Timberwolves Need Their Groove Back, And Fast
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO0 - The Minnesota Timberwolves would probably have to go 20 and 10, or maybe even 22 and 8 for the rest of the way to make the playoffs.
The task is again becoming daunting, and forward Corey Brewer is painfully aware.
"We need a win before All-Star break. We got a lot of injuries, man," Brewer said. "It's tough when you have injuries."
They are indeed a team riddled with current injuries, and frustrated by another sub-par season. Healthy or not, the Wolves cannot get stops on defense.
The bottom line is they're trying hard and don't have enough talent.
Ricky Rubio currently has the green light to be aggressive.
"Knowing our teammates and trying to get everybody involved," Rubio said. "But it's something that … I have to stay aggressive, I have to attack more the rim, and that's what I'm trying to do."
But this team is physically beat up, emotionally fragile and on the cusp of free fall. Forward Chase Budinger says at times like this, the team has to stay a team.
"The biggest thing that we have to do as a team is stay together. When you start going on some losing streaks, you have a lot of outside influences," Budinger said.
Where the Timberwolves are right now is where they've been so many years before. It's the All-Star break, and the major conversation is will Kevin Love return after next year's final season under contract? Will Ricky Rubio ever become a player?
The thought of the playoffs hasn't even been mentioned of late, and that is a bad sign.
The hope of a vibe at Target Center has faded, again. And the only thing left is to try and get healthy and see what happens.
"Hopefully when we do get our groove back together, you know, we're going to be a better team," Brewer said.