Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves: Preseason Preview

Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves

Mar 25, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love (42) against the Denver Nuggets at the Target Center. The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 117-100. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE

Minnesota Timberwolves Off Season Recap

Wow I was reading through the Minnesota Timberwolves Off Season Analysis on Sheridan Hoops, and I don’t even know where to start with what they did.  They did bring in some new guys and were able to get rid of Michael Beasley, who hasn’t looked like anything since coming out of college.  He’s been a bad apple everywhere he’s gone, and who knows what team would take a shot on him now. But Minnesota bringing in Chase Budinger and Andrei Kirilenko gives them quite the dilemma at small forward as both guys can go out and play.  The Timberwolves take a chance on Brandon Roy as he was pronounced done a year ago, and ended up retiring due to chronic knee injuries.  But he looks to be good to go, so that should be interesting to see how he plays out.  There’s also the signing of Alexey Shved, a shooting guard on the Russian national team.  Big man Greg Stiemsma finally got a one year deal from Minnesota.  Definitely some wheeling and dealing by T’Wolves owner David Kahn to shore up some issues with the team.

In a loaded Western Conference, if Minnesota can stay healthy, they should be a playoff bound team.  There’s the up and coming star in Ricky Rubio paired up with Kevin Love, who will go out and do whatever it takes to win.  Then these signings of Kirilenko and Budinger give some decent players at the small forward position.  Rubio is the guy that needs to be out there.  Before he got hurt last season, this Minnesota team was looking good, and he needs to be going the whole season for Minnesota to get back to the playoffs.

Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves Match Up

With these teams in different conferences, there isn’t much stock to put into the match up here.  There’s a little bit of bad blood as I believe Kevin Love didn’t like the way the Pacers played him last season, so who knows if that comes up this season.  I like the idea of Love going up against David West.  That’s two physical and intense guys doing work in the post.

Then you have Ricky Rubio trying to do what he can against George Hill.  Two point guards that can really lead their teams in so many ways.  That should be fun to watch.  I think these teams are pretty even when it comes to talent wise.  The Pacers might have a bit more in their starting lineup thanks to Roy Hibbert and Danny Granger.

I’d look for these teams to split the season series, and like I said before, not much to put into it, though as they probably wouldn’t face each other in the NBA Finals.