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More than 15,000 show up to watch Timberwolves scrimmage
15,200 fans flocked to Target Center on Wednesday night for an open scrimmage featuring Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and several of the Wolves' young players on a team that won just 16 games last season and hasn't made the playoffs in 11 years.
The 15,200 attendees were 600 more than the Wolves averaged per game last season.
Towns received a standing ovation when he addressed the crowd before the scrimmage. The line outside the arena stretched for more than four blocks as a fan base worn down by years of losing celebrated the arrival of Towns and 24th-overall pick Tyus Jones.
Before the scrimmage the team's coaching staff and some players took to the street in their walk from the practice facility to Target Center because the connecting skyway was too jammed with fans.
Bruhhh.. that line in the skyway did not seem like it would ever end. We didn't eem reach the end before we tapped outwow
More than 15,000 show up to watch Timberwolves scrimmage
15,200 fans flocked to Target Center on Wednesday night for an open scrimmage featuring Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and several of the Wolves' young players on a team that won just 16 games last season and hasn't made the playoffs in 11 years.
The 15,200 attendees were 600 more than the Wolves averaged per game last season.
Towns received a standing ovation when he addressed the crowd before the scrimmage. The line outside the arena stretched for more than four blocks as a fan base worn down by years of losing celebrated the arrival of Towns and 24th-overall pick Tyus Jones.
Before the scrimmage the team's coaching staff and some players took to the street in their walk from the practice facility to Target Center because the connecting skyway was too jammed with fans.
@DWolfsonKSTP: @unlvmojo [Shabazz] Tweaked his hamstring the other day & didn't play in the scrimmage. So not sure we'd see him Monday night in a meaningless game.
Darren Wolfson @DWolfsonKSTP 23h
Talked to G. Taylor. On Rudez: "Not a position we need. Not a person we were looking for." Pacers targeted Chase. Called #Twolves this week.
Jon Krawczynski @APkrawczynski 23h
Chase wanted out of Minnesota to a more veteran laden team. As @WojYahooNBA said, headed to Indy
Jon Krawczynski @APkrawczynski 21h
Talked to Flip. He's very intrigued by Rudez's shooting range. Says he'll be brought to camp and compete for playing time
Sunday Q&A: Karlito Towns, invisible friend/imaginary voice of Karl-Anthony Towns
View media item 1625203
By Kent Youngblood, Star Tribune
July 11, 2015 - 9:10 PM
Karlito Towns, the imaginary friend of Wolves rookie Karl-Anthony Towns, discusses all things about the No. 1 pick of the 2015 NBA draft.
You probably know Karlito Towns as Karl-Anthony Towns’ invisible friend, discovered by Kentucky coach John Calipari during a practice last season when he noticed that his freshman star appeared to be talking to himself. Since then Karlito has, well, become something less than imaginary. Karlito came with Karl-Anthony to Minnesota after the draft. He has been on ESPN. He has his own Twitter handle, where he describes himself as the voice inside Karl-Anthony’s head “helping him take over the NBA.” He is now tweeting from Las Vegas, site of the NBA’s Summer League. Given that he has the ear of the NBA’s first overall draft pick, staff writer Kent Youngblood checked in with Karlito as the Wolves began summer league action.
Q You were at the draft with Karl-Anthony. Did his tailor make your suit?
A Karl and I both care a lot about style so we talked it through and decided that since I’m going to be wearing this outfit for my whole life, the pants and jacket would have to reflect our day-to-day style.
Q What are your expectations for Karl-Anthony Towns this season?
A Having known Karl-Anthony his entire life and knowing what he’s capable of and the work he puts into his craft each day, the sky is the limit. I’ve already started working out so I can hoist the ROY trophy when the time comes.
Q What has surprised you most about Minneapolis so far?
A I’m just surprised how quickly the team and fan base have accepted me. I knew they would love Karl-Anthony, but man, the love I get on social media and traveling around town is real.
Q How much should you be credited for Karl-Anthony’s success?
A I am going to take credit for 10 percent of Karl’s success but he’s the one who put in the work. I really am just the voice in his head pushing him along, but he is the one who has a relentless drive for success.
Q Are you disappointed that you only have 4,000 Twitter followers compared to Karl-Anthony’s 103,000?
A I am not disappointed at all in my social following and quite pleased thus far. Just like Karl has work to do on the court, I have work to do to make sure to get my followers up! And, shameless plug, please follow me @Karlito_Towns!
Q Is it true you’re really a figment of John Calipari’s imagination?
A Who said that?
Q Will you be able to keep Karl-Anthony out of trouble in Vegas?
A Karl-Anthony is a good guy by nature. He’s not a troublemaker. If anything, I’ll be the one trying to explore everything and he will be telling me to stay focused!
Q Do you get a percentage of Karl-Anthony’s contract?
A Next question, please.
Q Do you ever talk to yourself?
A Yes, perhaps I should have my own version alter-ego? Thoughts?
Q Is “Harvey” one of your favorite movies?
A I have been known to catch it on Netflix here and there.
Summer League thoughts through two games:
Towns has to make gradual improvements in his lower body and base throughout the next few years. That appears to be one of the very few glaring parts of the game that he really is behind-the-curve on compared to everything else. He lost position too often against Upshaw/T.Black, and a few times yesterday. Really impressed with his passing ability, and is range is as advertised/as we saw in the limited, 20 MPG exposure he had at Kentucky where he was tethered to the post.
It's a fluid, operating theory on July 12th, but I think Lorenzo Brown will win the backup point-guard job, with Tyus Jones starting the year out on the team but spending much of the upcoming season in the Developmental League.
Because when it comes to Tyus, the end of the third quarter against LAL presented several situations where he was smothered by bigger guards after crossing halfcourt. He turned it over both times this happened, and this is Summer-League size (first- and second-year players, NBADL players and players who won't ever make it in the league), yet the size in these situations is already affecting him.
Yes, he has great instincts, radiates leadership, I love it. But he's reached the last stair on the staircase, the NBA, and we have to hope the last level isn't the only level his size will prove too great to overcome. A lot of it has to do with shooting of course and the rest can be problems that are eventually dealt with by balancing rotations, but there are plenty of questions. I don't place a lot of value on his performance against Chicago, since I don't have any concerns over how he might fare against guards his size -- which is why I think he can eventually be a good backup point guard, even if he has to be really bad first to get there.
LaVine was absolutely terrible against Chicago, and it came just one day after a performance where he absolutely lit a fire underneath the team early with his shooting clinic, hitting everything. Suddenly when LaVine's not hitting his shots, what is he? What does he give you? He's not a good defender yet event though his size, length and athleticism project him as possibly being one at a future date, but he's not that yet. So basically, just a volume of missed shots and nothing else - especially 'nothing else' considering he's at the SG position / where he should be, but it makes you less ball-dominant which doesn't present the various opportunities throughout a game to deviate from the set plays, deviate on the PnR, etc.
That's why I worry about what his playing time could look like in this upcoming season only, if he goes through cold stretches. Nobody can look at what he's able to, his age and how he cut into the transition period last year and claim they're not very optimistic about his future - but until he can flourish in multiple ways he's going to have his role reduced despite the talent when he's NOT flourishing in the only way he knows how.
I saw one huddle where they all basically ignored Ryan Saunders while the NBA TV cameras were peering in. He was obnoxiously tapping Towns and somebody else during this little, 10-second thing and whoever Towns was with + Towns didn't give him their full attention at all. laugh.gif Karl and Karlito can spot nepotism when it's holding a clipboard right in front of them. laugh.gif
I got love for all of ya'll in this thread and we like fam in here, but I just do not get the Saunders hate.![]()
Any chance we con convince the Mavs to take Pek? Or the Doormat known as Kevin Martin?
How though?It's okay to dig Saunders, more power to anyone who wants to. He's not the worst coach in the world, and he's not the worst GM.
But I was done with him the first era when he got fired. Now he's just a bug that hangs around because he can manipulate a senile owner in a market that allows him to.
Timberwolves PR @Twolves_PR 1m
Bjelica will be introduced at a press conference tomorrow at 12:30 pm at Mayo Clinic Square.
Kyle Ratke @Kyle_Ratke 1m
He'll be rocking the 88 jersey for the Wolves this season.
Keep the blanket statements coming Debbie.Flip is a bottom 5 coach easy.
If we're going to say he fell into getting wiggins, he also fell into Love LEAVING. You guys pick and choose, and only bash him. I don't even necessarily think he's the next Phil Jackson. I just don't get the disdain. Who would you have picked over Bazz as of today? Who would be a player with a higher ceiling than Lavine from last years draft at that point. All hate and no solutions is just waste imo.
Of course you judge a trade by comparing players..... How else? Both Dieng and Bazz are better than Burke right now.
Timberwolves PR @Twolves_PR 22m
Just met @Damjan_Rudez... Great first impression. Look forward to working with him this season. #Twolves
Jerry Zgoda @JerryZgoda 1m
Towns & LaVine have left Vegas: Towns to award Gatorade POY, LaVine to ESPYs. Towns expected back Wed, Zach probably done playing here