Friday, March 09, 2007

Wolves Updates 3/9

Marko Jaric believes that Kobe Bryant elbowing him in the face during Tuesday's game was an "unintentional" move:
"First of all, to be a dirty player, you need to be dirty on defense," Jaric said. "I never heard somebody's offensively a dirty player. On defense, he's pretty legit. He's a good defender. I don't consider him a dirty player."

Coach Wittman on Bryant's one-game suspension:
"I think the league backed themselves in a corner," Wittman said. "If they didn't suspend him, people were going to say, 'Well, wait a minute. It's the same exact play (as the Ginobili incident). Why do you do it one game and not the next?' I don't think they had a choice but to suspend him. Was it the right decision? You can debate that."



Using figures that actually make sense, Forbes has owner Glen Taylor tied at #407 on its list of the world's wealthiest people. Taylor ranks third among Minnesotans on the list.


From Sid Hartman:
Citing a recent Forbes magazine article naming McHale as the top executive in pro sports, Taylor said: "The first two years we put it together, we had to change everything. Then, [for] about the next eight years, we had one of the better records of everybody. But now, the last two [seasons], we're struggling again, so it's hard to tell."

The NBA is a tough business, Taylor noted.

"Well, not only that, Kevin and I are just very close, and friends -- we're in a tough business, and it's whatever you've done lately that counts. I think we've done some really good things, and some things we stubbed our toes on."


Timberwolves rookie Randy Foye said that, even though he is in tough competition with veterans Mike James and Troy Hudson, they each have done everything to help him improve and that the competition for playing time has helped him.


Mike Trudell at the Timberwolves site talks to Fred Hoiberg and the Lakers' Ronny Turiaf about their friendship.


A preview of tonight's game at Miami.

While Trenton Hassell will miss the roadtrip because of a sprained ankle, Mark Madsen is expected to come back from his ankle injury to play tonight.

"We don't have many other choices," Wittman said. "So yeah, Mark is going to play."