Wednesday, Dec. 10 was the last time the Minnesota Timberwolves played 48 minutes for a win. Every game after that — 15 to be exact — resulted in losses. Some were dreadful, some were tolerable.
Seven of those 15 losses were against teams that you can throw a realistic playoff label on. Plus, Flip Saunders isn’t a fool. He’s aware this team wasn’t set to win over 30 games this year. Currently, Minnesota is on pace for a 13-69 season, which would be even worse than last year’s Milwaukee Bucks (15-67).
For one special night, nonetheless, the young, losing studs can strut around the locker room with smiles on their faces and laughs filling conversation.
Behind an unexpected career night for point guard Mo Williams, the Timberwolves snapped their 15-game losing streak inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse. With the Pacers being home to the seventh-best defense in the league (103.2 points allowed per 100 possessions), Frank Vogel isn’t accustomed to giving up huge nights to opposing players.
Since 2000, there have only been four players to score over 40 points while visiting Indianapolis. Vince Carter dropped 45 in Indiana during the 2000-01 season. Kevin Martin scored 45 in Indiana during the 2008-09 campaign. LeBron James went complete psycho in the same year, scoring 47 in Indiana. Amar’e Stoudemire, though, had the record for most points scored in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, as he torched the Pacers for 49 in 2008-09. Yeah, that was a rough year for the blue and gold.
Mo Williams completely shattered the record on Tuesday night, lighting the Pacers on fire for 52 points. Williams’ career-high came on 19-of-33 shooting, which still amazes everyone in the arena because it didn’t seem as if he missed 14 shots. Williams hit 6-of-11 3-pointers and got to the free throw line nine times. Whenever you’re clicking in this league, the basket becomes as wide as an ocean. Confidence only rises as the basket gets larger.
Minnesota didn’t need major contributions off the bench on Tuesday, because one lone starter was forcing — and nailing — the issue. The Timberwolves’ 14 bench points was significantly lower than Indiana’s 38, and the fact that six Pacers were in double-figures during a loss surely tells you something.
For just one night, Williams turned into the Aaron Rodgers of the NBA. He was a bad man, a lethal weapon, and had the right to display a championship belt around his waist if he chose to.
“There ain’t nothing you all can do today,” Williams yelled at the Pacers during the game. “I’m shooting it in the Pacific today.”
Try the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian put together, I guess.
Emotions got the best of Vogel’s group during the loss, with Roy Hibbert being ejected mid-way through the third quarter. Hibbert was late getting back to the paint on a Timberwolves’ pick-and-roll, and he got beat by better offense from Gorgui Dieng. When Hibbert determined he was going for a block, Dieng pump-faked and caught everyone off guard. As a result, Hibbert pulled Dieng to the ground out of frustration:
During Mo Williams’ destruction in the fourth quarter, David West was also ejected for picking up a second technical foul. Vogel was one technical away from being ejected as well. It was the worst loss of the season for Indiana — not because of the margin, but mainly the level of competition — and it’s one that will hopefully throw them back into reality.
For all the right reasons, Larry Bird and Kevin Pritchard were determined to make a playoff appearance this April. Bird is the highest caliber of a competitor, and he doesn’t believe in the new age thinking of building a team for the future. Even he, you would guess, has to be figuring Paul George could be available to play in mid-April if he wanted.
Yet, for one split second, Bird and Vogel need to have a long-term goal in mind.
Vogel didn’t sign his extension this season for nothing. He signed the deal because he wants to rise back to the top of the Eastern Conference in the next handful of years.
One major stepping stone to reach that goal is to earn young, polarizing talent. For the Pacers, it should be through the draft this season. For the first time since Kawhi Leonard was drafted by Indiana in 2011, the Pacers actually have a chance to own a good draft pick. With the amount of up-and-coming big men entering the 2015 draft, it’s imperative Indiana starts looking for depth and even potential replacements.
David West is aging, and his game increasingly shows it. Hibbert is the most inconsistent big man you could ever lay your eyes on. The “change” movement shouldn’t be thrown out the window.
For every win the Pacers accumulate trying to reach the unfortunate eight seed out East, they’re losing their chance at a top lottery pick.
While this upcoming draft isn’t as talent-heavy as 2014, it still has room to be a top draft of the 2000’s. That’s saying something.
For teams that ignore the art of getting in better draft position, it’s saying even more about them.
It’s saying they’re still the same old stubborn Pacers. It’s saying they’d rather be bounced in the first round than contend for titles in the future.
From the melancholy they’ve put their fans through for 40 games, maybe this is time they finally get a grasp on the 2014-15 objective.