Dirk told NBA.com that: "It is a little hard for me to be happy with the way the postseason went. It puts a shadow on the regular season we had." You've seen a lot of Dirk this year. Did he just run into the worst possible matchup for him and his squad at the worst time?
Harlan: Bad matchup, wrong time. It was a tired team, and he was tired. They put so much emphasis on getting that No. 1 seed, and had 67 wins. I think he carried that team in so many ways in so many games that he was just exhausted. It showed against a team that plays a frenetic, scrambled game like Golden State does. He was just never a good fit in that series. I don’t know if you blame Dirk or how the coaching staff responded, but they could never catch their breath. It was a snowball rolling down the hill, because with every game and every win, Golden State got more confident, showed more bravado with each shot, and they were falling despite an incredible degree of difficulty.MT: But you’re a fan of awards being bestowed when they are, correct?
Harlan: Yes, the one thing I’ll say about these awards is that they do give credibility to the regular season. People pooh-pooh the regular season, but there is so much that goes on that has a direct impact on the playoffs. That’s why when people say the regular season isn’t worth watching, I say, “baloney.” It’s like watching NFL preseason…so much goes on in those games, even though they don’t count in terms of wins and losses. But with players developing and emerging, it’s huge, and the same happens in the NBA regular season. The fabric of your team, your rotation, and how you handle those things during the year are what pay off in the postseason. So I like how the MVP rewards the regular season. It just happens to be painful in this particular case, because if the votes were to be taken now, Nowitzki may not be taken in the top four or five.MT: We’ll get you out of here with a few NBA Draft questions. This year, Minnesota has a 5.3 percent chance of getting the top pick. You covered a lot of big NCAA games this year, including the NCAA Tournament. Who do you like?
Harlan: I love Kevin Durant. Just love his game. They have the big specter of Greg Oden, but I wouldn’t want to be in a position to pick between those two guys. I’d prefer the second pick. I also saw a lot of Al Horford and Cory Brewer down in Florida, and I really like Brewer. He has the quintessential NBA body, and so does Horford. There are a lot of guys that I saw throughout the season that I like. Julian Wright from Kansas has a Brewer-type physique and game, though he doesn’t shoot outside as well. But he passes well and does a lot of nice things. Plus, there are a ton of international players as well, and that’s going to be interesting. It’s a very deep draft, because of the freshman rule and everything else going on.MT: Wouldn't it be funny if Minnesota sent Crunch to represent the franchise at the Draft Lottery?
Harlan: I love Crunch. I’d like that. It would bring a little pizzazz and a little flair to that pick and put some emphasis on the Wolves.MT: I'm not sure if David Stern would share our sentiment, so Randy Foye's going to be the guy. Alas, thanks so much for your time Kevin, it was great speaking with you.
Harlan: Very good. Thanks a lot, take care.