been in the league. And our guys have a pretty goodunderstanding so they helped them along. It was good. We got to give them something to build on, for them to go home and build on and for us to work with the rest of the summer."
Jonah Ballow with Dean Cooper
Get all your Summer League news, results and information at Timberwolves Summer League Central.
For more news and notes on the team follow the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jonah on Twitter.
Blackjack
Players at the blackjack table love to see card totals of 11. This allows the player to double down on their bet with a chance at hitting 21 or blackjack with the next card. Rookie Jonny Flynn sports this all-important number for the Wolves this year and displayed his potential value to the team during the weeklong Summer League games.
The windmill dunk. The 24 points. The 14 assists. The killer crossover. It's hard to pick one aspect of Flynn's dynamic game to highlight in this Summer League recap. Flynn lived up to all the expectations from the June Draft when Minnesota used the No. 6 overall pick on the former Syracuse point guard. However, in the first contest against Houston, Flynn struggled by only shooting 3-for-10 from the field and recording 11 points.
The next day, the true point guard stepped into the spotlight with 14 dimes against the NBA D-League Select squad. Flynn seemed to elevate his game by calming down and dictating the pace while executing the fast break to perfection. Flynn's full court right-handed bounce pass brought the Vegas crowd to their feet on several occasions, which should translate to an exciting season for Wolves' fans starting in November.
The three-day break allowed Flynn and his new teammates to hit the practice floor and build some cohesion for the games at the end of the week. Flynn's competitive juices overflowed in the victory over the Wizards on Friday night. Off the bench, Flynn led the Wolves with 21 points in a relentless attack to the basket. Flynn made a living in the paint on 7-for-11 shooting and 7-for-7 from the free throw line.
On Saturday, Flynn did not rest on his laurels and blasted out of a cannon against New Orleans. Facing a head-to-head battle against Darren Collison, Flynn scored game-high 24 points. The step-back jumper was on full display as he finished 4-for-5 from the 3-point arc. Most detractors felt Flynn needed to improve his jump shot to become a productive NBA point guard. In the loss to New Orleans, Flynn was simply fantastic and began to create substantial buzz around the NBA circuit.
On how Flynn would recap his week: "I think it was great other than the standpoint that we went 1-4. I think from an individual standpoint, I think I showed a lot of people that I can play this game. There were probably a lot of doubts about me when I was going sixth overall, but I think I came out and silenced some of those."
Flynn capped off an exciting week with a highlight-reel windmill dunk in the closing minutes of the Chicago game. He also earned the T-Mobile NBA Rookie of the Month Award prior to the contest. Flynn averaged 15 points and 7.4 assists per game while shooting 48 percent from the field and 58 percent from the 3-point line. No. 11 is a sure bet, just be ready to double down on Flynn in 2009-10.
On being named Rookie of the Month: "It definitely feels good. It means that I'm getting acknowledged for the way I played out here. It means a lot of people took a liking to my game. I just don't want to get complacent. I want to keep getting better and keep working on my game every day."
On his plans before training camp: "I think I'm coming back out here August 2 for camp. A lot of us are coming back out. Me and Wayne (Ellington) are coming back out. Bobby Brown and I think a lot of the rookies throughout the league are coming back. That's definitely in the plans. You've got the rookie transitions in New York City that's mandatory to go to and then after that I think I might go to Cleveland and workout with LeBron James. It's an eventful summer for me, but it's all fun."
Jonah Ballow with Jonny Flynn
Rehab
Most hardcore Vegas fanatics are familiar with the Sunday pool party at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel. The Hard Rock named this event, "Rehab" even though it is nowhere near a place to restore good health.
Corey Brewer landed in Las Vegas with the focus of rebuilding the strength in his surgically repaired right knee. For the first time since December 5, 2008, Brewer had the chance to play against NBA competition. Mid-air collisions, hard hits, high-flying alley-oops, and blocked shots were all seen from Brewer during his four games this week. The former Gator bounced back each time he hit the floor, which should give the 6-7 versatile forward confidence heading into the 2009-10 season. Brewer produced 20 points and grabbed four boards in 32 minutes of court time on Sunday, his best performance in Summer League.
On how the knee is feeling: "Felling pretty good. Still not back to normal. It's better than I thought it would be."
On the biggest obstacle of coming back from that injury: "Not thinking about it. That's the biggest thing. If you start thinking about it because if you start thinking about it, you get scared to do certain things. So I'm just trying to play through it. Play knowing that I'm hurt, but just keep playing."
On what else he wants to get out of Summer League: "Just get back in games. Get my timing back, I guess you could say. Get back to playing basketball and work on my game all around."
On excitement of returning: "It's really exciting. It was tough last year sitting and watching the whole time. Right now, it's good I feel."
Assistant coach JB Bickerstaff on any other players that have stood out in the first four days in Vegas: "Corey has been great. It's good to see Corey back out on the floor playing, competing. His energy has been great. He's been doing all those things that he's always done as a player he's been doing now. That's a good thing to see because sometimes when guys take that time off it's hard for them to bounce back and have that timing, especially the way Corey plays. And his timing has been good. He works hard. He competes. I think that's one of the things we were looking for out of him out of this camp."
Jonah Ballow with Corey Brewer
Bankroll
Wayne Ellington was money in the bank throughout the Summer League action last week. It's easy to find the sharpshooter out of UNC...just look at the 3-point line. Ellington launched 25 threes in his five games and connected on 52 percent of those attempts. Every time the defense collapsed on a streaking Flynn to the basket, Ellington waited for his opportunity to deliver the long ball.
In the second game against the D-League squad, Ellington scored 12 of his 22 points from the arc. His quick release and ability to find his shot from the perimeter is remarkable to watch in person. Minnesota will rely heavily on Ellington's catch-and-shoot mentality after dealing Randy Foye and Mike Miller to the Wizards this offseason. Surprisingly, Ellington was extremely effective in reaching the lane and finishing around the rim. The 6-4 shooting guard utilized the pump fake to create open space when an opposing defender closed on the shot. Ellington plays under control and only committed a total of seven turnovers in the week of action.
Dean Cooper on Wayne Ellington's driving ability: "He's done a really good job of getting to the lane. He canplay off the pick-and-roll if you throw the ball to him. He's got pretty good vision. He worked on his footwork already this week. We've talked about some things to help him do that. He's already tried to put it in his game."
Wolves' fans will enjoy Ellington's sincere personality off the court this season. He truly looks ecstatic to have the opportunity to play for an NBA team. Minnesota might have selected the steal of the 2009 Draft.
On feeling more comfortable with the team: "Definitely. We're getting better every day. Starting to get more comfortable with each shot and the result and I think my shooting percentage has gone up."
On what he is seeing on the floor that is improving day in and day out: "I think the young guys are getting more familiar with the NBA style of game. I think we're getting more comfortable as a team. We're starting to know each other a lot more and just developing a relationship on the floor."
On it being a little different than college: "Definitely. A lot of guys that are already in the NBA I've seen in college or highschool so I am familiar with a lot of guys. But at the same time, it's different. It's a different level."
On whether it makes him hungry for the season to get going: "No question. I'm definitely looking forward to it and can't wait. As a rookie, you're just hungry to get there and play at the highest level."
On what aspects of his game he is looking to improve: "Everything. I want to continue getting better shooting the ball and get my percentage up. Defensively, I want to continue to get better as well as putting on the floor and making plays for my team."
Jonah Ballow with Wayne Ellington
Insurance
The blackjack dealer turns over the up card to reveal an ace. Insurance is offered to the player as a side bet as protection against the dealer's chance at blackjack.
At this point, the Wolves are a bit thin on the frontline behind potential All-Star Al Jefferson and rising star Kevin Love. Minnesota acquired Oleksiy Pecherov from Washington in the Foye-Miller trade last month. At 7-0, Pecherov will play a pivotal role off the bench for the Wolves this upcoming season.
Pecherov presents incredible upside with his seven-foot frame and shooting range all over the floor. One thing is for sure; Pecherov is not shy. If the skilled big-man finds an open spot the court, he will certainly pull the trigger. Pecherov showed his all-around talent in the contest against the D-League team on July 13. After scoring 15 points and hitting 3-for-4 from the 3-point line, onlookers in Vegas witnessed a potential scoring threat. In the second game for the Wolves, Pecherov also hauled down 10 boards (four offensive) despite his slight frame at 234 pounds. Pecherov can score with his back-to-the-basket by using both hands and solid touch around the tin. There is no question, Pecherov owns an innate sense for basketball and should improve over time. Adding Pecherov to the Wolves' frontline this season provides insurance for the second unit. With his versatile game, Pecherov can play next to Love or Jefferson in multiple rotation sets. Also, expect Pecherov to be heavily involved in the pick-and-roll, he can step out to drain the 3-point shot or roll to the basket for an easy layup.
Check Out Time:
Assistant coach Dean Cooper on how he would evaluate Summer League: "I think it has been real positive. I think we can see Jonny (Flynn) getting better. You can see Wayne getting better and learning alittle bit more about the NBA game. We're getting to know (Oleksiy) Pecherov alittle bit better. We knew him because he was in the league, but up close and personal. We had him play with our older guys for a few days of practice, which, to be honest with you, is as beneficial as anything because they are playing against guys that have been in the league. And our guys have a pretty goodunderstanding so they helped them along. It was good. We got to give them something to build on, for them to go home and build on and for us to work with the rest of the summer."
Jonah Ballow with Dean Cooper
Get all your Summer League news, results and information at Timberwolves Summer League Central.
For more news and notes on the team follow the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jonah on Twitter.
