Friday’s Post-Practice Notes
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Thursday was a busy day for the Minnesota Timberwolves as they wrapped up the preseason by hosting the Milwaukee Bucks and requested waivers on three players, bringing their roster total to the NBA limit of 15.
Before last night's game, the Wolves announced that they placed guard Blake Ahearn, forward Chris Richard and center David Harrison on waivers. The three have 48 hours to clear waivers before Minnesota could resign them, but other roster moves would have to be made for that to happen according to vice-president of basketball operations, Kevin McHale.
Prior to tip-off last night McHale met with reporters and said its always a tough day when they have to let players go.
"Its always a tough day. I thought that Blake played very well he has an unbelievable skill of shooting the ball, great kid. And Chris Richard was improving, he's one of our better team defenders but sometimes you get caught in guaranteed contracts and numbers."
Kevin Ollie, who the Wolves kept over Ahearn as their third point guard, said as a 12-year veteran he hopes to be a calm and steady force for the Wolves.
"Hopefully they saw something in me that could be a valuable asset to this team on and off the basketball court. I'm just gonna go out there and perform as much as possible and try to be a calm and steady force on this team."
After that announcement, Minnesota wrapped up the preseason, the way they started it, by beating Milwaukee 95-76 at the Target Center.
Al Jefferson scored 19 points to lead all scorers while rookie Kevin Love rebounded from a tough night against Chicago on Wednesday by posting his first double-double in a Wolves uniform.
Against Chicago Love was just 1-for-10 from the field, but Thursday he went 4-for-6 from the field and 1-for-2 from beyond the arc for 14 points and 10 rebounds.
"The first one (against Chicago) was awful," said Love. "I don't think the fans were very happy about it, neither was the coaching staff or players, but most of all myself. I don't think in memory I have ever had a game like that. But most of the guys just told me you gotta bounce back, you're gonna have, in the NBA, either a game the next day or the night after that. So I came out and rebounded the ball well and scored the ball well."
Love went on to say that he feels his game gets going when he hits the glass, on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
"That's really what gets me started, gets my blood flowing, gets me going in the offense and defense as well. So I just gotta get out there every day and that's one thing that I can control; how many times I hit the boards and go to the offensive and defensive rebounds."
Minnesota ended the preseason 6-2 thanks in large part to their defense.
The Wolves held six of their eight opponents under 90 points, which was something that coach Randy Wittman and his staff stressed from the start of training camp on.
"It was a good preseason for us. We laid some parameters down of what we wanted to try to accomplish and it started on with our defense and I thought our guys bought into it. I thought our defense for the most part this preseason was pretty solid."
The Timberwolves open the season their 20th season on Wednesday at the Target Center as they host the Sacramento Kings, tip is at 7 p.m. The game can be seen on FSN North and heard on KFAN-AM 1130.
Before last night's game, the Wolves announced that they placed guard Blake Ahearn, forward Chris Richard and center David Harrison on waivers. The three have 48 hours to clear waivers before Minnesota could resign them, but other roster moves would have to be made for that to happen according to vice-president of basketball operations, Kevin McHale.
Prior to tip-off last night McHale met with reporters and said its always a tough day when they have to let players go.
"Its always a tough day. I thought that Blake played very well he has an unbelievable skill of shooting the ball, great kid. And Chris Richard was improving, he's one of our better team defenders but sometimes you get caught in guaranteed contracts and numbers."
Kevin Ollie, who the Wolves kept over Ahearn as their third point guard, said as a 12-year veteran he hopes to be a calm and steady force for the Wolves.
"Hopefully they saw something in me that could be a valuable asset to this team on and off the basketball court. I'm just gonna go out there and perform as much as possible and try to be a calm and steady force on this team."
After that announcement, Minnesota wrapped up the preseason, the way they started it, by beating Milwaukee 95-76 at the Target Center.
Al Jefferson scored 19 points to lead all scorers while rookie Kevin Love rebounded from a tough night against Chicago on Wednesday by posting his first double-double in a Wolves uniform.
Against Chicago Love was just 1-for-10 from the field, but Thursday he went 4-for-6 from the field and 1-for-2 from beyond the arc for 14 points and 10 rebounds.
"The first one (against Chicago) was awful," said Love. "I don't think the fans were very happy about it, neither was the coaching staff or players, but most of all myself. I don't think in memory I have ever had a game like that. But most of the guys just told me you gotta bounce back, you're gonna have, in the NBA, either a game the next day or the night after that. So I came out and rebounded the ball well and scored the ball well."
Love went on to say that he feels his game gets going when he hits the glass, on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.
"That's really what gets me started, gets my blood flowing, gets me going in the offense and defense as well. So I just gotta get out there every day and that's one thing that I can control; how many times I hit the boards and go to the offensive and defensive rebounds."
Minnesota ended the preseason 6-2 thanks in large part to their defense.
The Wolves held six of their eight opponents under 90 points, which was something that coach Randy Wittman and his staff stressed from the start of training camp on.
"It was a good preseason for us. We laid some parameters down of what we wanted to try to accomplish and it started on with our defense and I thought our guys bought into it. I thought our defense for the most part this preseason was pretty solid."
The Timberwolves open the season their 20th season on Wednesday at the Target Center as they host the Sacramento Kings, tip is at 7 p.m. The game can be seen on FSN North and heard on KFAN-AM 1130.
