Timberwolves fantastic voyage: A steep climb to relevancy
By Bret Stuter
Try to avoid being a clock-watcher
We’ve all had our battles with impatience. Whether we wanted to grow up, get a driver’s license, and stretch our newfound independence, or simply wanted an infant, puppy, or kitten to age more quickly to halt the nights of crying or wailing, we have all be clock-watchers at some points in our lives.
But time is so very precious. We all rush throughout our lives to get to the point where we can kick back and relax. And then what?
The joy is the journey. It’s the remarkable path of discovery knowns about the unknown around us. Right now, the Minnesota Timberwolves have won an unexpected victory, because they have discovered that relying on one another makes them a better team. The whole of this team is greater than the sum of its parts.
It takes time to become a champion
Time is the one thing that is most precious to the Minnesota Timberwolves right now. Time heals injured players. Time helps to develop younger players. And time affords the Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch more opportunities to assemble this jigsaw puzzle roster to optimize the play of whoever is still healthy.
The coaching staff hasn’t had the benefit of time so far this season. The Timberwolves roster never managed to take the same basketball court until the final preseason. Then, after a dozen games or so, key players began to fall to injury. Without enough time to confirm what does and does not work with this team, the coaching staff has been forced to attempt repairs to the depleted roster using the same methods as a poorly trained auto mechanic.
The coaches are swapping out parts, giving the new lineup and rotation a road test, and listening for any knocking sounds that translate into problems not yet been corrected.