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First, Love: He said he understood the decision, said he felt he had let opening-game jitters perhaps force him out of his game and said he was on the bench, cheering for his teammates, down the stretch. He said Anthony Tolliver deserved to keep playing, given the energy Tolliver was expending on defense. Love also said he wasn't frustrated right now. If it were game 65, and the team was fighting for a playoff spot? Then it might be different. He also said his not talking to the media after the game had more to do with his needing to meet up with a friend who was in town for the night for a late dinner than any perception that he was peeved. "I understood (Rambis' decision)," Love said. "I thought, after last year, I handled it like a man. And, in that situation, Anthony stepped up and played great down the stretch. I think, defensively, throughout the game, we had lapses. We went away from what we did in the preseason. In that situation Anthony was playing great. You have to give credit to him.

Now, Rambis: He said he talked with Love before Wednesday's practice. "Kevin completely understood the decision and he was 100 percent behind it," Rambis said. "Having said that, every single player wants to be on the floor all the time. i want players like that.."

Rambis wouldn't say specifically that it was Love's defense that put him on the bench. He reiterated his post-game mantra that it was not about Love, it was about what Tolliver was doing well. He repeated his belief that a team is better when the players all know there is someone on the bench the coach can turn to if things are going well. But he also said that, when a young team sees that rule being applied to everyone -- even a perceived leader of the team -- it can send a good message. "With young ball clubs, in particular, yes," Rambis said. "It helps everybody understand that the rules apply to everybody, that there are no exceptions."

the Wolves will exercise 20011-12 contract options by Monday to second- and third-year players Michael Beasley, Love, Jonny Flynn, Kosta Koufos and Wayne Ellington. But there is no contract extension forthcoming with fourth-year swingman Corey Brewer, who will become a restricted free agent next summer if the Wolves make him a qualifying offer after the season.

He repeated his belief that a team is better when the players all know there is someone on the bench the coach can turn to if things are going well. But he also said that, when a young team sees that rule being applied to everyone -- even a perceived leader of the team -- it can send a good message. "With young ball clubs, in particular, yes," Rambis said. "It helps everybody understand that the rules apply to everybody, that there are no exceptions."

Klomp wrote:There is no I in TEAM last I checked.

Winter Wonder wrote:Tolliver huslted, played well, I am a fan, and we share the same Alum, but he wasn't perfect either and some of his hustle put him out of position for rebounds and put backs.

Klomp wrote:

He repeated his belief that a team is better when the players all know there is someone on the bench the coach can turn to if things are going well. But he also said that, when a young team sees that rule being applied to everyone -- even a perceived leader of the team -- it can send a good message. "With young ball clubs, in particular, yes," Rambis said. "It helps everybody understand that the rules apply to everybody, that there are no exceptions."

This is what I liked most out of this. No player should be put ahead of the team. Especially on a young team where no one has established themselves as a bonafide NBA star. There is no I in TEAM last I checked.

pumunga wrote:

Klomp wrote:

He repeated his belief that a team is better when the players all know there is someone on the bench the coach can turn to if things are going well. But he also said that, when a young team sees that rule being applied to everyone -- even a perceived leader of the team -- it can send a good message. "With young ball clubs, in particular, yes," Rambis said. "It helps everybody understand that the rules apply to everybody, that there are no exceptions."

This is what I liked most out of this. No player should be put ahead of the team. Especially on a young team where no one has established themselves as a bonafide NBA star. There is no I in TEAM last I checked.

If your always thinking the man on the bench is foaming at the mouth for you to make a mistake, then your going to possibly play conservative .. or else if your always thinking there is a guy behind you then that player is going to try to do everything out there and be the hero and start forcing up shots (be the "I" in team).

I see what hes trying to do, and understand it, but.. you need your best players in at the end of the game, gonna go ahead and say we woulda won that game if Love was in there crunch time.

Klomp wrote:

If your always thinking the man on the bench is foaming at the mouth for you to make a mistake, then your going to possibly play conservative .. or else if your always thinking there is a guy behind you then that player is going to try to do everything out there and be the hero and start forcing up shots (be the "I" in team).

I see what hes trying to do, and understand it, but.. you need your best players in at the end of the game, gonna go ahead and say we woulda won that game if Love was in there crunch time.

Wrong.

If you think the coach isn't going to pull you, you'll start playing recklessly. If you know theres a guy behind you waiting, you're going to do whatever it takes so that the coach won't make the switch.

Worm Guts wrote:I'm OK with Rambis holding players accountable, but I don't necessarily think it should be on a game by game or minute by minute basis. If Love plays like crap for 10 games, fine, let Tolliver have some of his minutes but we've got a lot more invested in Love. He needs to play.

Klomp wrote:

Winter Wonder wrote:Tolliver huslted, played well, I am a fan, and we share the same Alum, but he wasn't perfect either and some of his hustle put him out of position for rebounds and put backs.

Huh?

Klomp wrote:

Winter Wonder wrote:Tolliver huslted, played well, I am a fan, and we share the same Alum, but he wasn't perfect either and some of his hustle put him out of position for rebounds and put backs.

Huh?

Worm Guts wrote:I'm OK with Rambis holding players accountable, but I don't necessarily think it should be on a game by game or minute by minute basis. If Love plays like crap for 10 games, fine, let Tolliver have some of his minutes but we've got a lot more invested in Love. He needs to play.

sutrick wrote:I have to disagree with most of the posts. This was a game that should have been won and required Love to be out there for at least the last 6 minutes of the game. Love is the franchise player, someone that almost any other NBA team would trade for and he needs to play. He sat too much last year. Love is bad on defense and if you want to make a point Rambis you sit him down and tell him why but let your star redeem himself by bringing him back in.

Rambis and Hahn seem to be quite a pair

Whateva wrote:Love is the best player in the Wolves. How can he not play more than Tolliver ?

Worm Guts wrote:I just think you'd rather have your best player out there at crunch time.

sutrick wrote:I have to disagree with most of the posts. This was a game that should have been won and required Love to be out there for at least the last 6 minutes of the game. Love is the franchise player, someone that almost any other NBA team would trade for and he needs to play. He sat too much last year. Love is bad on defense and if you want to make a point Rambis you sit him down and tell him why but let your star redeem himself by bringing him back in.

Rambis and Hahn seem to be quite a pair