#-1: Timberwolves (Last Week: -5). In a pretty dreary screening week for local sports (so thank Buddha I wasn't around and instead headed to Hong Kong to say goodbye to Grandmother), I've decided to give this week's top spot to a team that's not even in-season.
Last year's massive increase in the salary cap thanks to the start of massive TV contracts have turned the Silly Season in the NBA into the Stupid Season. There definitely are alpha dogs (Warriors, Celtics) and teams that have no shot at anything substantial. But because there is so much money, every team is churning through players, even if they are just doing so as a receptacle for bad contracts from players teams don't want.
The Timberwolves ... well, I don't think their trade for Jimmy Butler is that earth-shaking now that they sent Ricky Rubio and got back in return Jeff Teague. Butler by himself doesn't make Minnesota the contender to the Dubs in the West. But this week they did start to play by signing players. They are role players to be sure, but they are putting feet in the water, and I will take it on faith that these are good acquisitions. Jamal Crawford helps with the outside shooting this squad still lacks, and Taj Gibson is a locker room fella who will spell some minutes for Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Deng at the Forward spots. Gibson is also a former Chicago Bull under Head Coach Tom Thibodeau, so Thibs' plan to Get The Band Back Together continues apace. Whether it leads the Wolves to title contenders soon remains to be seen. Oh yeah, it doesn't help Gibson's image as a leader in the lockerroom when he's arrested in New York City for driving with a suspended license. It could be worse though; why was his license suspended? Still, for what he and Crawford can contribute on the court, and because the other three teams on this list had shittier weeks, the Woofie Dogs can claim a summer title: Best team on The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey for the week.
#-2: Twins (Last Week: -3). Have you heard of the show Gleeman & The Geek, airing Sunday afternoons on KFAN? They are a baseball-only, sabermetric show that talks all things Twins. Great show, even though their fealty to advanced stats makes me think they'll raise kids that'll become serial killers (don't ask, that just makes sense to me). They talked about how, if the Twinks are still contenders around the trade deadline, they need to make a trade for three players: A #3 or #4 Pitcher; a bona fide reliever; and an Outfielder who can hit. Both Gleeman and John Bonnes (the "Geek") say that these are trades for which the organization can give up plenty of prospects for which it has been determined they don't have much of a future in the big leagues, so why not give them up and try and make a run for the postseason?
They're right. This team isn't awful; they lost the series in Kansas City, came home and took two-of-three against the Angels, and are right now trying to avoid a split with Baltimore. Their treading of water now has them a couple games behind Cleveland in the division, so there's a greater chance that the club will throw in the towel instead of fortifying for a playoff run. But unless they lose for two weeks (which could happen), why not take a flyer? They're probably going to finish in the middle in baseball this year; might as well try and get closer to the top and risk falling closer to the bottom than just staying where they are.
This week is the All-Star Game. Major League Baseball resumes play afterward; the Twins begin the second half of the season in Houston for three next weekend.
#-3: Lynx (Last Week: -1). I knew it! I knew it! I knew that the Jynx weren't going to get out of last week with an unblemished record; I just didn't know how. Turns out they were susceptible to the let-down. They concentrated on taking out the Los Angeles Sparks, the team that came into Target Center and humiliated them by winning Game 5 and thus the WNBA Championship, defeating them at Xcel 88-77 Thursday. But then came playing the Sky in Chicago, and even though it was Saturday, they seemed beat and thus got clobbered, 100-76. Kind of embarrassing, and it makes me worried that this team is not as deep as it should be.
Since MLB is in its All-Star Break I always thought this was a great time for the WNBA to accelerate its schedule. Have every team play at least twice between Monday and Thursday to fill the void left by baseball. But no; the Lynx will visit Phoenix on Friday, and that's it, at least for our team.
#-4: United FC (Last Week: -4). I'm still trying to give these guys wide latitude, but now that their winless streak has reached three and their losing streak two after a desultory 1-0 loss to Columbus at TCF Bank Stadium Independence Night, it's back to desperation mode for the Loons. It's becoming apparent that this side has no depth, and so the summer transfer window comes at no better time for them to find bodies that can play. They need ... well, they need everybody, but at least one player from each line (Goaltender [and that's a maybe], Defenseman, Midfielder and Forward). Chemistry issues will come later, but right now they just need subs, let alone guys that can play 90 minutes. Because any faint hopes United can contend for a playoff spot is going right out the window.
There's an exhibition match against Mexican club Atlas Saturday, so the next "real" game comes on the 19th.
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