[river09Participant]

Nicola Pekovic just went down with a sprained left ankle. He had been playing extremely well. I’m hoping it’s not serious but with Rubio, Love, Roy and Barea already down, if Pekovic misses serious time how much trouble are they in? If they were healthy those are probably four of the five starters. Rolling ankles do have a penchant for hanging around as well. The wolves only have nine healthy players on their roster as of right now. I’m a wolves fan and I’m not even real optimistic, Shved, Williams and Kirilenko may have to really carry the scoring load… 

 

[baggin13Participant]

This is horrible, how many guys are going to go down. There are only none guys on the team that are not injures. Only one starter isn’t hurt. Hope they can hold on to win tonight, Pek was playing like a beast tonight.

Again, MN can’t catch a break, but they will keep fighting.

[river09Participant]

 Sorry, I forgot, Budinger is out for 2 months too… 

[baggin13Participant]

According to Yahoo, Chase will be out at least 3 months.

[river09Participant]

 You’re correct, my mistake… He had been great spotting up on the outside prior to going down.. 

[aamir543Participant]

This is how us Warrior fans have felt the past 3 years, I remember one game I went to where Curry fouled out but we didn’t have anyone else to sub in for him, so he had to stay in the game. But I feel for the Minny fans out there, you guys have a very solid team worthy of a 6th or 7th seed, and are playing very well even without two of your top players. Rick Adelman is a great coach, but I hope you guys stay around .500 until their guys start to come back.

[RickyRubio9Participant]

Have to feel for Rick Aldeman, great coach, but in Houston he dealt with numerous injuries and now he’s going through it again in Minnesota.

[NbanflguyParticipant]

We keep winning though! 5-2 after winning in Dallas tonight

[KHAM83Participant]

What’s the deal with Derrick Williams? Not taking this opportunity to show what he can do. do anyone see him reaching anywhere near his potential?

[phila9012Participant]

 too bad williams hasnnt stepped up. Andre Kirilinko is doing good, but he is better when he doesnt have to score. I am just hoping that they can keep it together and hopefully it will lead to a better and more experianced bench if we get into the playoffs

[kngojcParticipant]

 Yeah this sucks for the Wolves but the thing I’m less worried about is the fact that this team has also loaded up on some tweeners so that even despite the injuries, they can rotate guys around to play all the positions. Granted they will only really have one true center on their roster if Pek misses significant time in Stiemsma, but they have plenty of guys to play PF/SF/SG/PG. So at worst, Adelman as great of a coach as he is, this team will just have to play small ball and fastbreak some more just to keep up with everyone else until guys start getting healthy. Shved and Cunningham have definitely been picking up the slack (luckily) in the past couple games and it’ll definitely show in their playing time while they’re shorthanded. 

But as of right now, Nbanfl has got it right, the team chemistry is there, and we ARE still winning. Hopefully we can keep it up.

[r377Participant]

Its a shame with all the injuries, I believe 99% of users on here would love to see the T-Wolves healthy and make the playoffs….

[NbanflguyParticipant]

BTPH is one user who is in the 1%

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 I can’t see how that can even win 40% of their games with all these injuries. AK47 is basically playing like a Star right now (assuming you don’t believe that a player can only be a star if they are a first option scoring threat). Ridnour is fine. But without Pek there just isn’t enough left. They won tonight but by 10 points and Pek was +21 in the 28 minutes he played. So they held on for the win. And Dallas is not a good team. 

Unless Shved miraculously turns into a very good shooting guard, how many games can they win?

i still think they can make playoffs though.

[baggin13Participant]

Trainer brings Pek crutches for his ankle, Pek say’s "I don’t use crutches"

Pek has to be one of the most bad ass players in the league, he is for the NBA as Chuck Noris was to martial arts, or as the most interesting man in the world is to Dos Equis.

Thats a bias MN fan opinion of course, but funny. Pek said it wasn’t bad, so I am hoping he will only miss Wed game against the Bobcats if that. And mad probs to the play of the russian connection, those two played very well. AK was doing everything as always, and Shved was getting guys involved and making plays. Malcom Lee and Shved both did a agreat job on defense.

If AK continues to play at this level, I would see him in the discussion for Defensive Player of the year. Or at least All-Defensive first team. Sure its early and I’m being optimistic, but there is no denying he is a huge reason this team is performing very well on the defensive side of the ball, he sets the tone every night.

 

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 If DOP were given out now, AK47 should win it. We are seven games into the season and he has 14 blocks, 12 steals, and get this, only FIVE fouls!!! Howard has more blocks (18), less steals (7) but a more normal TWENTY-FOUR fouls. And it isn’t like Howard is fouling a ton, he is fouling at his normal rate. But AK is able to guard folks all over the court and disrupt stuff and yet he isn’t fouling. It is actually kind of crazy.

Pek will probably be back in a couple of days if he didn’t need crutches. I suspect they won’t rush him back this early in the season.  

[baggin13Participant]

That was an awesome reply and a crazy stat

[NbanflguyParticipant]

Budinger is a free agent after this season. Has anyone heard if the Timberwolves plan to bring him back? I would like him to stick around for a while.

[omphalosParticipant]

 Derrick Williams is going to have to step up, the upside of these injuries is that Adelman will be forced to play him consistently big minutes. I honestly think if Williams has a stretch where he’s able to play himself into a rhythm he’ll be capable of producing in smaller minutes down the track, but for whatever reason Adelman doesn’t want to give him any rope because he wants to win now.

I really hope for Derrick’s sake he is given the opportunity to succeed and make a positive out of a bad situation for himself and the T’Wolves.

 

[rtbtParticipant]

What is Kevin Love’s injury and when is he projected to return?  

[baggin13Participant]

He played well to begin the game last night, but after a few bad decisions/turnovers Adelman took him out for practicaly the rest of the game. He doesn’t get much slack, if he makes a mistake, they take him out and go with Cunnigham, who is playing very well. To win now, you play the players that are playing better, so its really up to Derrick. He can play well and he has improved his game, but he needs to trim the mistakes. If Aldeman doesn’t trust him, he will never play once players get back from injury. But this is his chance, I just hope he takes Adelman lack of slack as a driver to get better, and doesn’t let it mess with his confidence. So far it  has been hard to tell how he is taking it. Good luck DWill

[river09Participant]

 Honestly the guy that could really step up and take the scoring and playmaking load is Shved. I’ve really like what I’ve seen from him so far. He’s a far better outside shooter than the numbers show, has a really quick release and good elevation on his shot. Not to mention the quickness to create off the dribble and has the vision to be very effective in the pick and roll game. Also his length gives opposing guards a lot of trouble. Without his effort against the Mavs the other night that game would likely have been a loss. He’s very new to the league still but I think he could become the threat the wolves desperately need when they are literally without everyone else… Personally I can’t wait to see him and Rubio play together.. 

[NbanflguyParticipant]

The wolves will play tonight with only 9 players and one of them is Will Conroy so really it is only 8.

Missing from the game will be:

1. Kevin Love
2. Ricky Rubio
3. Brandon Roy
4. J.J. Barea
5. Chase Budinger
6. Nikola Pekovic

 

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