[外電] Jaric makes first start in a year
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/basketball/16848260.htm
Marko Jaric waited more than a year for this.
Jaric was in the Timberwolves' starting lineup Tuesday night for the first
time since Feb. 4 2006. This time, he started at shooting guard in place of
Trenton Hassell, who missed the game against the Los Angeles Lakers because
of a sprained left ankle.
Jaric was excited about his return to the starting five after the morning
shootaround.
"It's been a long time," said Jaric, who started the first 46 games of last
season, his first in Minnesota. "I have my chance to hopefully play good,
stay in the lineup, hopefully win games. That's all I care about right now."
Jaric said he was focusing on defending Kobe Bryant, who began the day
averaging 29 points a game, which ranked second in the NBA.
Welcome back to the starting lineup, Marko.
"That's how it is," Jaric said. "In the NBA, every day you're going to have
somebody tough to guard."
The Wolves planned on defending Bryant as a unit, so all the pressure wasn't
on Jaric.
"Our mind-set is we have to stop him together," Kevin Garnett said.
Coach Randy Wittman liked Jaric's excitement about being back in the starting
lineup. He just hoped it wouldn't translate into jitters.
"We don't want him to go out and quickly pick up two fouls," Wittman said
before the game.
Wittman said he decided to start Jaric because of the veteran's active
defense, which the coach hoped would help the Wolves start the game well.
Jaric averaged 5.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 20.2 minutes through his first 52
games as a reserve.
Rebounding woes: The Wolves set a franchise record for rebounding futility
Sunday against Boston, getting outrebounded by 30 in a double-overtime loss.
Garnett was assigned to help guard Paul Pierce along the perimeter in the
overtime periods, and that took him out of rebounding position. He had just
one rebound after the fourth quarter. Center Mark Blount had three rebounds
in 36 minutes.
Jaric said the team's struggles on the glass have more to do with hustle than
matchups. "We're missing the will, I think, to get those rebounds," he said.
Not much happening: Wittman said McCants suffered no setbacks to his
surgically repaired right knee after playing a season-high 32 minutes at
Boston. It was McCants' 15th game back.
Wittman wants McCants to be involved in the offense. He took two shots in 32
minutes against Boston and looked tentative.
"His biggest asset is aggression as a player," Wittman said. "I want to make
sure we get that out of him when he's on the floor."
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 218.170.233.155
Timberwolves 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章