I'm sure we won't see Mark Blount rocking shots in K-Perk's eyes and skipping down the floor every game this season, but man, it was nice. Here is a list of things that were nice about last night's game:
1. Kandi got booed, because he's not a good basketball player and doesn't try.
2. Wally got a standing ovation because he's a great player and never gave anything less than his best.
3. Kevin Garnett didn't play the 4th quarter because BANKS AND BLUNT AND REED WERE OUT THERE EATING MARS BARS, JAGGO!!!!
I am simply in awe at how ghetto this team has become. I spoke to Mr. Bliznowski about this last night. There are pieces on this team who, when the situation warrants it, can play sufficiently playground and fit into the offense. The #1 example was Trenton Hassell. Southern Boy went out and leaped and lurched to the rim like it was Rucker Park on more than a few occasions. If needed, he can attack the basket, or he can camp out and hit open shots, or he can create a steal and run the floor. Homes can do it all. And he seemed really comfortable in the street ball atmosphere of last night's game. Another guy who is just waiting for the game to go ghetto is Troy Hudson. Troy loves it when nobody cares who is shooting, when there's no passing, when defense is just another part of the game and not the focus. That's his style. When he saw Ricky streaking, I'm sure he lit up inside, thinking "Yeah, this is going to be fun".
And of course, the king of ghetto, K Got Damn G. This is how they played in Chicago. This is how they played in Mauldin. This is how Sam and Spree played. This feels right to KG. I imagine him with a huge smile on his face when Banks tipped that one to Ricky, as KG's thinking "Oh. So. That's.... that's how it is now? Ok then."
Kandi being gone is so refreshing, and not just because we can all breathe now that his spider head isn't funking up the room. Stinky, funky, smell-hella-bad, it's all the same. Seeing him shooting set shots without a hint of irony in warm-ups.... seeing his team get up and actually CHEER THIS WASTE OF SPACE when he hit his bucket... it's all just perfect. Go ahead Boston. Report back to me in a week, after you've seen Kandi for a sufficient amount of time. You tell me how he's working out.
The thing is, I don't wish ill on the Celtics. I have absolutely nothing against them. I feel bad, in a way, for them having to take Kandi. They think they know about what "No Effort" means? I'm sorry. Blunt cannot be as bad as Kandi. It will never happen. I think they are all in for a rude awakening. Wally, eh. That's not the story. The story is if Doc Rivers gives Kandi any substantial amount of playing time, and how long it takes for fans to threaten murder in Boston. I'm serious. They don't know what they're about to see.
The quotes from Doc Rivers last night show that he is a bad coach, and not in touch with his players. The fact that Marcus Banks and Mark Blunt were in his doghouse... I don't know why, but let's just say they look alright to me. I know I know, I'm jumping to conclusions. And I'm sure their effort will lapse at some point, and I'm sure we'll think less of this trade at least occasionally. But that ignores the point... Boston wanted to get rid of these 4 guys because, supposedly, they "weren't happy" with the situation. And "not being happy" is on the players, sure, but it's also on the coaches. And the fans. And the GM and the teammates. So maybe Boston is just a bad situation. Here is a quote from Banks last night that pretty much sums it all up:
It's a new surrounding for us. We don't really know what to expect. Back in Boston the crowd was pretty rowdy. But these guys are more pushing the team. If you make a couple of bad plays, they're still pushing behind you.
Yep, that's just it. Minnesota, for all the good and the bad, is a polite environment. We don't openly boo when players have bad stretches. Hell, we never even booed Kandi until he left the team. Part of it is that we really do want our players to do well, and we don't have any hidden agendas like other sports fans. And we also don't want to admit when a player sucks and needs to go. Kandi was a perfect example. We all REALLY wanted him to do well, and when it was obvious that he sucked and wasn't trying, we were too goddamned polite to boo. This mentality (again, it's good and bad, and there's not enough space to get into that right now) is literally PERFECT for guys from other teams who are "not happy". Don't worry Marcus. We've got your back. Hey Blunt, I know you gave up a few turnovers last night. Shake it off man. It's all good. Hey Ricky, I know it wasn't falling for you, no prob. You're still money.
It extends to the team and coaches too. Casey doesn't get "down" on players. Yeah, AC didn't play last night, neither did Dupree or Frahm. But it's all good. He's not saying he doesn't like those guys. He's just using a tight rotation. And KG doesn't yell at guys all the time either. He never sulks and keeps his emotions to himself. He lets you know if you fucked up (like Marko) and he also lets you know if you get some bunnies (like Team Ghetto). He's a great leader, and when guys like Wally have problems with that, it really makes you think that it's something with Wally.... that he just can't accept that kind of alpha-dog mentality. I don't know much, but I know these new guys are going to get along GREAT with KG.
So in summary: Junior Reed, Marcus Banks, Mark Blunt, and Ricky Davis - Team Ghetto - went out and had themselves some ice cream last night against a very confused Celtics team. It was a great win to watch, and a lot of fun, but it wasn't a championship. The Wolves are now a VERY interesting team to watch for the rest of the season, and the playoffs are back in the picture.
To close, KG:
But with the confidence that we're a new team, breathing new air with a different attitude -- it's kind of good, man.
Your goddamn right it's good, man.
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