Kevin Garnett returns tonight and restores order toe the Timberwolves. Although the game is only at the half, this team is moving the ball much better and seems to be feeding off KG’s energy. Ricky Davis is not having that much luck thus far filling up the stat sheet, but that is mostly due to Mike James having a decent first half.
A concern for this Wolves team right now is their second unit does not have an identity. It seems as if the starters could play with any starting five in the league, but when the second unit is in, leads are given up consistently. Playing Ricky Davis with the second team is a good move by Coach Casey, but only when Davis is being aggressive offensively. However, when Garnett sits and Davis is still on the court, Ricky becomes passive. Although Hudson is struggling tonight, he can be a valuable asset to the Wolves if used correctly.
Which is why the reemergence of Troy Hudson is another sound move by the coach. Randy Foye continues to develop, taking over games at times, but he too is inconsistent. Troy Hudson, as long as his shots come within the flow of the offense, keeps the defense honest. When given the point guard duties, Hudson has also done an admirable job at running the show.
The coaching staff needs to determine a better substitution pattern as they almost exclusively go to the starters in the first quarter and the bench in the second. This gives the opposition confidence and momentum going into halftime, making the game an uphill battle for the team nearly every game.
On a night like this when Mike James is being aggressive and hitting shots, he should see more court time. Some of the players have begun to jokingly call Coach Casey “Antifreeze,” because it seems as if when a player is rolling, Coach freezes them out by sitting them down. Will Coach continue this or will he find the hot hand and let them roll?
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