Another strange twist in a bad season for the Wolves

After benching his starters for the entire fourth quarter of Monday’s loss to the Hawks, Kevin McHale might take it a step farther in tonight’s tip in Philly. According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, McHale might roll out a starting lineup consisting of the same reserves who finished the Hawks game:
Bobby Brown, Kevin Ollie, Rodney Carney, Brian Cardinal and Craig Smith wore the black jerseys at this morning’s shootaround at Wachovia Center, an indication that Mac is going to shake things up and start his reserves tonight against the 76ers.
It was primarily those guys who brought the Wolves back from a certified blowout Sunday against Oklahoma City and the ones who provided the most energy in Tuesday’s loss at Atlanta.
With just 11 games left and his team running completely on empty, he probably figures he’s got nothing to lose.
I’ve seen the “put the backups in the starters practice jerseys” tactic used in high school and college, but not in the pros until now. And I have yet to see a coach actually pull the trigger on starting all of his backups.
Is this a good motivational move by McHale, or something that could blow up in his face?
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune

















March 25th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
hater says:
what’s to blow up?
March 25th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Sanpitch says:
has mchale ever made a good decision as coach or gm?
based on his track record i am voting not a good move.
March 25th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
raf says:
he actually did it… the backups started the game.
March 25th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
foolio_iglesias says:
I’d submit that it is a good motivational move that could blow up in his face…
March 25th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
dirty thirty says:
one of the usual arguments against it is upsetting the people who pay to see the game, but then again, it’s the Timberwolves after all.
March 25th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
BBQ'in says:
well it was on the road anyways. Stick a fork in us and pray for memphis and OKC to win some games. Griffin, Love and Jefferson front court. Petition the NBA to make the paint bigger.
March 26th, 2009 at 3:55 am
LA says:
MIKE TAYLOR SON MIKE TAYLOR
dont sleep
March 26th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Sanpitch says:
@6
man i guarantee mchale would find a way to screw it all up if he had the first pick.
don’t the wolves have 3 first round picks (theirs, boston, miami, and possibly utah’s)?
mchale will find a way to trade the first pick for kwame brown and the second and third picks along with big al for eddy curry.
watch out.
March 26th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
murph says:
bobby brown is actually a good guard…he’s just undersized but he does have talent…new orleans tried to get him after summer league, dude was ballin ! But he signed with the kings instead and got shipped to the t wolves.