Adande: Don't Measure McHale By Wins

[shrink]

Since he replaced Randy Wittman on Dec. 8, McHale has lost his first four games, but it's evident by watching the games and looking at the scores that the Timberwolves are playing better. The season was sliding away from them under Wittman, reaching its nadir in a 107-84 home loss to the Clippers. (I love how getting blown out by the Clippers set off the doomsday alarm [watch]; shouldn't that tell the Clippers something about Mike Dunleavy?)

All of the final four losses under Wittman were by double digits, and an average of 18.3 points. The four losses under McHale have been by an average of 9.5 points, against teams that made the Western Conference playoffs last season: Utah, Denver, San Antonio and the L.A. Lakers.

Sunday's loss at Staples Center actually reflected well on McHale; it was evidence of a team competing despite a serious talent discrepancy. Somehow Minnesota was within two points after the first quarter despite shooting 39 percent and committing seven turnovers. The Timberwolves stayed in it for more than three quarters and forced the Lakers to keep their stars in throughout the fourth, a minor accomplishment in its own right, before falling 98-86.

They did it through hustle, outrebounding the Lakers 53-46, including 16-9 at the offensive end.

McHale is getting the first step on his coaching request list: effort. Then comes execution, then comes results.

much more ..

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime

[Klomp]

About time a national media member saw the light.

[D1SGRUNTL3D]

About time a national media member saw the light.

[Devilzsidewalk]

I don't measure them by wins, I measure them by energy and effort on defense and in running their plays and attacking the rim. And I measure the Wolves by their response to when teams come in with the attitude that they can play 65% and beat the Wolves, or 95% and blow them out of the water and if the Wolves take offense to that and whoop their ass for that disrespect.

I didn't see any of that last night. Timberwolves are apathetic and don't have the mindset to overcome adversity. Nobody respects the team and nobody cares if they lose every single game. You'd think at some point they'd start to take it personally and want to stick it to people for underestimating them.

Stop being depressed and go do something about it. In fact I'm changing their name to the Emo Wolves until they start playing like grown men. If they want the Timber prefix back, they have to grow some balls.

[Worm Guts]

About time a national media member saw the light.

What light? Even if what he says is true, does it even matter? Is McHale the longterm solution at coach? It doesn't seem like something he likes doing.

[mandurugo]

I think Devilzsidewalk's take is much more accurate than Adande's. It's embarrassing to watch even opposing teams at this point, the effort is so bad.

[Calinks]

We need to think out of the box gentleman. Here is my solution.

Looking over the next couple of weeks, we have a number of tough games. Seeing as there is a very good chance that we will lose all o those games anyway, I saw we forfeit the next two weeks.

Next we contact other teams. We set up an exchange program where we send all of our players by two's to good teams. We send two guys to the Lakers, two guys to the Celtics, two guys to the Blazers, Cavs, etc...

Those players spend a week in those teams systems and learn what it's like to be apart of an organization that stands for something. They see how playing on a great NBA squad is done and learn what teamwork is all about. They even get to play for some of these teams, and when they drop the ball and start crying vets like KG will get in their grill and call them out.

After the week is over, everyone comes back and shares what they have learned. McHale shares some stories about his days on the Celtics. Then the wolves bring back a bunch of old wolves players who have been through some of the same crap but took it like men. They tell these players how they need to play with pride. Charles Barkley shows up and chews us out a bit as well.

Then at the end of the day. Dwane Casey comes in. For the next week he puts them through defensive hell. Coaching staff is actually equipped with beating sticks and player who make mistakes get taken the woodshed during practice. After two weeks, wolves play and look 10 times better. Everybody's happy.

[Basti]

^ I think that probably every player you send to a real organization would rather kill himself than to come back to the crap that is called Minnesota Timberwolves