Jonah BallowWolves Editor/Writer
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Entering the 2009-10 season, the coaching staff and front office had high expectations for Ryan Hollins. There was an understanding that Hollins would need time to develop despite offering supreme athleticism at the post position. On Friday and Saturday night, Wolves fans caught a glimpse of Hollins' explosive potential as he scored a combined 35 points against the Clippers and Knicks.
"That's your job in the NBA. If you are a big in the paint, you should be able to score and produce off feeds from your teammates or just be ready on any given night," Hollins said.
Each day in practice, the coaches are spending a considerable amount of time teaching the 25-year old the nuances of playing on the block. Hollins can score in a variety of ways with his back to the basket or facing up to shoot over smaller defenders. While experiencing bumps in the road, the former UCLA center is starting to gain a firm grasp of the offense.
"I feel a lot more comfortable, you know it was just having that opportunity to do the things you work on," Hollins said.
When asking Holllins if he tries to mirror some of the great post players in NBA history, the big man pointed to his own teammates, "Al [Jefferson] is such a great player, you watch him get into that jump hook, so it almost gets engraved in you watching him. It's contagious, I don't know if you guys know this but Kevin makes some great runs and Al even sprinting down the floor. It just rubs off on each other, it's contagious -- playing hard and making plays."
Rambis has expressed the importance of significant court time for Hollins this year. Over the course of his four seasons, Hollins has played under five different coaches, which can create an adverse effect for a young player.
"I have really never had that total summer or full year with a coach but the toughest part was learning that offense and past that, learning each other. This isn't a team where pretty much the core guys are here, we are all new and we are all learning each other. The biggest thing is my connection with the point guards, I'm starting to get a better connection with Jonny [Flynn] and Ramon [Sessions]," Hollins said.
On Sunday night, Hollins also swatted three shots, adding a much needed shot blocking presence for this Wolves squad. At the power forward spot, he can help protect Jefferson and assist in defending the weak side. Hollins will diligently work on post moves under the tutelage of two former NBA big men, Rambis and Bill Laimbeer.
The team escapes the frigid temperatures of Minneapolis on its way to Dallas for practice sessions before the contest against the Mavericks. Speaking of Hollins, he gets a chance to show his former team the significant progress he has made on Friday night at 7 :30 PM.
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