Minnesota T-Wolves Blog – Page 74 – NBA Blog

Heat plane diverted to Chicago

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports:

The Miami Heat’s three-game road trip added one more city to the itinerary early Sunday morning, when the team plane was diverted to Chicago after a member of the flight crew became ill.

Team trainers tended crew member who lapsed into what appeared to be a diabetic coma. He then was transported to a hospital there before the flight from Saturday night’s 97-84 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves resumed.

The team charter plane eventually landed in Miami at 5:04 a.m., roughly an hour behind schedule.

Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports:

Heat guard Dwyane Wade sent out a message through his Twitter account at 1:27 a.m., asking for his followers to pray for the mechanic.

“Hey everyone pray for our pilot,” Wade wrote on Twitter. “We just had a emergency landing in Chicago. He went into a coma. God bless this man and his family.”

A Heat spokesman confirmed that the team’s plane landed about 1:30 a.m., about 90 minutes after its 11 p.m. scheduled departure from Minnesota. The team was waiting at the O’Hare airport as the mechanic was taken to a hospital. The team resumed its flight to Miami at 2:27 am.

Timberwolves assign Nathan Jawai to D-League

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the club has assigned second-year forward Nathan Jawai to the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League. Jawai has appeared in 39 games for the Wolves this season, averaging 3.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in 10.6 minutes per game.

Jawai was previously assigned to Sioux Falls on Feb. 19 and recalled on Feb. 21. He appeared in two games for the Skyforce, averaging 6.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per game.

Per NBA rules, a first- or second-year player can be assigned to the team’s D-League affiliate a maximum of three times in a season. Sioux Falls, the D-League affiliate for Minnesota and Miami, is led by head coach Tony Fritz and is in second place in the East Conference with a 30-18 record.

Sioux Falls plays back-to-back away games against the Bakersfield Jam on April 2 and April 3 to complete its regular-season schedule. Sioux Falls clinched a playoff berth on March 25. The 2010 NBDL Playoffs are set to begin as early as April 7.

Stephon Marbury was successful in China

Reuters reports:

Former NBA All Star Stephon Marbury, the highest profile American import to China’s domestic league, said he would return to the country after a hugely popular stint with Shanxi.

The 33-year-old former Minnesota, New Jersey, Phoenix, New York Knicks and Boston point guard finished his two-month spell on a high with an MVP performance in China’s All Star Game last Sunday.

The New Yorker’s average of 22.9 points and 9.5 assists in his 15 regular season games failed to drag Shanxi into the playoffs, however, and he has yet to agree a new deal with the Taiyuan-based team.

Timberwolves sign Brian Cardinal

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed free-agent forward Brian Cardinal. The Timberwolves initially acquired Cardinal in a draft-day deal with Memphis on June 26, 2008. Cardinal was traded to New York in exchange for Darko Milicic on Feb. 17, 2010, and subsequently waived by the Knicks.

Cardinal, a 6-8 forward, had appeared in 27 games for the Wolves this season prior to last month’s trade, averaging 1.7 points in 9.0 minutes per game. The 10-year veteran has appeared in 354 games over his career, including 91 with Minnesota over the last two seasons, and owns career averages of 5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

Wolves waive Alando Tucker

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has waived forward Alando Tucker. The Timberwolves acquired Tucker from Phoenix on Dec. 29, 2009 along with a conditional second-round draft pick and cash considerations in exchange for Jason Hart.

A 6-6 forward, Tucker appeared in four games for the Wolves this season, averaging 2.0 points in 6.3 minutes per game. The 29th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Suns, Tucker owns career averages of 4.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in 51 appearances.

Suns destroy Wolves 152-114

Tuesday night in Phoenix, the Suns went bonkers against the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 152-114 win.

Offensively, the Suns were unstoppable. They shot 55-of-98 (56.1%) from the field and hit 15-of-31 three-pointers. They also hit 27-of-29 free throws. Phoenix also won the assists category 37-18.

Jason Richardson led the way for Phoenix with 27 points. Amar’e Stoudemire had 25, but just four rebounds and no assists. Louis Amundson came off the bench to shoot 10-of-13 for 20 points and seven rebounds. Five other Suns players scored in double-digits. Steve Nash dished 14 assists.

The Wolves had what under normal circumstances would have been a good offensive night, shooting 46.2% and hitting half of their 14 three-point attempts. They were simply unable to withstand the Phoenix offensive hurricane.

Leading the Wolves was Corey Brewer with 21 points and little else. Ryan Gomes scored 18. Al Jefferson had a quiet 13 points and eight rebounds.

The Suns scored 38 points in the first quarter, 41 in the second, 35 in the third and 38 in the fourth.

Ryan Hollins OK with suspension

Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports:

Ryan Hollins insists he’s not a “dirty player or anything like that,” but he still was given a two-game suspension Wednesday by Stu Jackson, the league’s executive vice president of basketball operations, for striking Dallas guard DeShawn Stevenson during Monday night’s game at Target Center.

“I understand the suspension,” Hollins said after Thursday’s practice. “They said my fist was closed when it happened. That’s a league rule. I have to learn to control myself better and know what the refs are watching. I know it’s a matter of interpretation about what they see.”

Hollins is allowed to practice during his suspension, which cost him $53,252 of his $2.183 million salary this season, but he is prohibited from being in the arena for Wolves games. He was at home for Wednesday’s loss to Denver and will be again tonight for the Wolves’ game against San Antonio at Target Center.

Ryan Hollins suspended for hitting DeShawn Stevenson and Dirk Nowitzki

Ryan Hollins of the Minnesota Timberwolves has been suspended without pay for two games for punching DeShawn Stevenson and striking Dirk Nowitzki, both of the Dallas Mavericks, on Monday, March 8. The suspension was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident between Hollins and Stevenson occurred with 9:15 remaining in the second period, and the incident between Hollins and Nowitzki occurred with 3:38 remaining in the fourth period of Dallas’ 125-112 victory over Minnesota at Target Center.

Hollins’ suspension will begin tonight when the Timberwolves host the Denver Nuggets.

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Kevin Love wanted to be a quarterback

Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports:

Kevin Love flashed back Saturday to his UCLA days. Or maybe even earlier.

“My parents never let me play football,” the Wolves forward said, “and I always wanted to be a quarterback.”

It shows. Love, who built a reputation with the Bruins for length-of-the-floor outlet passes, had not displayed his unusual skill much this season — until Saturday. Love fired five passes of 50 feet or longer from under the Wolves basket and completed three of them for easy scores, a success rate that Brett Favre would appreciate.

“I’ve told the coaches, I’ve told the front office, that we need to engage that a little more,” said Love, who made long connections with Ryan Hollins and Damien Wilkins for breakaway dunks, and Ramon Sessions for a layup. “It loses [the opponent] a rebounder if they want to get back, or if they crash the boards, it’s going to be tough for them to get back.”

Jason Terry out 7-10 days after surgery on face

Mavericks guard Jason Terry underwent surgery today to repair facial injuries sustained during Wednesday night’s game vs. Minnesota. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neil Williams in Dallas. He is expected to make a full recovery and return to basketball activities in 10-14 days.

Terry will not travel with the team to Chicago (3/6) or Minnesota (3/8).

Todd Archer of the Dallas Morning News reports (via blog):

Whenever Jason Terry returns from his facial surgery, look for him to wear a shield as added protection, like Detroit’s Richard Hamilton.

“It’d be hard to believe that he wouldn’t wear something,” coach Rick Carlisle said, “but I didn’t do the surgery, so I’m not really the right guy to ask.”