Join the club, Kevin.
-----------------------------------
Frustrated Garnett says he's fed up
The Wolves' franchise player is determined not to go through another
season like this one.
http://www.startribune.com/511/story/331821.html
Steve Aschburner, Star Tribune
Not long after the Timberwolves wrapped up another clown of a game --
leading by 25 points early Sunday at Target Center, bungling it all
the way down to one in the closing seconds, then needing a steal by a
third-string point guard to survive against the league's reigning
train wreck of a team -- Kevin Garnett made it clear that he no longer
was amused.
The Wolves' needlessly close 98-94 victory at home over the New York
Knicks -- the 31-games-under-.500 Knicks -- had Garnett walking off
the floor more than once with his jaw muscles clenching. Afterward,
Garnett put those jaw muscles to work in a way Minnesota fans, or his
bosses, had yet to hear in any public way.
"I've always said I'd be in Minnesota as long as they want me here. I
don't think I can take another one of these rebuilding stages,"
Garnett said, in an even, serious tone. "I've always said that I think
I'm worth not only being listened to, but I think I'm ... definitely
in a position to where I do have a team and I do have a chance to win
a ring and I do have an opportunity. So I think, at the end of the
day, they should at least give me that.
"If it's anything different than that, then that's a discussion that
we have to talk about. Because I don't know anybody in this city, nor
in this room, that likes losing. I don't want to go through another
season like this."
The timing surely wasn't accidental. The game had been preposterous,
given the opponent and all the blown leads already this year.
Garnett's postgame audience was bigger than usual, swelled by New York
reporters. And the Stephon Marbury factor was in play, with people in
both locker rooms, before and after, picking at the scab of Marbury's
departure seven years ago and what might have been.
Garnett didn't bite much on the nostalgia angle, shrugging at what
seems like, at least, a problem of geography (one in New York, one in
"'Sota," neither eager to budge). But he did veer into a direct
challenge to team owner Glen Taylor and basketball boss Kevin McHale.
"Everybody understands how I feel," he said.
Does Garnett believe the front office is capable of turning the team
around?
"I don't know. But I know I don't want to go through this no more,"
the nine-time All-Star said. "I think I'm more deserving of a better
team. I think the city's more deserving of a better team, having
something that's going to be competitive and get back to the Western
Conference finals.
"But I do know that you can't blink and it's going to happen. You
actually have to spend the time and effort. So we'll see."
The Wolves (29-41) are going to miss the playoffs for the second year
in a row and likely will finish with their worst record since Garnett
was a rookie. This season's encouraging 12-6 start had slipped to
19-21 when McHale swung the seven-player trade with Boston on Jan. 26.
They are 10-20 since.
Beyond the losing, it's been how they've lost. The Wolves have
squandered 11 games when they led after three quarters, and blown 12
after leading by 10 points or more. Their 55-30 lead late in the first
half would have represented the biggest collapse in franchise history.
All was going so well: The Wolves had three scorers in double figures
before the Knicks had one. Garnett had another double-double in just
27 minutes, subbing out with the lead at 20 and 2:55 left in the
third.
"I thought we should have destroyed them, but [coach Dwane Casey] was
trying to preserve us and give us some rest," Garnett said. "I don't
want to say it backfired on us, but they made a run and made it a
game."
When Garnett returned, the lead was 15. Behind Jamal Crawford's 16
points in the final quarter, and sparked by a bench crew, the Knicks
went on a 15-4 rush and got within 94-92 with 9.2 seconds left. The
Wolves, who didn't have a field goal over the final 5:03, got one of
two free throws from Marcus Banks, but Ricky Davis fouled New York's
Jackie Butler on the miss, and Butler sank two at 6.8 seconds, making
it 95-94.
Davis got sent to the line and made one of two, leaving the Knicks six
seconds to tie or win. But Crawford inbounded to Butler, and Anthony
Carter stripped the ball from the unsuspecting big man. It popped to
Marko Jaric, who made two free throws that ended it.
Obviously, this was neither the performance nor the season that
Garnett had in mind. Not this year, not any year.
"I don't know any fans that like to come and watch a team lose," he
said. "I'm a basketball fan. ... Some of this has to be addressed. But
I have faith in Glen that he'll do the right thing."
- Scott Smith: scott.TakeThisOut@sludgereport.org
Books Blog:
http://scottsbooks.blogspot.com
Blue States Rising:
http://www.bluestaterising.blogspot.com
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