Quick Hits

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Last night in my recap, I wrote about how emotions were riding high and how the last two minutes of the game were about as wacky as you’ll ever see.

Let’s talk about some other things from the game in today’s Quick Hits, something that you’ve probably been waiting all day for.

It’s weird to type that considering that Nemanja Bjelica is averaging just 5.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 26.7 minutes per game. But it’s true. He’s not as quick defensively and gets into foul trouble (5.9 per 36 minutes), but he’s still learning on the NBA game is played after playing overseas for the last decade.

While it’s not exactly a science (it’s not, at all), Bjelica passes the eye test. He gives 100 percent at all times. He’s a smart player who knows when to pass the ball. He’s probably a little too passive when it comes to shooting. He’s been open a ton but instead goes for the pump, drive and kick out. He’s a good enough shooter (42.9 percent from deep) to take more shots. But he’s getting minutes and should continue to progress.

Don’t be surprised if you see him on an All-Rookie Team by the end of the season.

McCollum Is Finally Getting His Opportunity

I was able to chat with Portland guard C.J. McCollum last season when he was out with a broken finger, limiting his role on the team. I asked if there were any positives of being out. McCollum wasn’t about to lie.

“You get better by playing, honestly,” McCollum said. “That’s where you develop as a player to play through mistakes in game action.”

Well, McCollum has gotten his opportunity this season with the (are we sure they are) rebuilding Blazers.

He’s averaging 21.5 points per game this season and had flashes last night that made it look like he’ll be starting in the league for a while. Obviously he’s played in only four games this season, so maybe I’m overreacting, but he’s getting an opportunity and he’s making the most of it.

Wolves shooting guard Kevin Martin is a sneaky-funny guy and will slip in some clever quotes every now and then.

Here’s what he had to say about the final minutes of last night’s game.

“They were playing with momentum throughout the second half and as you know, some things might not go your way down the stretch - in the last two minutes, nothing went our way, including the 30 minutes it took to figure out a couple calls. We’ll learn from it.”

It certainly wasn’t the smoothest ending to a game.

Martin continues to thrive off the bench, despite what happened in the final seconds of last night’s game.

There’s not much to cover off on that we haven’t hit already with the recap on videos on the site. The team practices on Tuesday afternoon. We’ll check back in after that.

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Quick Hits | Wolves vs. Blazers

Dane MizutaniWeb Editorial AssociateEmail / Twitter

Minnesota is nearing the end of its season and continued its losing ways with a tough 116-111 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night at Sleep Train Arena. Minnesota couldn’t contain the Kings in the moments after halftime, and while it made a charge late in the game to make it interesting, it wasn’t enough to walk away victorious. That’s been a common theme this season as the Wolves have consistently made games close and consistently come up just a little short. In those contests Flip Saunders has searched for silver linings of improvement. That wasn’t hard to find on Tuesday night as a handful of players played really well against Sacramento. Saunders said a couple weeks ago that at this point in the season it’s less about wins and losses and more about continued improvement across the board. So while that loss to the Kings wasn’t the result the team was looking for in the latter part of the season, there were positive things to take away from the loss.

Here are some observations from the game against the Sacramento Kings:  

YES … WIGGINS IS THE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

We’ve beaten the “Andrew Wiggins should be Rookie of the Year” thing to death over the last few weeks. Wiggins, however, never gets himself caught up that talk. He’d rather his game speak for itself. His game definitely spoke for itself in the loss to the Kings as he dropped 26 points on 11-for-20 shooting.. Wiggins also dealt with some rare foul trouble in the game and only played 39 minutes (a low number for those that have followed him over the last few months). Wiggins just looks like the Rookie of the Year when he’s on the court. While some of his statistics might not stack up with the likes of Nikola Mirotic, Elfrid Payton, or Nerlens Noel, Wiggins is the only player that’s made a consistent impact throughout the entire season. He hasn’t been a blip on the radar as of late. Wiggins has sustained that success ever since he stepped on the court. His 26-point 8-rebound effort against the Kings is further proof of his overall ability. Mirotic, Payton, and Noel are all in action on Wednesday night. So stay tuned.

Zach LaVine described Kevin Martin as a “professional scorer” last week and Martin proved that portrayal very accurate as he dropped 37 points against Sacramento. Martin took 31 shots to get there and was also 8-for-11 from the free throw line. He had been a bit rusty since returning from a hamstring injury that kept him out for almost two weeks. There didn’t appear to be much rust in the game against the Kings as Martin scored in a bevy of ways en route to his impressive effort against his old team. Martin has been the veteran presence the Wolves have needed this season and has shown guys like Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine the tricks of the trade. Those players are getting to the line a little more as of late simply by replicating some of the things Martin does on the court. It’s unclear where Martin sits in the long-term plans for Minnesota. That said if the team is able hold on to him in the coming seasons he’s only going to continue to make an impact. He still has a lot left in that tank. That much is clear after last night.

It’s no secret that Zach LaVine won the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest. Here’s a reminder for those that forgot.

LaVine, however, continues to show glimpses that make some wonder whether he could morph into a force on the court. There are times when LaVine looks like he has little idea what he’s doing out there. He’ll put his head down and plow his way into the lane without much of a definite plan. Those plays almost always result in ugly turnovers or awful shots. LaVine was a different player against the Kings, though. He finished his night with 21 points and 11 assists and actually looked the part of a signal caller for the Wolves. While the injured Ricky Rubio is the long-term plan for Minnesota in the backcourt, LaVine continues to show that he might be able to be a running mate in the backcourt — or at the very least a stellar backup.

OK. We actually know the name Omri Casspi. We just didn’t know he could put up 31 points and lead his team to a win. Casspi was incredible for the Kings on Tuesday night and finished with a career-high 31 points on 12-for-20 shooting. Though Rudy Gay led the Kings with a team-high 33 points, they don’t win that game without that ridiculous effort from Casspi. 

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The Day After | Wolves at Kings Quick Hits

It was clearly a foul. In a scramble for the rebound in the final seconds of the game against the Lakers, rookie Zach LaVine shoved fellow rookie Jordan Clarkson to the floor. Though that last-second heave probably doesn’t go down, that foul sent Clarkson to the free throw line and he calmly knocked down the shots to lift the Lakers to a 101-99 overtime win over the Wolves on Wednesday night at Target Center. A somber locker room after the game was understandable. Minnesota had clawed back from a 13-point deficit to send the game into an extra session only to lose because of an unfortunate whistle. Wolves players must have a short memory as they play a game against the Houston Rockets on Friday night. Here are some further observations from the game against Los Angeles.

We sound like a broken record talking about Chase Budinger. Budinger, however, has earned the praise with the way he’s played over the last couple weeks. He poured in another strong effort in the loss to the Lakers with 22 points in 40 minutes of work. Budinger also nailed the clutch three-pointer that sent the game into overtime. He’s dealt with his fair share of injuries over the last two seasons so it’s been nice to see Budinger approach his old level of production. He said last night that he’s feeling more confident right now than he has at any point in the last couple seasons — and it’s showing. Minnesota will likely remain shorthanded for the rest of the season so Budinger will continue to get a lot of run. It doesn’t look like his production is going to drop anytime in the near future.

Andrew Wiggins had an efficient game against the Lakers shooting 8-for-16 from the floor. That, however, wasn’t his most impressive shooting display of the night. Wiggins was 10-for-11 from the free throw line in the contest — a great sign moving forward. When looking at the best players in the NBA those players get to the charity stripe at will. While it’s still very early in his career, the fact that Wiggins has shown the propensity to get to the free throw line bodes well for his future. It means he’s being aggressive. He’s also going to continue to get more calls as he develops into a household name throughout the NBA. Wiggins gets his fair share of calls right now. He also gets his fair share of no calls. That will change in the coming years and his numbers at the free throw line will undoubtedly spike.

These guys have to be getting a little tired. Wiggins played 49 minutes last night. LaVine played 48 minutes. Those insane totals came a couple days after 49 minutes for Wiggins and 46 minutes for LaVine in the win over the Utah Jazz. Wiggins said after the loss to the Lakers that his body feels fine. He’s 20 years old so that’s not too surprising. That said the conclusion of the season will likely come as a welcomed rest to Wiggins and LaVine.

As clutch as Chase Budinger was for the Wolves, Jordan Clarkson was even more clutch for the Lakers. Clarkson singlehandedly lifted his team to a win with his play in overtime. He nailed a pair of free throws to tie the game 97-97 after Wolves took the lead in the extra session. He then put his team in front 99-97 with a driving layup about 30 seconds later. he punctuated his night was a pair of free throws with 0.3 seconds left to lift the Lakers to a 101-99 win. Clarkson has been a pleasant surprise for Los Angeles this season. He was the No. 46 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and has grown into a valuable player on an extremely depleted Lakers roster. Clarkson is averaging 10.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists this season. While it’s unclear whether he’s a part of the long-term plans in Los Angeles, he’s proven that he can definitely compete at the NBA level. 

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The Day After | Wolves vs. Lakers Quick Hits

Minnesota somehow, someway squeaked out a 106-104 overtime victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night in Salt Lake City. That win was so improbable because of the way the night started for the Wolves. Minnesota was down to just seven players in the game as a bulk of guys missed with injuries. That left Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins to carry to load— a role in which the duo seemed very comfortable.  LaVine finished the night with a game-high 27 points and Wiggins had 22 points in support. That proved to be just enough to earn the win as Trey Burke’s last-second heave came crashing to the floor. Minnesota will take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. Here are additional observations from last night’s contest:

This is exactly what Flip Saunders and the Wolves brass hoped for when pairing Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine together. Wiggins was viewed as a legitimate prospect with limitless potential coming into the NBA. LaVine, on the other hand, was viewed as a highflyer with the ability to grow into much more than that. That duo showed just how high their collective ceiling is in the win over the Jazz. LaVine’s 27 points were punctuated by the fact that he nailed a pair of absolutely clutch three-pointers to send the game into overtime. Those shots might have been the biggest shots of LaVine’s young career. LaVine also iced the victory with a free throw late in the extra session. He has always had confidence in himself and it’s easy to see why after efforts like that. Wiggins had an efficient game as he went 10-for-19 from the floor en route to 22 points. It’s unrealistic to think that Wiggins and LaVine can bring that type of production every game for the rest of the season. That said it’s not outside of the realm of reality to see that duo producing like that on a consistent basis a few years down the road.

They’ve certainly come a long way since August. 

Chase Budinger didn’t get much run toward the middle of the season. He was buried on the depth chart behind guys like Andrew Wiggins and Shabazz Muhammad. Budinger is making the most of his opportunity amid the injuries that have plagued the Wolves. Budinger poured in another strong effort last night with 15 points in the win. He was 4-for-8 from long range and drilled a useful shot from long range in overtime. Budinger has now scored in double figures in six-straight games and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Though it feels like Budinger has been in the NBA forever, he is still only 26 years old. He realistically could be a part of the long-term plan, and after games like that, it’s not hard to see the reasoning behind that. 

It’s been reported by now that a big reason the Wolves inked Sean Kilpatrick a few days ago was because he was an NBDL player that was close enough to Madison Square Garden to get to the game before tipoff. While that’s made for a good story, Kilpatrick has proven to be more than just a guy in the right place at the right time in his short stint with Minnesota. Kilpatrick played a pretty big role in the win over the Jazz scoring 13 points in 20 minutes. Kilpatrick was a plus-14 on the night. It’s unclear where exactly he fits in once everyone gets healthy. That said he’s proven that he can compete at the NBA level.

A quick note about Rudy Gobert … He’s quickly turning into one of the best big men in the NBA. Gobert finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds to go along with 6 blocks in the loss. He’s gone from backup to starter this season and with the way he’s played as of late he could morph into a cornerstone for a rebuilding Jazz squad. Utah might have lost to Minnesota. That said things are still looking up in Salt Lake City.

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The Day After | Wolves at Jazz Quick Hits

Minnesota ran into a buzz saw in the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night. As a squad that hasn’t lost back-to-back in almost three months, the Hawks imposed their will as the game wore on en route to an easy 117-105 win over the Wolves. Atlanta has been the best team in the NBA this season and that wasn’t hard to see the many reasons throughout the matchup. While the Wolves will take some positives away from a contest in which they were actually competitive for about 24 minutes, if the loss proved anything, it’s that there is still a long way to go. Here are some takeaways from last night’s affair:

If the game ended after 24 minutes the Wolves would have been right there. They actually looked like a legitimate competitor with the Hawks through he first half of the game, and while it didn’t go as well for them down the stretch, there’s something to be said about hanging with the best team in the league — even if it’s only for half the game. Flip Saunders admitted that he thought Atlanta sucked the energy out of his team as the game progressed. That was evident as the Hawks really started to pull away after halftime. Minnesota is littered with young talent and Atlanta is operating as a well-oiled machine right now. This final result was somewhat expected. That said the start of the game was a pleasant surprise and something to build on moving forward. 

Though this might seem like a trivial thing to say, it still needs to be noted. Yes. Atlanta boasts the best record in the NBA and has proven over the last few months that its success is definitely not a fluke. That said it’s tough to fully appreciate the Hawks without seeing them in person. They are truly one of those teams that, on paper, seem like a favorable matchup. There isn’t a star on that roster, rather a group that has an astounding focus on the team concept of the game. Atlanta had every one of its starters in double figures against the Wolves and that was a product of great ball movement throughout the game. It’s been referenced countless times this season: the Hawks are truly the San Antonio Spurs of the Eastern Conference. It’s 100 percent true and not a bad team to be compared to on a regular basis. While it’s unclear whether Atlanta’s style of play will equate to success, it’d be foolish to doubt this team at this point in the season.

Shabazz Muhammad missed much of the last month with a strained oblique. So some rust was to be expected in his return to action against the Hawks. That wasn’t at all the case for Muhammad as he checked into the game and nailed a jumper on his first possession. Muhammad said he felt faster on the court, for whatever the reason, and that showed as he was one of the most efficient players on the floor. He finished with 18 points and 8 rebounds on 7-for-14 shooting. He also had a bunch of hustle plays that sparked a big run in the first half. Muhammad’s return should also do wonders in helping limit the minutes Andrew Wiggins has to play in the coming months. It’s clear his return is a welcomed sight for the Wolves. 

Ricky Rubio has dazzled crowds upon his return a week ago. He wasn’t quite as dazzling against the Hawks, though. Rubio, who Saunders suspected was a little tired in the game, struggled with his shot all night. Rubio shot 3-for-11 in the contest and never appeared to get into much of a flow on either end of the floor. These types of games are to be expected as players work their way back from a prolonged absence. So this shouldn’t be a cause for concern. Rubio will get back at it on Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors, then will get about a week off to recover with the All Star Break on the horizon. He’s going to be just fine.

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The Day After: Wolves vs. Hawks Quick Hits

He's baaaack. Though it took a few months — 87 days to be exact — Ricky Rubio made his long-awaited return against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night. Minnesota, however, couldn’t pull out a win in his return as it fell 100-94 at the hands of Dallas. While the loss was tough to swallow for the Wolves, the way they battled back throughout the game was inspiring. They trailed by as many as 21 points early on and were within a possession late in the game. Rubio will make his Target Center return against the Miami Heat on Wednesday. Here’s a deeper look at last night’s contest:

His line in the box score doesn’t do his return any justice. Ricky Rubio was much better than his 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. He made the team better in every way simply by being on the court. Minnesota’s offense seemed to run smoother featuring quicker fast breaks and pick-and-roll pocket passes that were absent for the last 87 days. Rubio and Andrew Wiggins also gave the world a glimpse and what the future looks like with this ridiculous connection on the fast break:

Rubio’s best pass of the night, however, didn’t actually result in an assist. Here’s a pass that few player’s in the NBA can make:

Though it took awhile to get things going, Rubio had his team in pretty good position to cap an incredible comeback before Flip Saunders opted to remove him from the game. Saunders said it was a tough decision to take Rubio out when he had the team rolling.

"He wanted to stay, but it’s bigger than that,” Saunders said. “We could see that he was favoring a little bit at the end. He was limping a little bit with his running, so we can’t take any chance on that.”

Rubio said his injury really tested his patience. He’s back now, though, and that’s all that matters.

“I was dying inside watching the team because I wasn’t able to play and help my team,” Rubio said. “I went through longer rehab and I learned how to be patient and take advantage of every situation. That situation helped me to grow up and mature as a player.”

Rubio has been a superb distributor and a great defender since he entered the league. He’s also incessantly been mocked for his jump shot, or lack thereof. Rubio spent a lot of time with shooting coach Mike Penberthy over the course of his 87-day absence and it already appears to be paying dividends. Rubio’s shot had more arc throughout the game as he knocked down a couple jump shots during his 21 minutes on the floor. He appeared to have more confidence in his shot as a whole and also finished with his offhand at the rim on one occasion. Those were things that were rarely seen out of Rubio before his injury — and that’s a good sign moving forward. 

“They were letting me shoot and I have been working on my shot and I’m going to keep shooting,” he said. “I was only going to play like 15 or 20 minutes and I had to get out there and try to do my thing.”

Minnesota is nearly back at full strength, and while it’s still waiting on the returns of Zach LaVine and Shabazz Muhammad, those players shouldn’t be out too much longer. LaVine is recovering from a sprained ankle and Muhammad is slowing working his way back after straining his oblique. The Wolves haven’t really fielded a healthy roster at any point this season. Though they had the entire team available before Rubio went down, a lot has changed since then as many players have progressed and stepped into new roles on the team. It’ll be interesting to see how the team meshes when back at full strength. That’ll be a good thing to keep an eye on after the All Star Break.

JJ Barea spent three seasons with Minnesota and got his revenge in last night’s win for Dallas. Barea, who started in place of Rajon Rondo as he continues to recover from a broken face, only played 29 minutes and only scored 10 points. That said he was a plus-17 and had a few clutch buckets down the stretch. Barea also dished out 8 assists. He proved last night that he still has some left in the tank and could prove vital for the Mavericks come the postseason. 

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The Day After: Wolves at Mavericks Quick Hits

In a game against the best team in the NBA last night, Minnesota more than held its own. Though it never truly felt like the Wolves were going to upend the Atlanta Hawks— the Hawks had won 15 straight games heading into the matchup and Minnesota boasts the worst record in the NBA — it was a good sign to see them remain competitive for most of the game. Atlanta walked away with a 112-100 win over Minnesota, in the end, and in doing so pushed its absurd winning streak to 16 consecutive games. Here’s a deeper breakdown of the game as there were a handful of positives from the game — and also a pretty deflating negative.

It didn’t take long for Nikola Pekovic to crack the starting lineup after returning form his injury. His return, however, came with a somewhat of a surprising move from Flip Saunders as he opted to play Pekovic and Gorgui Dieng together. He also decided against moving Thaddeus Young to the bench with Dieng playing power forward, and instead decided to play Young at the small forward spot. That created a pretty big starting lineup filled with matchup problems that pay dividends for a chunk of the game. Young flourished at his new role and finished with 26 points. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Saunders go back to this lineup in the future. Though it didn’t equate to a victory against the best team in the NBA, it might in the coming games against different teams. 

Now for the bad news. Robbie Hummel broke his hand in the game against the Hawks and is out indefinitely. That’s a tough blow as Hummel has been a model of consistency for the team this season. Though he isn’t a dynamic player for Minnesota — he’s only averaging 4.2 points and 2.8 rebounds this season — he might be the most versatile player on the team. Hummel has played every position on the floor this year and his feel for the game in unparalleled. That, coupled with the sheer energy he brings every time he steps on the floor, will be sorely missed. Though it’s a unclear who will fill the void left by Hummel, it opens up a spot in the rotation for someone to step up. That’s been the mantra of the team all season and it’s about to be tested yet again.

Atlanta is overachieving. It has to cool down sometime. This success isn’t sustainable.

That’s just a snippet of what pundits were saying about this team a month or so ago. That’s clearly not the case and this isn’t a flash in the pan. THE ATLANTA HAWKS ARE FOR REAL. They are further proof that amid an NBA era focused on superstars, the team concept is still a real thing. There aren’t many weaknesses on this team and the fact that nearly every one on the roster can knock down the outside shot helps with floor spacing. Mike Budenholzer, a former assistant under Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, has this team playing incredibly right now. It’d be foolish to doubt them moving forward. 

Thaddeus Young has rattled off a few impressive performances in a row and really appears to be finding his groove. Young has been pretty underwhelming this season, though he is shedding that reputation with each passing game. He flourished playing in the small forward role against Atlanta as he finished with 26 points on 11-for-17 shooting. He also played a game-high 43 minutes in the game. It’ll be interesting to see if Young can build on these performances moving forward. It certainly would be a help for the Wolves if he does.

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The Day After: Wolves at Hawks Quick Hits

It’s finally over! Minnesota has at last won an NBA game. A losing streak that spanned more than a month came to screeching halt on Tuesday night as the Wolves gritted out a 110-101 win over the Indiana Pacers. Minnesota, however, didn’t just win the game — it did so in quite possibly the most improbable way imaginable. Here’s a look at how it happened:

IT’S HIS WORLD … WE’RE JUST LIVING IN IT 

Umm … OK. While the Wolves were struggling to find wins in the midst of a tough season, Mo Williams came into Indiana doing stuff like this: 

That unbelievable shot was a microcosm of the whole game. Williams could do absolutely no wrong last night en route to a franchise-record 52 points. You really need to think about that for a second for it to fully sink in. No player in franchise history has scored more points than … MO FREAKING WILLIAMS. Not Kevin Garnett. Not Kevin Love. Not even Corey Brewer (who had a just as unlikely 51 points last season). Williams went an astonishing 19-for-33 from the floor on the night and played 44 minutes.  It was truly game for the ages. We’ll have more on Mo Williams later this afternoon.

Mo Williams was the story of the night last night — and rightfully so. That said on any other night the performance Andrew Wiggins poured in would have been the talk of town. Wiggins finished with 20 points on 7-for-16 shooting and he also was a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. Wiggins also hit CJ Miles with this nasty spin late in the game to pad the lead.

You can see in this clip that Miles actually rakes the eyes of Wiggins, which prompts the rookie to grab his face in midair, and he still finishes the layup. That’s a special move from a special player, though it’s a move that will undoubtedly go unnoticed because of the show put on by Mo Williams. 

In a game that clearly wasn’t going its way, Indiana lost its cool on multiple occasions in the loss to the Wolves. In the second half, with the game still up in the air, Roy Hibbert dragged Gorgui Dieng to the deck and was subsequently ejected. Though that foul was more of a boneheaded play, than a frustration foul, it put the Pacers in a precarious situation moving forward without its best interior defender. As far as the David West ejection late in the game, that was purely based on frustration. West was called for a foul with less than 30 seconds left in the game and was ejected after arguing the call with officials. Frank Vogel also earned himself a technical foul in that time, though he wasn’t ejected. In the grand scheme of things the David West ejection and the Frank Vogel technical foul didn’t determine the outcome of the game, though it did exemplify the feelings of frustration that come with losing to a team that had lost 15 straight games. 

MORE WINS ON THE HORIZON … LET’S HOPE SO

Minnesota finally got the monkey off its back with a win over the Pacers. That, however, doesn’t mean the schedule is getting any easier. It will go to battle with the Phoenix Suns on Friday night before closing the month with matchups against the Denver Nuggets, the Charlotte Hornets, the Dallas Mavericks, The New Orleans Pelicans, the Atlanta Hawks, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Boston Celtics, and the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s a pretty tough stretch, and it’s really tough to see the Wolves being favored in any of those games. So while they will enjoy this win for what it’s worth, it’s right back to work starting Wednesday afternoon.  

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The Day After: Wolves at Pacers Quick Hits

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