| The Best Of Times Or The Worst Of Times.. Authored by Adam Winegarden - November 1, 2005 - 3:31 pm
After a one year hiatus, the national media has resumed its campaign to convince Kevin Garnett that he will never win a championship in Minnesota and he would be better served being Kobe’s Scottie Pippen. As much as the folks in L.A. and the league offices would like that to happen, there is only one way it will.
There only way that the Timberwolves will lose Garnett is if they make no improvement over last season. If the team is caught behind the Seattles and Memphises of the Western Conference then the possibility of Garnett moving on becomes frighteningly real.
With that in mind, what follows are a best and worst case scenarios for the
2005-2006 season.
Worst Case:
The Timberwolves struggle to score as opposing defenses key on Garnett. The team settles for a league record number of three point attempts with Szczerbiak, Griffin, Hudson, McCants and Frahm firing from long range at will. Garnett posts five year lows in field goal percentage and assists but due to the lack of team shooting accuracy remains the top rebounder in the NBA. Halfway through the season, Szczerbiak and McCants scuffle in practice and have to be separated by a not surprisingly injured Madsen. The Timberwolves miss the playoffs; fail to move up in the lottery and the Target Center under goes fumigation for vampire bats. GM Kevin McHale resigns half way through the season and team owner Glen Taylor sells the team to a Texas business man who feels that Las Vegas would be a great site for an NBA franchise. Fans of the team can only rejoice in the fact that at least they aren’t the Vikings.
Worst Case Statistical Breakdown:
Team Record 33-49 (2 games forfeited on account of vampire bats)
Best Case:
The fight for the Western Conference’s fifth playoff spot comes down to the final game of the season against the Memphis Grizzlies. Kevin Garnett continues his excellent season as the versatility of Jaric, Szczerbiak, Griffin and Hassell creates match up problems all over the floor. Garnett wins the game on a last second dunk over Pau Gasol, as he continues to use his athleticism and new found bulk to aggressively attack the basket. Rashad McCants overcomes a mid-season slump to make the All-Rookie first team.
Wally Szczerbiak makes the All-Star team as an injury replacement and Michael Olowokandi proves that you can be motivated by the potential for a check with lots of zeros. One of the highlights of the season is when rookie Bracey Wright, called up from the NBDL due to a Troy Hudson injury, scores 9 points in the final minute of double overtime to beat the Indiana Pacers.
Minnesota wins a hard fought seven game series with Denver and takes eventual champion San Antonio to seven only to lose on a last second shot by Robert Horry. Kevin McHale receives wide acclaim for catching a 10 ft. sturgeon up at Lake of the Woods and Glen Taylor is so energized he buys both the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings and builds two brand new stadiums without any public financing.
Clearly the reality of the 2005-2006 season will fall in between these two scenarios. However, I firmly believe that the pessimism of the national media will be a very strong motivating factor for one Kevin Garnett, and Garnett a strong motivating factor on the rest of the squad. Garnett has always played with passion, but with a chip on his shoulder, I see no reason the Minnesota Timberwolves will not make the playoffs this season and advance past the first round. |
