Reilly
11-04-2005, 04:04 AM
Minnesota Timberwolves (1-0) at Seattle SuperSonics (0-1).
TIME: Friday, 10:30 p.m. EST.
For 11 seasons, Dwayne Casey was a member of the SuperSonics' coaching staff. On Friday, he returns to Seattle as a rookie head coach when the Minnesota Timberwolves visit Key Arena.
Casey was hired June 17 as the seventh coach in Timberwolves' history. He has Minnesota focusing on defense and that could mean trouble for the Sonics, who struggled to generate offense Wednesday night in their season-opener.
"This is probably the most defensive team I've ever been a part of, from A to Z," said Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett, who had 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in their 90-86 season-opening win Wednesday over the Portland Trail Blazers. "Every guy on this team is learning, can play, or is capable of playing good defense."
Garnett, Wally Szczerbiak and newcomers Richie Frahm and Marko Jaric all reached double figures for the Timberwolves, who won their 11th straight season-opener.
Garnett and Szczerbiak have averaged 20 points and 15.9 points, respectively, in their careers against Seattle.
Minnesota signed Frahm, who was previously with the Trail Blazers, as a free agent before the start of the season. He finished sank his first five 3-pointers and finished with 18 points in just 15 minutes.
"There's been a mentality that I'm a rhythm shooter," said Frahm, who helped Casey get his first win. "A guy like me, you've got to come off the bench in short minutes and you make things happen - either it's good or bad. You go for broke."
Seattle could only muster two players in double digits in its 101-93 loss Wednesday to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Ray Alllen finished with 31 points and Rashard Lewis added 18. Bob Weiss, coaching his first game with Seattle, said the team needs another scoring option.
"We're still looking for that third scorer," Weiss said. "We have to have a scorer coming off the bench. We've got to dominate in some area if we're only going to shoot 41 percent and (Wednesday) we couldn't do it on the boards."
Allen, who signed a five-year, $85 million deal in the off-season to stay with the SuperSonics, averaged 28.8 points against the Timberwolves last season.
The SuperSonics won last year's season series 3-1 against the Timberwolves, but the visiting team has won six of the last eight meetings between the teams.
Seattle has dropped three of its last four at home to Minnesota.
STANDINGS (through Nov. 2): Timberwolves - 1st place (tied), Northwest Division. SuperSonics - 3rd place (tied), 1 GB, Northwest Division.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Timberwolves - F Szczerbiak, F Garnett, C Michael Olowokandi, G Trenton Hassell, G Jaric. SuperSonics - F Reggie Evans, F Lewis, C Johann Petro, G Allen, G Luke Ridnour.
TEAM LEADERS: Timberwolves - Frahm and Garnett, 18 ppg; Olowokandi, 8 rpg; Garnett, 7 apg. SuperSonics - Allen, 31 ppg; Lewis and Evans, 6 rpg; Ridnour, 7 apg.
2004-05 SEASON SERIES: SuperSonics, 3-1.
LAST MEETING: April 17, 2005; SuperSonics 109-94. At Minneapolis, Allen scored a game-high 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Lewis added 28 points to lead Seattle to a win. The Timberwolves had five players in double digits led by Latrell Sprewell with 20.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Timberwolves - 0-0 on the road; SuperSonics - 0-1 at home.
TIME: Friday, 10:30 p.m. EST.
For 11 seasons, Dwayne Casey was a member of the SuperSonics' coaching staff. On Friday, he returns to Seattle as a rookie head coach when the Minnesota Timberwolves visit Key Arena.
Casey was hired June 17 as the seventh coach in Timberwolves' history. He has Minnesota focusing on defense and that could mean trouble for the Sonics, who struggled to generate offense Wednesday night in their season-opener.
"This is probably the most defensive team I've ever been a part of, from A to Z," said Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett, who had 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in their 90-86 season-opening win Wednesday over the Portland Trail Blazers. "Every guy on this team is learning, can play, or is capable of playing good defense."
Garnett, Wally Szczerbiak and newcomers Richie Frahm and Marko Jaric all reached double figures for the Timberwolves, who won their 11th straight season-opener.
Garnett and Szczerbiak have averaged 20 points and 15.9 points, respectively, in their careers against Seattle.
Minnesota signed Frahm, who was previously with the Trail Blazers, as a free agent before the start of the season. He finished sank his first five 3-pointers and finished with 18 points in just 15 minutes.
"There's been a mentality that I'm a rhythm shooter," said Frahm, who helped Casey get his first win. "A guy like me, you've got to come off the bench in short minutes and you make things happen - either it's good or bad. You go for broke."
Seattle could only muster two players in double digits in its 101-93 loss Wednesday to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Ray Alllen finished with 31 points and Rashard Lewis added 18. Bob Weiss, coaching his first game with Seattle, said the team needs another scoring option.
"We're still looking for that third scorer," Weiss said. "We have to have a scorer coming off the bench. We've got to dominate in some area if we're only going to shoot 41 percent and (Wednesday) we couldn't do it on the boards."
Allen, who signed a five-year, $85 million deal in the off-season to stay with the SuperSonics, averaged 28.8 points against the Timberwolves last season.
The SuperSonics won last year's season series 3-1 against the Timberwolves, but the visiting team has won six of the last eight meetings between the teams.
Seattle has dropped three of its last four at home to Minnesota.
STANDINGS (through Nov. 2): Timberwolves - 1st place (tied), Northwest Division. SuperSonics - 3rd place (tied), 1 GB, Northwest Division.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Timberwolves - F Szczerbiak, F Garnett, C Michael Olowokandi, G Trenton Hassell, G Jaric. SuperSonics - F Reggie Evans, F Lewis, C Johann Petro, G Allen, G Luke Ridnour.
TEAM LEADERS: Timberwolves - Frahm and Garnett, 18 ppg; Olowokandi, 8 rpg; Garnett, 7 apg. SuperSonics - Allen, 31 ppg; Lewis and Evans, 6 rpg; Ridnour, 7 apg.
2004-05 SEASON SERIES: SuperSonics, 3-1.
LAST MEETING: April 17, 2005; SuperSonics 109-94. At Minneapolis, Allen scored a game-high 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Lewis added 28 points to lead Seattle to a win. The Timberwolves had five players in double digits led by Latrell Sprewell with 20.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Timberwolves - 0-0 on the road; SuperSonics - 0-1 at home.