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Jonah Ballow
Wolves Editor/Writer
Email / Twitter

Kurt Rambis DOWNLOAD MP3 Ryan Gomes DOWNLOAD MP3 Reggie Theus DOWNLOAD MP3 Wayne Ellington DOWNLOAD MP3 Nate McMillan DOWNLOAD MP3

Wolves vs. Blazers 7 PM - Target Center
WHERE TO WATCH: KSTC-45
WHERE TO LISTEN: KFAN AM 1130

Scouting Report:
Big Picture:
The concerns over a 3-3 start for the Blazers have quickly dissipated this past week. Head coach Nate McMillan adjusted the lineup four days ago with Andre Miller, Steve Blake, and Brandon Roy on the floor at the opening tip. The move has worked to perfection as Portland reeled off three straight wins and an average margin victory of 16.3 points per game. On Sunday, Portland hosted the Wolves and the Blazers capitalized on eight turnovers in the first half to build a 17-point lead after 24 minutes. Portland extended its lead in the third quarter with a 10-3 run over the first five minutes of the period. The first matchup against the Blazers ended in a 116-93 victory while Portland shot 50 percent from the floor and 46.7 percent behind the arc. Momentum continued for Portland in its win over Memphis last night. The Blazers cruised to a 93-79 victory over the Grizzlies to improve their record to 5-3 on the season.

Backcourt:
McMillan will stick with the successful backcourt combination of Miller and Blake, which effectively changed the chemistry of the team. Corey Brewer allowed space on the perimeter against Miller, leading to open shots for the 12-year veteran. Miller took advantage with 21 points on 9-for-14 shooting in 26 minutes. Blake posted six points and Jerryd Bayless jumped off the bench for 12 points. The Blazers guards pushed the tempo of the game for a team that does not necessarily play a fast break style of offense. Miller, Blake, Rudy Fernandez, and Bayless combined for 18 assists in creating easy opportunities for their teammates. On the opposite side, Jonny Flynn started strong and finished with 11 points, hitting 40 percent from the floor. Flynn, Brewer, Ramon Sessions and Wayne Ellington committed 10 turnovers in the sixth loss of the season for Minnesota.

Frontcourt:
The 21 fast break points for Portland were a result of its big men streaking down the court following a turnover or errant shot. LaMarcus Aldridge moves quickly for a power forward and found running lanes in the open floor to score transition buckets. While hitting 5-for-11 from the field, Aldridge also stepped out to the perimeter for several jumpers. The Wolves cannot allow Aldridge to reach the charity stripe with regularity after he connected on all nine of his attempts in the last meeting. On the glass, Aldridge (10 boards) helped the Blazers gain a 49-39 rebounding advantage. Back-up center and former Gopher, Joel Prizybilla grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds as part of the extremely deep Portland frontcourt. For Minnesota, Al Jefferson showed signs of improvement by recording his first double-double of the season. Jefferson scored 12 points and also dished out three assists with swift passes out of the double team. Ryan Gomes earned player of the game honors for the Wolves in holding Roy to just two points. At the small forward spot, Gomes' strength and height bothers Roy, who plays more of a finesse game. Seldom-used center Nathan Jawai put together a career effort on Sunday with 16 points and six rebounds in 22 minutes. Jawai displayed power inside the paint and nice touch around the rim to give the Minnesota frontline a change of pace in the post.

What To Look For:
Head coach Kurt Rambis made his own adjustment on Monday night prior to the contest against the Warriors. Ellington was placed at the shooting guard spot and Brewer was moved to the small forward position. Rambis may elect to go with a bigger lineup to matchup against Portland tonight. After allowing 146 points on Monday night, Minnesota will need a dedicated approach to the defensive side of the floor. Shots will eventually fall for struggling shooters but defense is based on effort over execution. Motivation should not be an issue for the Wolves, who have lost nine straight games to the Blazers and seven consecutive since the opening victory over New Jersey.

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Voice of the Opposition:
We asked blazers.com reporter Max Mandel to answer five pressing questions surrounding the state of the Blazers at this point in the season.

Jonah: Andre Miller was the big offseason acquisition for the Blazers. How has he affected the chemistry of the team?

Max: When Andre Miller signed, there were some initial concerns about how he would fit in with the tempo and system that head coach Nate McMillan runs. After coming off the bench and putting together some effective performances to start the season, Miller moved into the starting lineup against San Antonio. There has been a huge focus on trying to get this team to push the tempo more and to score on the fast break. Miller has made a career off being able to push the ball up the court and put his teammates in the position to score. While it has taken a little while for McMillan to figure out how to exactly use Miller in the rotation, it appears that his impact has only been positive on the chemistry.

Jonah: Speaking of Miller, head coach Nate McMillan utilized an interesting starting lineup on Sunday night with Miller, Blake, and Roy. Is this the new-look or a specific adjustment that will change depending on the opponent?

Max: It appears that McMillan is looking to see if this starting five can provide some of the consistency that has been missing at the start of the season. Miller and Blake played very well together against San Antonio, and when this lineup is on the court, Blake plays predominantly off the ball. Obviously, it will be difficult for a backcourt of Miller, Blake, and Roy to match up defensively against certain opponents, but this seems to be the back court that executes the offense and pushes the tempo the best.

Jonah: Is Greg Oden improving this season and does he seem healthy after only playing in 61 games last year?

Max: Oden has made some huge strides this season. Against San Antonio, he did a terrific job defensively on Tim Duncan, limiting him to only 14 points. Even more importantly, Oden was a threat on the offensive end of the court. He seems to have developed a right handed hook shot that he finishes confidently with, and is always a threat on the offensive glass. The big issue for Oden is his propensity to get in foul trouble. When he is able to stay on the court for extended periods of time, Oden is a game changer.

Jonah: Discuss the impact of losing Nicholas Batum. Will he be ready to comeback after the All-Star break?

Max: The loss of Batum is not something that will be recognized so much in the stat sheets, but it definitely will have an impact on this team. Batum is arguably the best perimeter defender on the roster, and his absence has already been noticed, as the Trail Blazers have been burnt by guys like Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, and Jamal Crawford. Batum is also the type of guy that will do whatever is asked of him. With the focus on pushing the tempo more, Batum would have been a great fit in a high tempo type of offense. The early indications suggest that he will probably be out for 5 months, so his return would likely be closer to the end of the season.

Jonah: Were Blazers fans concerned with the 3-3 start to the 2009-10 campaign?

Max: There have definitely been some initial concerns, but most fans realize that the season is a marathon and not a sprint. The team is still trying to figure out the rotation, and how exactly to use guys like Andre Miller and Jerryd Bayless. The main difference in this season is the fact that there are some very high expectations after making the playoffs last season. However, once the rotation gets set and the team starts to gel, most fans believe this will be a very successful team that can compete for a Western Conference championship.

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For more news and notes on the team follow the Minnesota Timberwolves and Jonah on Twitter.