[外電] Foye takes a starting turn
http://www.twincities.com/timberwolves/ci_5468240
Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman started Randy Foye at point guard on Sunday.
The move isn't an indication that Wittman has shifted his focus to the
future.
Wittman said he remains intent on winning now and trying to get into the
playoffs.
"If we don't make the playoffs, this hasn't been a success," Wittman said
before his team lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 109-102.
Whether Foye, Troy Hudson or Mike James can lead them there is another issue.
The position remains unstable, as Hudson's six starts showed. He had season
highs of 26 points and eight assists in his first start, but he totaled just
26 points on 11-of-35 shooting in his next five starts combined.
"I just tried to help the team the best I could," Hudson said, noting he
pushed the tempo and provided leadership.
James and Foye tried to help, too, in their first tries as starters. The
problem is the Wolves haven't had anyone play well consistently.
"I still haven't had anybody jump up and say this should be my job," Wittman
said.
The same can be said of the overall roster, with the exception of Kevin
Garnett.
Wittman said how long Foye stays in the starting lineup depends on his
performance. That's an indication the Wolves haven't committed to rebuilding,
and that they're still making a push to win now.
Unless the Wolves can figure out a way to make their guard rotation work,
they might have to consider making a move at the position this summer for the
third consecutive year.
James responded against the Lakers, scoring 18 points and dishing out a
season-high 11 assists.
Asked if he could force Wittman to put him back in the starting lineup if he
continues to play like he did Sunday, James said: "I'm just going to work,
and I'm just going to be professional for the time that I'm here."
Kobe tales: Bryant's 50 points set his career high against the Wolves. He
also became just the ninth player to have at least two 40-point games against
the Wolves. Allen Iverson has done it three times.
Shaquille O'Neal owns the scoring record by a Minnesota opponent. He had 53
points when he played for Orlando in April 1994.
Briefly: Several of the Wolves' alma maters still are alive in the NCAA
tournament. Southern Illinois (Hudson) plays top-seeded Kansas on Thursday in
the West Region semifinals. In the West's other semifinal, Pittsburgh (Mark
Blount) plays UCLA on Thursday. North Carolina (Rashad McCants) plays
Southern California on Friday. Indiana, where Wittman and Bracey Wright
attended college, lost to UCLA on Sunday.
McCants continues to experience ups and downs in his return from knee
surgery. He had season highs in points (12) and rebounds (six) on Tuesday
against Indiana and then followed that with nine points and five rebounds
against Golden State. He has made just 3 of 19 shots from three-point range
since the all-star break.
"You're not going to bounce back from this type of (microfracture) surgery
right away," Wittman said.
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