导出博客文章MINNEAPOLIS -- With a roster full of some of the best young talent in the league
and a new, playoff-tested coach to lead them, the Minnesota Timberwolves entered
this season as a trendy pick to finally end a 12-year postseason drought.Ten
games into this still-young season, Tom Thibodeau finally erupted after watching
his team give away yet another double-digit lead in a loss to the Charlotte
Hornets that dropped them to 3-7.Its not that the Timberwolves are losing games
this season that has angered him. Its how they are losing them, with the same
mistakes occurring over and over again, particularly during the third quarter of
nearly every game.A big part of learning is trial and error. So when you go
through something and it doesnt work, you should learn from it, Thibodeau said
after a 115-108 loss to the Hornets on Tuesday. The second time around, it
shouldnt be the same way. That has to change and it has to change fast.The
Timberwolves have been one of the best offensive teams in the league this
season, with Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns and Zach LaVine all showing
skills that have fans cautiously hopeful that the franchise is finally ready to
return to relevancy.But they have been a disaster on defense and atrocious after
halftime. They have been outscored by 91 points in their 10 third quarters this
season, by far the worst margin in the league. Only one game this season have
they outscored their opponent in that period -- a 36-point win over Memphis in
which the Grizzlies were resting stars Mike Conley and Marc Gasol.The
devastating ball movement that leads to wide open shots disappears, too.
Thibodeau said his players start holding and dancing with the ball, which bogs
down the flow. Contested jumpers lead to missed shots, which open up transition
opportunities for their opponents.The defense at the rim and on the perimeter is
nonexistent. Layups, dunks and 3-pointers rain down on their heads as they
scramble to get things under control. Wash, rinse, repeat.Were playing really
well and it just turns and ruins the whole game, LaVine said Wednesday. It ruins
all our spirits. Going into the next game, you feel like youve got it figured
out. Were up 15, 12 points and were going good and its a nosedive.The results
are familiar to fans. Target Center announced just 10,349 fans for the game
against the Hornets on Tuesday. Average attendance during the five homes games
is just over 13,000 per game in a building that holds close to 20,000, certainly
not what the organization expected in the highly anticipated run-up to the
season.There are only so many promotions, so many giveaways, so many marketing
tools the business side can use to sell tickets and spur interest. With a team
that has been bad for this long, the fans are going to make them prove that
things are different before they start investing.This is the best team Ive ever
been around, said point guard Ricky Rubio, in his sixth season with the Wolves.
I get mad thinking that were wasting time. Were not learning. Its time to
change.The Wolves do have things to comfort them. They are the best team in the
league in point differential in the first quarter, first in 3-point shooting
percentage and fourth in offensive efficiency. Thibodeau is considered a
defensive mastermind, so it could just be a matter of time before his new
charges start to execute his system the way he wants to see it done.But if they
do want to make the playoffs and end that interminable drought, they know they
have to get going soon.There is no easy way out. Its work, Thibodeau said. Were
more than capable of doing it. We just have to get it done.---This story has
been corrected to show third quarter combined deficit is 91 points.
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improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin
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Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by
0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir
Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish
line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. If you told Hurricanes loosehead Loni
Uhila hed be a Super Rugby champion 12 months ago, he wouldve punched you in the
face.Yet the 122kg props journey from a Tongan village to the pinnacle of club
rugby reached its zenith on Saturday with his sides 20-3 victory over the
Lions.The 27-year-old went pro for the Hurricanes at the start of 2016 after
toiling away in the Mitre 10 Cup for Waikato.Uhila told NZN he juggled rugby
training, boxing, family life and work at a warehouse on his steady climb to the
top.Id still be at work at Prolife Foods and unloading containers and coming
home excited to watch the final, he said when asked where he was this time last
year.To make it this far in such a small amount of time is special and a
blessing for me and my family.Uhila was thrust into the Hurricanes starting
line-up for the sides quarterfinal thumping of the Sharks after Reggie Goodes
concussion in the previous week.The Tongan Bear has sinnce proved his worth in
the No.dddddddddddd.1 jersey through hard running, tackling and solid work in
the scrum.Alongside his teammates, Uhila managed to keep the Hurricanes
opposition tryless in all three Super Rugby 2016 finals matches.But he said the
grand final was the toughest match of all.We all know the South African sides
love their forwards and their set pieces and stuff like that, it was pretty
tough and grinding, Uhila said.I was a bit beaten up last night and a little
sore this morning.Uhila hopes his late-season Hurricanes form can attract the
interest of Tonga selectors and help fulfil his dream of playing for the `Ikale
Tahi in a Rugby World Cup.But in the meantime hell be returning to the Mitre 10
Cup with Waikato.Wherever rugby will take me, Ill grab it and give it 110 per
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