Minnesota Timberwolves - 2011 Chronicles & Beyond

[SKA]

2013 NBA Off-Season Summary

Retiring Players
- Several players would retire from the league, most of which big names, starting with all-star Kevin Garnett, a future hall of famer of Timberwolves and Celtics fame. He calls it quits at the age of 33 after playing 18-years in the league, as he would win one championship in his first year with the Celtics, and would fail to get another ring later in his career. Eventually Garnett finishes having played 1370 games, averaging 18.7 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.6 APG, and 1.5 BPG.
- Another future hall of famer to say goodbye would be Shaquille O'Neal, clearly one of the most dominant big men in the league's history, and the winner of multiple championships, finishing out his career in a playoff run with the Sacramento Kings. O'Neal will be remembered for his days in Los Angeles, as well as his off-the-court antics which gave him the claim to fame. O'Neal would finish having played 1416 games, averaging 21.6 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 2.2 APG, and 2.0 BPG, as well as 4 rings.
- The final hall of famer to let go of the drive would be Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash, who finishes having failed to get anything going in his final couple of years with his teammate Carmelo Anthony. Nash would never win a much deserved NBA title, but was the recipient of many other awards throughout his career and will go down as one of the most memorable point guards in history. He finished averaging 15.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 8.2 APG in 1242 games played over 17-years.
- Three other players would officially retire, all three former big names, starting with Michael Redd who played 13-years in the league, mostly with the Milwaukee Bucks but closing out his career with the Utah Jazz. Redd was a great shooter, but never accomplished much during his time spent in the league.
- Veteran small forward Grant Hill had decided to hang up the sneakers, after playing 19-years in the league in a much respected career, but one met with expectations which were too high and a performance which doesn't merit hall of fame honors.
- The final player would be point guard Derek Fisher, who was an intricate part to the Lakers success throughout the past decade as the main point guard for the team for the past decade. Fisher will always be remembered for his heart, his clutch shooting in clutch moments, and years alongside Kobe and Shaq.

Retiring Coaches
- Two very prominent and respected coaches announced their retirement after the playoffs, first being coach George Karl. He would end his career with two seasons trying to achieve success with the Brooklyn Nets, but would be most remembered for his years coaching the Denver Nuggets later in his career, and the Seattle Supersonics in 1990's. He is perhaps notorious for his failure to have won an NBA championship even though he has been coaching basketball since the 1980's. Unfortunately Karl's cancer has slowed him down in recent years and he now plans to enjoy his retirement healthy and with his family.
- The other coach to leave would be Gregg Popovich who was the leader of the San Antonio Spurs success throughout the entire last decade. He would successfully gain his final championship in the 2011 NBA Playoffs, knocking off the Miami Heat, while having won multiple championships since he took over with the Spurs with some of the best players this league has seen. His retirement may be the beginning of an end of an era, as many Spurs core players are aging quicker than ever and they have already proceeded to add new pieces such as Brandon Jennings.

Minnesota Timberwolves Staff Changes for the 2012-13 NBA Season
- Much speculation in Minnesota was spent on their head coaching situation, as Kurt Rambis' previous 2-year extension ran out. However, the front office was quick to end all questions concerning the issue, quickly offering Rambis another 2-year extension, believing that his firing would just create more upheaval to a situation which doesn't need any changing and is finally molding into his team. Rambis would agree to the 2yr/$2.00M contract as he enters his fifth year as the team's head coach.
- His assistant coach, Hank Egan, also had an expiring contract, but the front office was quite satisfied with the two coaches work together, and both seemed to enjoy one another's company, as they help each other build a contender in the West. Egan's contract was extended another 2yrs/$825k along with Rambis so both of their contracts expire at the same time once again.

NBA Team and Player Options
- The biggest option the Timberwolves accepted would belong to starting shooting guard Wesley Johnson, who is entering the final year on his rookie contract. His contract is now at 1yr/$5.42M as Johnson reportedly feels pressure from outside forces to test the free agency market, although his heart may have him remaining in Minnesota, especially depending on how the season pans out.
- Another big name with his option accepted would be back-up center Will Cage, who has finished his second year in the league, and hasn't seen much of an improvement in his minutes. His option is worth 1yr+1/$1.88M, as he still has one year remaining on his contract, although he is probably going to test the free agency market once his contract is up due to his lack of playing time with the Timberwolves who acquired Tyrus Thomas as their starting center. Thomas' contract expires in two years, at the same time as Cage, so there may be pressure to keep Cage around after all while the older Thomas floats on throughout the NBA.
- The final option dealt with belonged to young German small forward Uwe Schroeder, whom the team's option they did not acccept, feeling Schroeder just wasn't of NBA level and although he had a small contract of only six-figures, would rather spend the minutes and money on a player of better caliber, young or old.
- There would be three big options dealt with, first that of Monta Ellis, who accepted his 1yr/$11.00M player option with the Golden State Warriors, who have recently had success but are still looking to break into that upper echelon. Shooting guard Brandon Roy would accept his absurd 1yr/$17.76M player option with the Portland Trailblazers, even though the team has not found any success in recent years. Finally, Andre Iguodala would be the only player declining his 1yr/$15.90M with the Philadelphia 76ers, instead wishing to test the free agency market where he would be a bigger name much to the surprise of nobody, considering Iguodala's time in Philly was one of no relevancy.

Minnesota Timberwolves Player Re-Signing
- First the Timberwolves were dead set on re-signing their starting point guard Jonny Flynn, arguably the best player on their roster and the glue of their team's success. Flynn, however, was not quick to re-sign with the Timberwolves, in fact to the dismay of many fans and some in the organization, he decided that testing the free agency market first was the best idea for him and his career. However, the Timberwolves were determined to sign Flynn off that market and keep him around for years to come.
- So while Flynn refused to re-sign right away, and the front office wasn't 100% about his decision to stay in Minny or go someplace else, they figured it was in the best interest of the team to re-sign sixth man Mo Williams to a 3yr/$20.10M contract. There has been some rumors concerning his lack of happiness concerning his role on the team, but as Williams continues to get older and Flynn continues to get better, its only right that he continues to remain in the sixth man role and as the leader of team's bench lineup.


2013 NBA Draft
- The Timberwolves would hold a lowly 0.7% chance that they would acquire the number one, and it was to no one's surprise when the team ended up with the 12th overall pick they were expected to get. The three teams to have the best chance of winning the overall number one pick would be the Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, and New York Knicks, and for the second time in three years, the Toronto Raptors would get the coveted first pick, while the Knicks would win the second and Wizards the third overall pick.
- The Raptors with their first pick would select shooting guard Jacob Woodson out of Wyoming.
- With the next pick, second overall, the New York Knicks decided to draft Charlie Price, the small forward from Colorado.
- The Wizards with their highest pick would take Nigerian center Nwankwo Akwuebga.
- Cleveland at number four would make the first trade of the night, agreeing to send their trade along with veteran guard Christian Eyegna to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for young point guard Johnny Stewart and Charlotte's second-round draft pick for next year's draft in 2014. Thus with their newly acquired fourth overall pick, the Bobcats would select shooting guard Chuck Cage out of Washington State.
- With the fifth pick, the Orlando Magic selected the highest touted point guard in the draft Fernando Chavez from Mexico.
- Toronto would also possess the sixth overall pick, and with their second pick in this year's draft would take Nick Porter, a great shooting guard from the University of Connecticut.
- Phoenix would pick next with the seventh overall pick, choosing shooting guard Herb Sparks.
- Houston at number eight would select a small forward, Danny Randolph.
- At nine, Portland would choose a new point guard, and the new D-Wade, Dave Wade.
- The Milwaukee Bucks at ten would select a small forward, Art McKenzie.
- The Utah Jazz would choose Tyson Parks at the eleven spot.
- Finally at number twelve, the Timberwolves would use their only draft pick for the year by selecting Malik Mitchell, a small forward out of Purdue.
- As the draft closed out, the only notable transaction worth noting was a deal struck between the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, which sent John Salmons and Boston's number twenty-one pick to the Cavaliers in exchange for their young shooting guard acquired from the T'Wolves just a year before, Vin Moody.

Minnesota Timberwolves Rookie Signings
- Considering he was the only new young player joining the team, there was no trouble when it came to signing Malik Mitchell, to the standard contract of 2yrs+2/$3.76M. Mitchell is quite frankly the team's best small forward entering the new year, but Landry Fields plays both SF and shooting guard, and is a much better player than Mitchell, therefore remaining at the three spot in the starting lineup. Mitchell will get a fair amount of minutes, certainly more than last year's pick who hasn't accomplished anything, Dee Fulton.


2013 NBA Free Agency
- The first matter of business when it came to free agency would be re-signing point guard Jonny Flynn, whom the team feels is essential to their success in the future. Immediately the guard was offered a huge contract, as the team made serious their offer. The front office didn't hear much of other teams trying to get in the run for Flynn, who signed in only eight days to a 6yrs/$106.03M contract, certainly the biggest for the Timberwolves franchise since the days of Kevin Garnett.
- With that signing, the front office seemed certainly satisfied with the roster they had established since last year, and weren't going to make any major changes, especially to anyone in the starting lineup considering all of their young players look much better than last season; as well as the team's chemistry together.
- However, one move was made, as the Timberwolves agreed to trade veteran small forward Sam Young and his 1yr/$2.11M contract (he was unsatisfied with much surrounding his place in the organization), along with the team's 2014 1st-Round draft pick for next season; to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for their veteran big man Samuel Dalembert and his 1yr/$2.44M contract, along with Sacramento's 2014 1st-Round draft pick. The Timberwolves were looking for a veteran back-up big man presence, along with a player who wasn't going to be unsatisfied with a bench warming role.
- One of the biggest free agent signings would come with power forward Josh Smith, who was offered a great contract from another Eastern Conference team, saying goodbye to years in Atlanta and accepting a 5yrs/$76.62M contract offer from the legendary Boston Celtics, as they continue to rebuild their franchise much to the delight of the Boston area and their fans around the world.
- The next big name to go would be Andre Iguodala, who left Philadelphia to much spite from the fans in that city. He would go on to accept a 5yrs/$84.39M contract offer from the Orlando Magic, as their team tries to build a new contender to take down a superior Miami Heat team.
- Manu Ginobli was another player to find himself in a different city, deciding to sign with the Chicago Bulls who have made it to the Eastern Conference Finals the past two years. Many experts liked this signing as he will give them immediate scoring whether he comes off the bench or starts at the two spot alongside Derrick Rose. His contract, however, is only worth 2yrs/$8.45M as the aging Ginobli tries to end his career with one more championship run.
- The final two players to sign would take all of the free agency period to make their decision. Ty Lawson would end up taking a nice offer from the Phoenix Suns, who were now looking for a new point guard after the retirement of Steve Nash. He would accept their offer of 5yrs/$84.83M, as the Suns front office continues to try to build a new title contender with their superstar Carmelo Anthony.
- The other big name point guard to sign late would be Brandon Jennings, who accepted a 5yrs/$84.83M contract offer from the San Antonio Spurs, also a team which is about to feel the absence of the players whom have been at the core of their system for the past decade. Their first step was to sign Jennings, whom they feel will be the new leader of their offense once the ring of veterans run out of the league.

Minnesota Timberwolves 2013-14 Rookies

[SKA]

Minnesota Timberwolves
Last Season: 40-42
Team Salary: $69.71M
Cap Room: $-9.06M
Overall: 9th
Offense: 19th
Defense: 13th

2013-2014 Minnesota Timberwolves Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Kurt Rambis (OFF: C, DEF: B (+), TEA: A (+), POT: C (-) | 2yrs/$2.00M
Assistant Coach: Hank Egan (OFF: C, DEF: C (+), TEA: A (+), POT: B | 2yrs/$825k
NBA Scout: Ricky McLeod(LVL: B (+), POT: B (-) | 2yrs/$750k
Prospect Scout: Everett Hopkins (LVL: A, POT: B (-) | 3yrs/$1.00M
Prospect Scout: Mack Stallworth (LVL: A (+), POT: A) | 3yrs/$750k
Trainer: Greg Farnam (LVL: A (+), POT: C) | 2yrs/$700k

2013-2014 Minnesota Timberwolves Roster TO* = Team Option; PO* = Player Option
PG. Jonny Flynn (6'0", 185 lbs., 24 y/old, 5 y/pro) | 26yrs/$106.03M
PF. Anthony Randolph (6'11", 225 lbs., 24 y/old, 6 y/pro) | 5yrs/$71.57M
SG. Wesley Johnson (6'7", 205 lbs., 26 y/old, 4 y/pro) | 1yr/$5.42M
PF. Tyrus Thomas (6'10", 215 lbs., 27 y/old, 8 y/pro) | 2yrs/$18.08M
SG. Landry Fields (6'7", 210 lbs., 25 y/old, 4 y/pro) | 3yrs/$21.53M
PG. Marvin Freeman (6'1", 204 lbs., 21 y/old, 2 y/pro) | 1yr+2/$1.58M TO
PG. Mo Williams (6'1", 190 lbs., 30 y/old, 11 y/pro) | 3yrs/$20.10M
SF. Malik Mitchell (R) (6'9", 221 lbs., 20 y/old, 1 y/pro) | 2yrs+2/$3.76M TO
C. Will Cage (7'1", 268 lbs., 23 y/old, 3 y/pro) | 1yr+1/$1.88M TO
PF. Al Harrington (6'9", 250 lbs., 33 y/old, 16 y/pro) | 2yrs/$14.76M
SF. Dee Fulton (6'5", 217 lbs., 23 y/old, 2 y/pro) | 1yr+2/$1.84M TO
C. Samuel Dalembert (6'11", 250 lbs., 32 y/old, 13 y/pro) | 3yrs/$12.96M

Point Guards
After re-signing with the team for the next six years, fans and the front office are certainly excited for a future containing Jonny Flynn as the team's starting point guard. He is certainly the face of their franchise, always making the highlight reels on ESPN and NBA TV, and is also arguably the team's best overall player, but without a doubt the leader of this team. He provides the Timberwolves the solid foundation any team needs to potentially contend in their conference, while his sixth man is looking worse and worse every year, as Mo Williams arguably isn't even as good as sophomore point guard Marvin Freeman. The latter, however, certainly doesn't have the experience that Williams does, plus Mo provides leadership off the bench, which is a main reason he is the sixth man of this team. However, there is some questions remaining about his postion on the team as well as the minutes he is receiving, but the team is hoping his age will set in at one point and Williams accepts his role on more openly, sooner rather than later.



Shooting Guards
The team's two shooting guards both start this season, as Wesley Johnson has certainly developed into the player the front office was expecting and hoping he would. Johnson was named to the NBA's All-Defensive First team last season, as he certainly deserved it; while he has also emerged as one of the league's top 15 shooting guards, and at 26 still has a little time to develop even more. Behind him, but starting at the team's small forward slot, is Landry Fields, whom the team acquired recently in free agency, and is very satisfied with the role he has filled on the team. Certainly on the team's number one or two offensive option, Fields is a very solid player who hits the shots you need him to make whenever you need it, and plays some of the best defense on the team, not to mention his incredible hustle on the floor.



Small Forwards
Our small forwards are certainly one of the weaker aspects of the team, containing nothing but prospects, but there is room to breathe considering none of them are close to the starting line-up. Many are confident in saying the skills of new rookie Malik Mitchell out of Purdue are superior to those of Dee Fulton, who was drafted a year before Mitchell. Fulton hasn't emerged into anything worth noting, just an average player with barely any potential to grow into even a good one. The team has most likely given up on Fulton, but are excited to have Mitchell apart of the team and taking over for some of Fulton's minutes.



Power Forwards
The team is excited to watch Anthony Randolph continue to develop, especially after giving him so much money which they feel he should begin really deserving this season. Many people have tried to count Randolph out, but the Minnesota franchise has given him the perfect opportunity to bloom into the superstar they believe he can be, and this season they feel he has the best chance to really take that next leap. Randolph already looks like one of the best power forwards in the league, and at 24 years old has a couple more years to really mature into the position and turn into a dominate player with unique shooting ability. Behind him is the starting center, Tyrus Thomas, who has most likely peaked at his age of 27, and the team isn't too satisfied with his closing in on the end of development. He still plays well, but the team was hoping from a much bigger impact from him. However, with only two years on his contract, some feel there is time to wait him out, while continuing to develop Will Cage, pending how willing Cage is to sit on the bench for a few more years. The team's final power forward is a veteran leader in Al Harrington, who is now 33 years old reaching the ages of retirement, and there is not much truth to how longer he will remain in the league. However for now he is a good role player coming off the bench, and an essential veteran presence.



Centers
The team's top center is young Will Cage, who is now 23 and riding the bench like better than ever, and may be leaning towards free agency once this season ends. However, the front office doesn't want to move Thomas out of the roster just so Cage can stick around, considering the team still has reservations about his development and loyalty to the franchise. Thankfully the team has veteran Samuel Dalembert behind him, who can come in for a defensive presence in the paint whenever needed, although the team knows his offensive ability is abysmal.

FIRST RELEASED ROTATION
PG. Jonny Flynn (38 min.) [Star]
SG. Wesley Johnson (35 min.) [Starter]
SF. Landry Fields (35 min.) [Starter]
PF. Anthony Randolph (37 min.) [Star]
C. Tyrus Thomas (35 min.) [Starter]
BENCH
G. Mo Williams (22 min.) [Sixth Man]
F. Al Harrington (10 min.) [Role Player]
C. Will Cage (9 min.) [Prospect]
G. Marvin Freeman (6 min.) [Prospect]
F. Malik Mitchell (5 min.) [Prospect]
F. Dee Fulton (4 min.) [Prospect]
C. Samuel Dalembert (4 min.) [Bench Warmer]

[bichettehappens]

Looking forward to seeing how Malik Mitchell performs this season

[thelionheart3456]

hey man great reading your stuff i have a question how do you set up your season previews and that sort of thing with all of the pictures because uploading via a word document it fails for my stuff just wondering how you got around that... anyways hope to see you get a championship in the next few years with the T'Wolves

[SKA]

Quote: Originally Posted by thelionheart3456

hey man great reading your stuff i have a question how do you set up your season previews and that sort of thing with all of the pictures because uploading via a word document it fails for my stuff just wondering how you got around that... anyways hope to see you get a championship in the next few years with the T'Wolves

If you're asking how I create the photos, I use FRAPS to take screenshots of the game, then use Photoshop to create the images I use.

If you're asking how I post the photos, put them in between [*img][*/img] tags. Obviously remove the *'s to have the tags work.

[SKA]

LATE OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2013

Minnesota Timberwolves
Target Center - Minneapolis, MN
Overall Record: 13-5
Oct-November Record: 13-5
Overall: 8th
Power Ranking: 2nd
Division Rank: T-1st
Conference Rank: T-1st
Team Chemistry: 30%

With higher expectations in nearly a decade, the Minnesota Timberwolves had hot heels starting off the 2013-2014 season, as the old guard in the Western Conference was getting older and the younger teams, maturing with every new game they play, were hoping to seize the opportunity. The Timberwolves started off at home with a big victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, infamously led by #23 Michael Beasley, a former teammate of many on the Timberwolves. While he would have a good game, scoring 28 with 10 rebounds, the rest of the team was a dud, as the Timberwolves dominated towards the 84-99 victory to start the season off right. Jonny Flynn led the way with 29 points but only 2 assists, while Anthony Randolph also had 20 points with 9 rebounds. Unfortunately they would drop the season opener for Indiana in Indianapolis, 84-93. J.R. Smith led the Pacers with 18 points and 8 assists, while it was Randolph who had most of the poor production for Minnesota, scoring 26 with 10 rebounds. The team would recover on Halloween, at home again this time against division foe Denver. The Nuggets were completely whipped out by the end of the first, and would lose to the young-gun Timberwolves team 68-101. This time it was Tyrus Thomas who led the way with 24 points and 7 rebounds, while Randolph continued to perform great scoring 22 with 9 rebounds.

As November came around the team was on a two-game road trip on the West Coast, first taking down the Los Angeles Clippers in the Staples Center, 100-87, shocking many of the fans who expected their team to be one of the best of the league. Blake Griffin only scored 14 with 7 rebounds, while for Minnesota it was Jonny Flynn who played great, scoring 27 with 9 assists. The big men for Minnesota would do work as well, combining for 31 points. The very next day, however, the Portland Trailblazers would get the best of Minnesota, charging towards the 96-123 victory in Oregon led by Brandon Roy who had 26 points and Nicolas Batum with 24 points. Flynn would continue to play well however, as the team's defense was completely absent in his 32 point performance for the night.

Three days later the team would return home against the Boston Celtics now led by Josh Smith as well as Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce. They would prove to be quite the challenge, but their 86-88 contest wouldn't be enough to take down the Timberwolves, who were led by Flynn has usual with 18 points and 8 assists, while Tyrus Thomas worked hard for 17 points. Smith for the Celtics would have a dud night, shut down most of it by Thomas, finishing with 14 points in the losing effort. But after that game, the Timberwolves would somehow not learn their lesson, allowing the Brooklyn Nets to come into town and take a 117-102 victory. Even though Flynn and shooting guard Wesley Johnson would combine for 52 points, Zach Randolph and Dan Washington would lead their Nets with 50 points and 15 rebounds, while the rest of the roster never faltered. Finally the team would get back on track with a win against the Portland Trailblazers, 81-135 as the offense literally exploded on the court. Mo Williams oddly enough co-led the scoring with 24 points off the bench, while Anthony Randolph also had 24 points with 12 rebounds, and Flynn had a 20-11 double-double on the night. The San Antonio Spurs were the next victims, falling 98-117. They allowed Wesley Johnson to have a 30-point night, while both Flynn and Tyrus Thomas had big nights, while the Timberwolves allowed Brandon Jennings to score 32 points, but his effort would not be enough as the Spurs would continue to struggle all November.

The wins would continue on the road in Denver, as the Timberwolves played great throughout to achieve the 119-91 victory. Jonny Flynn had his best night thus far in the year scoring 25 with 15 assists ending the night. Thomas and Randolph also played big with over 20 points each, while Denver had a poor effort led by rookie Chad Bremer who had 20 points. Back home for a game the Memphis Grizzlies wouldn't fare well against Minny, losing 86-111. Randolph had his night with 26 points and 11 rebounds, not to mention 3 steals and blocks each, while Flynn had an 18-12 night. It was thanks to the defense of Landry Fields who held Rudy Gay to only 3-13 FGs on the night, although he finished with 15 rebounds to go with only 13 points. Afterwards was a game in Boston, as the Timberwolves once again outlasted the Celtics, this time in their home court. Josh Smith would play better with a 21 point, 14 rebound, 5 assist game, but his effort wouldn't prove to be enough as Flynn led the team with 30 points and 8 assists, all towards the 108-102 victory on the road. Unfortunately, a road game the very next day in Milwaukee would get the best of Minnesota, losing 93-99, as Ben Gordon led the Bucks with 26 points, all while Tyrus Thomas and Wesley Johnson had 21 points and at least 10 rebounds of their own.

A win at home would come in their next match-up, against a division rival in the Utah Jazz who aren't playing very well this season. They would fall 84-116 in the Target Center, as six Timberwolves players would finish in double-digit scoring, led by Wesley Johnson who finished with 24 points while Jonny Flynn continued to play great dishing out 16 assists while scoring 21 points. A much better Western Conference team, the Houston Rockets, would squeak one out against the Minnesota Timberwolves only two days later, winning on the road 105-98. Flynn finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds, but the defense wasn't enough to stop the Rockets all-around game as their bench stepped up throughout the night to keep the Rockets with the lead and finally the victory. They were led by their top rookie draft pick, Danny Randolph who had 18 points on the night.

The T'Wolves were able to gleefully close out the month of November with three straight victories, starting with the Chicago Bulls, stealing a 95-88 win on the road. Derrick Rose would have an average night, scoring 24 points while not having much of an effect to lead his team to victory. His counter-part would have a better night, as Flynn had 28 points with 10 assists to finish the night, leaving his print on the game. He would leave an even bigger print on the franchise in the team's next game against the Memphis Grizzlies, as he would set a new franchise record in assists in one game, dishing out 18 dimes with 13 points as his team took the 111-101 victory on the road in Memphis. His great night would rightfully overshadow the performance of Wesley Johnson who was a recipient of many assists and finished with a game-high 25 points. At the end the T'Wolves would play great in a home game against the New Orleans Hornets, winning 92-117 as Anthony Randolph had 27 points while Jonny Flynn had a better night with 25 points and 15 assists as his team continued to play great thanks to the efforts he puts in every night.

Player Statistics - For the Month of November
PG. Jonny Flynn (22.2 PPG; 10.0 APG; .525 FG%; 35.9 MPG)
PF. Anthony Randolph (16.5 PPG; 8.6 RPG; 2.0 BPG; .503 FG%; 28.2 MPG)
SG. Wesley Johnson (15.9 PPG; 7.2 RPG; 1.3 SPG; 2.6 BPG; .551 FG%; 33.7 MPG)
PF. Tyrus Thomas (15.9 PPG; 7.2 RPG; 1.1 SPG; .578 FG%; 31.6 MPG)
SG. Landry Fields (10.4 PPG; 5.4 RPG; .492 FG%; 29.5 MPG)
PG. Mo Williams (9.2 PPG; 5.0 APG; .464 FG%; 23.9 MPG)
PF. Al Harrington (4.5 PPG; 2.1 RPG; .352 FG%; 10.8 MPG)
C. Will Cage (2.1 PPG; 2.7 RPG; .688 FG%; 9.3 MPG)
- Stats accumulated at a minimum of 8 minutes per game.

Western Conference Standings - For the Month of November
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-4; .750%; -- GB)
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (13-5; .722%; -- GB)
3. Sacramento Kings (11-6; .688%; 1.0 GB)
4. Houston Rockets (10-7; .588%; 2.5 GB)
5. Golden State Warriors (10-8; .556%; 3.0 GB)
6. Phoenix Suns (9-8; .529%; 3.5 GB)
7. Los Angeles Clippers (9-9; .500%; 4.0 GB)
8. Memphis Grizzlies (8-9; .471%; 4.5 GB)
*BOLD denotes Northwest Division

League News for the Month of November
- The first couple Eastern Conference Players of the Week would consist of Josh Smith in his new Boston uniform, teammates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, and Derrick Rose, receiving the award twice. In the Western Conference, there was far less parity, as both Tyreke Evans and Carmelo Anthony dominated the polls, each receiving the award three times over the course of late October and November.
- The Players of the Month would be two of the best guards in the league, Chicago's Derrick Rose, who is averaging 24.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 9.8 APG, 1.8 SPG, and 39.7 MPG; and in the West Tyreke Evans of Sacramento, who is averaging 28.4 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 6.6 APG, 3.1 SPG, and 37.9 MPG.
- The Rookies of the Month would come out of New York and Memphis, Charlie Price, small forward for the Knicks, and Adam Nicholas, power forward for the Grizzlies. Even though Chuck Cage leads all rookies with 18.0 PPG for the Charlotte Bobcats, Price has 15.1 PPG on a very young Knicks team led by Amar'e Stoudamire, and Nicholas averages 12.9 PPG but with 9.5 RPG.
- Jonny Flynn officially set a new team record for the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise, recording an incredible 18 assists against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 28th, 2013; in a 111-101 victory in Memphis.

Coach's Rotation - For the Month of December
PG. Jonny Flynn (38 min.) -- [Star]
SG. Wesley Johnson (35 min.) -- [Starter]
SF. Landry Fields (34 min.) -1 [Starter]
PF. Anthony Randolph (37 min.) -- [Star]
C. Tyrus Thomas (35 min.) -- [Starter]
BENCH
G. Mo Williams (25 min.) +3 [Sixth Man]
F. Al Harrington (10 min.) -- [Role Player]
C. Will Cage (9 min.) -- [Prospect]
G. Marvin Freeman (6 min.) -- [Prospect]
F. Malik Mitchell (5 min.) -- [Prospect]
F. Dee Fulton (4 min.) -- [Prospect]
C. Samuel Dalembert (2 min.) -2 [Bench Warmer]

[..GameOver..]

Been following, good work with this. I hope D. Rose can take the Bulls past the Eastern Conference finals this year. They fall short every single year to the Heat.

[SKA]

DECEMBER 2013

Minnesota Timberwolves
Target Center - Minneapolis, MN
Overall Record: 22-12
December Record: 9-7
Overall: 7th (+1)
Power Ranking: 6th (-4)
Division Rank: 2nd (-1)
Conference Rank: 2nd (-1)
Team Chemistry: 29% (-1%)

The Timberwolves would struggle throughout the first half of December, even though they would come out in their first two games of the month with victories. First the team stole a 92-80 contest in Philadelphia, as they would shut down most of the 76ers roster but allowed Evan Turner to try to keep his team in the game with 19 points on the night. On the other side, Anthony Randolph finished the night with 17 points and 13 rebounds in the winning effort. Second the team was on the road in Toronto and took that one as well, 110-97. Jonny Flynn had a great 29 and 14 assist night, leading his team to their fifth straight win, although Kenny Barlow, the young star in Toronto, scored 23 points.

But for some reason, the team would end up losing the next six of their eight games, starting at home against the Golden State Warriors, dropping the win 95-88 as they allowed the Warriors to close them out in the fourth quarter. Flynn led the team with 35 points, but only 5 assists, perhaps leading to his team's ultimate demise for the night. Stephen Curry continues to play well for the Warriors, finishing with 33 of his own as well as 7 assists and 4 steals. The very next day, the Cleveland Cavaliers would host the Timberwolves but fail to stop them from taking the big win, 101-74, as Michael Beasley led his Cavs as usual with 25 points while their young power forward Marc Conley, who had 19 points and 12 rebounds in the losing effort. The rest of their team was not on their A-game, while the Timberwolves were, led by Flynn who had 19 points while Landry Fields had a good night, scoring 17 and a career-high 13 assists. Next the team would be in Utah, losing 100-109. Al Jefferson was the main factor for his team, scoring 26 with 14 rebounds, while only Flynn and Mo Williams were the only players to really have a big game, Flynn with a 24-7-6 night while Williams had 19 points off the bench.

After that the team was in New Orleans, losing to the Hornets 77-119 in an embarrassing performance from Minnesota. David West would lead the Hornets with 20 points and 9 rebounds while shooting guard Benjamin McCarthy had 18 with 10 rebounds of his own. For Minnesota it was Anthony Randolph who did what little work was done, finishing with 19 points and 6 poor rebounds. Detroit would then come into town as Minny returned home, and really added insult to injury, defeating the Timberwolves in a 110-109 contest, thanks to a buzzer-beating winner from forward Mladen Jeremic. His shot would get the T'Wolves crowd buzzing, certainly disappointed with their teams latest performances, as the bench and starters walked out of the court, shocked and in disbelief. After two days the team would try to recover with a game against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies, but it would be to no avail as the Grizz finished with 113 and the T'Wolves with 96. Even though six Timberwolves players finished in double-digits, overall the team's effort on both sides wouldn't be enough, allowing the first high-profile British player in rookie Adam Nicholas, a new dominating power forward importing his game to Memphis, to finish with 27 points and 11 rebounds.

Thankfully, the team would recover and eventually turn a stone on the month with a win at home against a great Sacramento Kings team. They would provide a great contest for the fans in the Target Center, but they wouldn't be able to close out a determined Timberwolves team, who finally got a win after dropping five of their last six. It would come in a 112-116 finish, as both teams were shooting hot late in the game but it wouldn't be enough to take down the Timberwolves lead, who fell behind early themselves. Jonny Flynn had 26 points and 16 assists, while Randolph had a 19-9 night; for the Kings, the double-guard threat of Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton would combine for 59 points but only 12 assists. Too bad their next game would be a loss against the Phoenix Suns, who came into Minneapolis for the 88-85 win, shutting down the Timberwolves defensively even though the Suns continue to underachieve despite the great play of Carmelo Anthony. He would have an off-game for him, scoring only 26 with 11 rebounds, but the Timberwolves offense was just not on point, as Flynn was the only one with success scoring 29 but only 6 assists. Minnesota would then go on to lose their final game of the month, with two weeks left, to the Miami Heat in Florida, 93-107. The Big Three for Miami would combine for 74 points and 20 rebounds, while Tyrus Thomas had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

The Timberwolves would get hot again with a win in Madison Square Garden, taking down the New York Knicks, 101-89. Amar'e Stoudamire had 27 points with 10 rebounds and 4 blocks, but the rest of his team faltered as the Timberwolves used the fast-break to their advantage, including some big dunks by Thomas who led the team with 26 points and 7 rebounds. Two days later was an important victory against the best record in the league, and number one in the Northwest Division, the Oklahoma City Thunder. It would help as the Timberwolves tried to claw back up the standings after losing the second spot thanks to earlier losses suffered. Flynn would lead the way with a 29 point game in a big Christmas day showcase, playing in the final game of the holiday. He allowed his team to take the win at home, 97-110, as the Timberwolves were beginning to see more of a national spotlight with their success. His 8 assists would also help provide Randolph 19 points while Thomas had 13 points and 15 rebounds. The home stand would continue with a win against the Houston Rockets, 84-97. Flynn as usual had a typical 21-9 night while Randolph had a 14-10 night. One rookie and another young player for the Rockets would lead them in scoring, Danny Randolph and point guard Antoine Booth respectively.

And with that the month would end similar to how it started, first with another win against the Philadelphia 76ers, 93-130. The starters for Minnesota went nuts, led by Wesley Johnson who finally had a big game during the month, scoring 24 with 7 rebounds, while Randolph had a 23-12 night, Flynn with 23-11, and Thomas with 19 points and 9 rebounds. The only player to produce much for the 76ers would be Marreese Speights, who had 26 points while his team fell flat on their face. New Years Eve would be another victory for Minny, finishing off the Orlando Magic 87-111, who continue to struggle despite big expectations. Gilbert Arenas would have 27, while Dwight Howard had 18 points and 16 rebounds, but hot shooting for Johnson and more big games from Thomas would lead the Timberwolves back to second-place in the West.

Player Statistics - For the Month of December
PG. Jonny Flynn (22.1 PPG; 9.6 APG; .530 FG%; 34.9 MPG)
SG. Wesley Johnson (15.2 PPG; 6.3 RPG; 1.2 SPG; 1.5 BPG; .529 FG%; 33.4 MPG)
PF. Anthony Randolph (15.1 PPG; 8.2 RPG; 1.8 BPG; .493 FG%; 28.0 MPG)
PF. Tyrus Thomas (14.1 PPG; 7.3 RPG; 1.2 SPG; 2.4 BPG; .553 FG%; 30.6 MPG)
SG. Landry Fields (10.6 PPG; 5.0 RPG; .492 FG%; 28.4 MPG)
PG. Mo Williams (10.0 PPG; 4.8 APG; .458 FG%; 24.3 MPG)
PF. Al Harrington (5.4 PPG; 2.2 RPG; .436 FG%; 10.9 MPG)
C. Will Cage (2.3 PPG; 3.3 RPG; .581 FG%; 9.6 MPG)
- Stats accumulated at a minimum of 8 minutes per game.

Western Conference Standings - For the Month of December
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (23-8; .742%; -- GB)
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (22-12; .647%; 2.5 GB)
3. Houston Rockets (19-12; .613%; 4.0 GB)
4. Los Angeles Clippers (20-13; .606%; 4.0 GB)
5. Golden State Warriors (19-3; .594%; 4.5 GB)
6. Sacramento Kings (16-13; .552%; 6.0 GB)
7. Memphis Grizzlies (17-15; .531%; 6.5 GB)
8. Phoenix Suns (16-15; .516%; 7.0 GB)
*BOLD denotes Northwest Division

League News for the Month of December
- In the East the Player of the Week award was split between four players, Rajon Rondo, John Wall, Derrick Rose, and Dwyane Wade in that exact order for the month of December; while in the West it would beKevin Durant making a strong statement, claiming the award for three straight weeks, while Kobe Bryant would also win one.
- It was no surprise to anyone that Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant were named Players of the Month for their respective conferences.
- The Rookie of the Month in the East would be Marvin Norton once again for the New York Knicks, and in the West, Danny Randolph of the Houston Rockets.
- The Utah Jazz would say happy new year to their coach Lionel Hollins by firing him the day before the change of the new year and hiring new coach Keith Smart, as they struggle to do much this season.

Coach's Rotation - For the Month of December
PG. Jonny Flynn (38 min.) -- [Star]
SG. Wesley Johnson (35 min.) -- [Starter]
SF. Landry Fields (34 min.) -1 [Starter]
PF. Anthony Randolph (37 min.) -- [Star]
C. Tyrus Thomas (35 min.) -- [Starter]
BENCH
G. Mo Williams (25 min.) +3 [Sixth Man]
F. Al Harrington (10 min.) -- [Role Player]
C. Will Cage (9 min.) -- [Prospect]
G. Marvin Freeman (6 min.) -- [Prospect]
F. Malik Mitchell (5 min.) -- [Prospect]
F. Dee Fulton (4 min.) -- [Prospect]
C. Samuel Dalembert (2 min.) -2 [Bench Warmer]