Roster Reminder: Robbie Hummel

Robbie Hummel was the Minnesota Timberwolves' second-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.  His career has always been tagged with injuries, but, if Hummel can stay healthy it's easy to envision him as a fan-favorite to fans at Target Center.  Hummel graduated from Purdue and is the only Boilermaker to reach 1,700 points, 850 steals, 250 assists, 125 steals and 100 blocks in his career.  He left campus in West Layafette, Indiana with a graduate of Business Management and as a three-time Academic All Big Ten honoree.  Hummel also volunteered locally in efforts that promoted and emphasized the importance of literacy in elementary schools.  Fans in Minnesota seemingly love their 'high character,' smart and charismatic athletes who remain active away from the game and with the community and Robbie Hummel fits that bill.   

Hummel is an experienced player and a scholar of the game.  His coordination and understanding of floor-spacing are two valuable facets of his game.  Hummel stays active on offense, setting screens and finding position on the perimeter.  The skill that has the best chance at making anyone a household name is shooting and through two Las Vegas Summer League games, Hummel has been the Wolves' sniper.  He's accumulated 30 points, shooting 65% from the field and 60% from behind the arc.  He's also grabbed 11 rebounds and two steals.  Saturday against the D-League Selects, he scored 12 points, tallied six boards and swiped three steals in addition to shooting 55% from the field but Monday's meeting with the Phoenix Suns was an even better showing.  Hummel scored 18 on six of eight shooting from the field, a perfect two for two from distance and four for five from the free-throw line.

Watch Hummel take advantage of a defensive lapse on a pick-n-pop during Monday's game.

Hummel sets a hard screen, causing a defensive switch

Steps away from the screen having created distance between both defenders

Defender not quick enough to recover, Hummel nails a three.

Here is a similar sequence later in the game.  This time, Hummel takes one quick dribble left, creating distance from a larger, slower defender before rising and hitting the jumper.

Hummel is 6'8''-215lbs and has a stocky build allowing him to set successful screens such as these. Because of his lack of speed, these are the type of plays are things Hummel must do to further his development as an NBA Player.  

"I think he's probably going to be more of a small-forward than a power-forward but I think he can play the power-forward because of how smart he is." - Flip Saunders.Hummel has now started his campaign to join the Wolves' 15-man roster and he has my, among many others, votes to do so. 

BA-DA-DA, The Cavalry has arrived

A fresh start, steeper slope, up the same Mountain for a team yet to really leave base-camp with all it's climbers.   Feelings of excitement, hope paired with sighs of relief penetrated Wolves Fans as Coach Rick Adelman, and players Alexey Shved and Nikola Pekovic returned to practice Monday.  Adelman has been at the side of his wife, Mary Kay, who is suffering from seizures.  The team posted a 2-9 record in his absence.  Adelman spoke at practice Monday, and said all the right things. 

"We just have to find a way to finish games"

"It's a homestand, but it's a tough homestand"

"Nothing's going to be given to you, you have to go out and take it"

"It's not going to happen just because you get guys back"

Too see and hear Rick and some other check out- http://www.nba.com/timberwolves/video#

Defeats at Washington and Charlotte in consecutive nights leaves the team 17-24, ranked 12th in the loaded Western Conference.  The Wolves trail the rockets by five games for the 8th spot.  

The Wolves will have their next six of nine games at home.  As of today, the next six opponents have a combined record 154-116.  

Clippers Notes

Chris Paul will not play tonight, nursing a bruised right kneecap.  Eric Bledsoe will start at PG, has scored double-digits twenty-four times this season.

Blake Griffin has never scored less than 18 points when facing the Wolves.

Clippers bench is averaging 21.6mpg and scoring 41.6ppg, both rank first in the league.  Jamal Crawford has scored 20+ points in 17 games off the bench, highest of any player (J.R Smith is 2nd w/ 12)

Wolves defensively will attempt  limit Crawford, contain Blake and make DeAndre Jordan earn his points at the line.  

With Adelman back expect a much crisper offensive game, he has yet to play with all of his tools, but will demand execution all in the same.

Howl.

STRUT NEW HAIRCUTS

Stirred up with new chemistry, players, Wolves face struggling Wizards, Bobcats in consecutive nights on the East Coast.

The Wizards are 5-5 in previous ten, totaling nine victories this season, six have come at the Verizon Center.

John Wall has played in just seven games.  The electric play-maker is averaging 14p-6a-3r since his return from injury.  Tonight will be his first time in the starting line-up this season.

Former Wolf Martel Webster, projected to start, scored a season high 24 points aiding in the 98-95 Wizards victory over the Blazers at the Rose Garden (1/21).  Martel is averaging 10ppg.

Fellow projected Wizard starter, Bradley Beal, was awarded December Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month.  Beal ranks third in Rookie Scoring at 13.6ppg shooting 39%FG.

Jordan Crawford, averaging 14.8ppg in 15.86mpg, is Washington's 6th Man.  Wolves smothering Crawford will limit an already struggling Wizards offense, who score only 90.9ppg.

Wolves Rookie, Alexey Shved (Ankle), did not travel with the team.  Pek also remains in Minnesota (Right Thigh Contusion).  Pek turned heads with his attire at Target Center Wednesday.

Photo Via @StevenTurous

J.J. Barea, 11p-8a in 23:52 minutes, closed the game at PG vs Brooklyn.  Terry Porter chose to leave Ricky Rubio on the bench, going with the hot-hand in Barea.

Ricky expressed emotional frustration post-game, but cool heads prevailed and Ricky has this to say Friday.
 "The next day I realized that maybe I didn't deserve it because J.J. was hitting good shots. He was able to get hot at some point and get a lot of points."

 "He wants to win. I want to win. Everybody wants to play at the end and try to help the team. Especially now, we're losing games, so everybody's a little frustrated and a little tired of losing. Things like that are going to happen."- J.J. Barea, Friday.

Rubio starts tonight alongside- Ridnour, Kirilenko, D. Williams, and Greg Steimsma.  This is the third consecutive game this five has started.  The Wolves have used twelve different starting line-ups this season.

Veterans Nene and Emeka Okafor are also projected Starters for Washington.
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Derrick Williams, defensively  likely to be assigned Nene, has averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 rebounds over the last ten games.  Derrick still playing extended minutes in part to Love, Pek injuries, continues to search for an NBA identity on both sides of the floor.

Wolves Fans hope to see team return to Target Center with added victories over struggling two opponents.  Minnesota will host; Clippers, Lakers, Hornets (Pelicans), Blazers, Spurs, and the Knicks over the course of ten days.  Wolves are 1-6 this season in meetings against these foes.  Team then travels to Memphis, Cleveland prior to returning home for meeting with Jazz in club's last game before All Star Weekend.


Howl.

@xZaCh