Pups Putting In Work
Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 9:59 pm
http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/wo ... 80820.html
Training camp is a few weeks away for the Timberwolves, but the majority of the team has been at Target Center for a few days mixing it up in the practice facility. After Tuesday's workout, I caught up with Sebastian Telfair to get an idea of how things were going.
Here are a few points from the conversation with Bassy:
Though not an actual practice, Telfair said the guys went through many of the same drills the team runs during the regular season, including some full court 5-on-5 action.
The two things Telfair focused most on in the offseason - his shooting and his finishing at the rim - apparently felt much improved. Telfair finished one tough drive to the rim with Jefferson contesting that was enough to draw the praise of Mr. 20 and 10. Obviously, Al was implying that is was a shot Telfair might have missed last season. Of course, Bassy will have to do it in the regular season for us to completely buy in, but it's nice to hear nonetheless.
Rashad McCants and Al Jefferson came out on top in some 2-on-2 action. No shocker there - that's the twosome Telfair and I agreed would be the most formidable on the roster. Sure, in any given setting another pair (Kevin Love and Randy Foye; Telfair and Ryan Gomes, etc.) could win a game off Big Al and Rashad, but definitely not consistently. As we saw last season, there's no way to guard Jefferson down low, and he can play defense when he's focused on it. As for McCants, he has such a slew of offensive skills, he can get whatever shot he wants at whatever time in a 2-on-2 setting. Trust that.
Telfair did team up with Gomes, and said they made it a game but couldn't pull out a victory in the end. If Gomes has his jumper going, that's a really tough twosome because Telfair can just dart around everywhere and draw both defenders before dumping off for an open look from the former Providence star.
Rodney Carney has been in, and has already impressed everyone with his athletic ability. Speculation says he's over the hamstring strain he was feeling during Summer League in Las Vegas.
I asked our friend from Coney Island whom I'd need on my team to beat him and Gomes ... he said Shaq (in his prime). Basically, we'd just play zone defense where I stood near the free throw line and let Telfair shoot, with Shaq standing in the middle of the lane, and hope that they missed jumpers. Then offensively, I'd simply throw high lob passes to Shaq underneath from the point, and make sure not to really dribble anywhere so as not to get picked by Telfair. How does that sound? Come on Diesel, pick me up!
An unconfirmed list of who has been downstairs, according to Bassy: Gomes, Jefferson, McCants, Foye, Carney, Corey Brewer, Chris Richard, Mike Miller.
Kevin Love is currently going through some of the rookie symposiums and such, but should be reporting to Minnesota immediately following.