Minnesota T-Wolves Blog – Page 68 – NBA Blog

Rockets offer head coaching job to Kevin McHale

After parting ways with head coach Rick Adelman, the Houston Rockets have needed a new man for the job. And that man may be a very tall guy with some of the greatest low-post moves the NBA has ever seen.

Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports:

Kevin McHale will walk through that door.

After a month-long search and long sessions debating the merits of three finalists, the Rockets offered McHale their head coaching position on Friday. McHale was chosen over Boston assistant Lawrence Frank and Dallas assistant Dwane Casey after meeting with Rockets owner Leslie Alexander on Wednesday to complete the interview process.

Though McHale is more celebrated as a Hall of Fame player who among other things inspired Rick Pitino’s rant about the inability to recapture the Boston glory days than as a coach, the Rockets were drawn to his apparent abilities as a leader and motivator.

McHale, 53, had spent most of his career in Minnesota in the front office and had been reluctant to coach throughout his career.

Tough to say that McHale is the best guy around for the job, but at the least, Rockets big-men should benefit from his teachings. Also, I liked hearing McHale’s analysis on television. So that’ll be missed.

McHale wants the job, so it’s expected that he’ll take the offer.
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Andrew Bynum suspended two games for foul on Mike Beasley

Andrew Bynum of the Los Angeles Lakers has been suspended for his actions during a game on Friday, March 18, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

Bynum has been suspended for two games without pay for his Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two against Michael Beasley of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The incident occurred with 6:16 remaining in the fourth period of the Lakers’ 106-98 victory at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Bynum will serve his suspension when the Lakers host the Portland Trailblazer at 9:30 p.m. EDT/6:30 p.m. PDT at the Staples Center today and on Tuesday, March 22 when the Lakers host the Suns at 10:30 p.m. EDT/ 7:30 p.m. PDT.

Kevin Love double-double streak ends at 53

The AP reports:

Kevin Love’s remarkable streak of consecutive double-doubles came to an end with a thud, and no one was happier about it than the Minnesota star himself.

Slowed by a thigh injury and worn out from all the attention he’s been receiving lately, Love sounded relieved and eager to move on now that it’s over.

“Now I can start focusing on playing my game,” said Love after being held to six points and 12 rebounds in the Timberwolves’ 100-77 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. “I thought I was doing it for myself but a lot of it was for the fans and everybody watching. I feel a big weight off my shoulders.”

It’s the first time since Nov. 19 that Love has failed to register a double-double. His 53-game streak was a franchise record and the longest in the NBA since Elvin Hayes did it in 55 consecutive games in 1973-74.

Love’s streak has been the only thing keeping the Timberwolves (17-51) in the headlines these days. Not anymore.

Kevin Love passes Moses Malone with 52nd double-double in row

The AP reports:

Kevin Love passes Malone with 52nd double-double in row

The hardest part of what turned out to be a historic night for Kevin Love was deciding whether he was going to play at all.

With a bulky brace wrapped around his bruised and swollen left knee, the Minnesota Timberwolves star didn’t decide to give it a go until about 20 minutes before tipoff. Once he did, he made extending the longest double-double streak in 37 years look too easy.

Love recorded his 52nd double-double in a row to surpass Moses Malone for the longest such streak since the ABA and NBA merged in 1976 in the Timberwolves’ 101-75 over the free-falling Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

Love put up 16 points and 21 rebounds in just 27 minutes to help the Timberwolves win for just the 16th time this season. Love didn’t waste any time extending the streak, reaching double figures in points and rebounds with just under seven minutes to play in the first half.

Rashad McCants rejoins Texas Legends of D-League

The Texas Legends announced today that guard Rashad McCants has reported back to the team and is expected to be active for tonight’s game, as the Legends host the Sioux Falls Skyforce at 7:00 PM at HP Court inside Dr Pepper Arena.

McCants, 26, was assigned to the Legends from the Dallas Mavericks training camp and played in three games with Texas, before exploring options overseas. He becomes one of four Legends players to have been drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft.

In his three games with the Legends earlier this season, McCants averaged 12.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists, including a season-high 20 points in his first game with the team against Austin.

Despite leaving the storied college program of the University of North Carolina after just three years, McCants ranks 14th all-time in scoring at the school and is tied for second with 221 career three-point field goals. He also helped lead the Tar Heels to the 2005 National Championship.

He was drafted in the first round (14th overall) in the 2005 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. McCants played in parts of four seasons with the T-Wolves and later the Sacramento Kings. In 249 career NBA games, the guard has averaged 10.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.

Chris Roberts, a 22-year-old guard out of Bradley University, was also acquired via the available player pool. He played in one game at the start of the season with the Idaho Stampede, in which he scored four points and grabbed two rebounds. Roberts has appeared on ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 Plays five times, including his 75-foot buzzer beater to defeat Oakland in the 2009 Collegeinsider.com Postseason Tournament Quarterfinal. Roberts will also be active for tonight’s contest.

Mavericks sign Corey Brewer

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have signed forward Corey Brewer. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Brewer (6-9, 188) was originally the seventh overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He holds career averages of 9.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 25.7 minutes in 232 career games (147 starts) with Minnesota.

Brewer played in 79 games (35 starts) as a rookie for the Timberwolves in 2007-08, but sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament 15 games into 2008-09 campaign that cost him the remainder of the season. He returned for the 2009-10 season to start all 82 games and average career highs in points (13.0), rebounds (3.4), assists (2.4) and minutes per game (30.4).

Brewer has played in 56 games this season averaging 8.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.6 steals in 24.3 minutes before being traded to the New York Knicks as a part of the 12-player deal that also landed Carmelo Anthony in New York. Brewer joins the Mavericks after the Knicks requested waivers on him on Mar. 1.

The former University of Florida standout was a two-time national champion with the Gators in 2006 and 2007 and was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. In three years at Florida, Brewer also won three Southeastern Conference Championships to go along with two national titles and recorded the first triple-double in Florida basketball history on Dec. 18, 2005.

The native of Portland, Tenn., was a 2004 McDonald’s All-American after averaging 24.9 points and 12.8 rebounds in his senior season at Portland High School.

Brewer is also active with both the American Diabetes Association and Juvenile Diabetes Association to create awareness for the disease that has impacted his family.

Brewer will wear number 13 for the Mavericks.

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Corey Brewer and Jason Terry had a close encounter last year

Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (via blog):

It was a year ago today when Dallas Mavericks guard Jason Terry and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Corey Brewer had an up close and personal meeting.

Terry was amazingly whistled for a foul on a play in which he received an elbow in the nose from Brewer. Blood was spewing from Terry’s nose as he laid sprawled on his back on the floor.

Terry went to the locker room and was back in the game about three minutes later with cotton sticking from his left nostril. And he wound up scoring a game-high 26 points as the Mavs edged the T-Wolves, 112-109.

After an examination, it was revealed that Terry had to undergo facial surgery after he fractured his left orbital bone. The surgery, ironcially, occurred Mar. 5, which is Brewer’s birthday.

Timberwolves expected to offer Kevin Love $70 million contract extension

Kevin Love is an extremely good basketball player. You know it. I know it. The people know it. And the Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly know it.

Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports:

Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Love can look forward to a contract extension offer of six years in the $70 million range once a new NBA labor deal is reached, a little birdie says.

The NBA’s collective bargaining agreement expires June 30.

Love, 22, can become a restricted free agent after the 2012-2013 season. The Wolves have no intention of letting him get that far.

Love, who is being paid $4.61 million this season and is signed for $6.1 million next season, leads the NBA in rebounding (15.5 average) and double-doubles (56, five more than Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin), and ranks 18th in scoring with a 20.9-point average.

Love said Tuesday evening that he likes Minnesota and hopes to remain here.

Keeping Love will be great for the Wolves, though they definitely need to pack more talent around him. He’s a rebounding superstar, but not a top offensive or defensive star who can carry a team into the playoffs on his own.

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Timberwolves, Eddy Curry reach buyout agreement

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced that the team and recently-acquired center Eddy Curry have agreed to terms on a contractual buyout. Subsequently, the team has placed Curry on waivers. Per team policy, terms of the buyout agreement were not disclosed.

The Timberwolves acquired Curry from New York on Feb. 22 along with Anthony Randolph, cash considerations and a future second-round draft pick from Denver as part of a three-team trade that sent Corey Brewer to the Knicks and Kosta Koufos to the Nuggets. Curry did not appear in a game for the Wolves following the trade.

Knicks waive Corey Brewer

New York Knicks President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that swingman Corey Brewer has been waived.

Brewer, 6-9, 188-pounds, was originally acquired from Minnesota on Feb. 22 as part of a 13-player, three-team trade. He has career averages of 9.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in 232 games (147 starts) in four NBA seasons with Minnesota. He did not appear in a game for New York.

The Knicks are expected to use the available roster spot to sign forward Jared Jeffries.