Minnesota Timberwolves: Moral Victories Are No Longer the Standard

“Winning is not a sometime thing. It’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while, you don’t do things right once in a while you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit, unfortunately so is losing.”

Former Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi deserves the credit for that quote. And the Hall of Fame coach is right. It’s a something that the Minnesota Timberwolves need to learn.

Through the first six games, the Wolves sit at 2-5—albeit with three of those losses to playoff teams from last season and by a combined total of 13 points.

If the Wolves continue to lose close contests then it will become a habit. The team that has shown so much promise through the first seven games may let another season go to waste.

In the season opener, many were shocked the Timberwolves played with the Oklahoma City Thunder the way they did, ultimately falling 104-100.

Many were stunned Minnesota had the Miami Heat right where they wanted them, ultimately falling 103-101.

But neither contest resulted in a victory.

Then the Timberwolves did the unthinkable and knocked off two perennial title contenders by double-digits in the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks.

Nuh uh?!

Yeah huh! They did.

This team has the talent to compete with any team on any given night. Believe it. Now it’s time to see some results.

Moral victories, as three of those five losses were, are a step up from where the franchise was for the previous six seasons. It was the stepping stone of the league. It was Steve Rogers before he was given his super-serum that made him Captain America.

But this team is on its way to becoming Captain America. Its roster finally has multiple pieces that a contender could be built around.

With Kevin Love, Minnesota has its first MVP-caliber talent since Kevin Garnett was dealt to the Boston Celtics after the 2006-07 campaign. Minnesota’s starting power forward averages 25.7 points and 15 rebounds per game.

It’s too early in the year to expect he can keep those numbers all season, but with his leaner physique and new found mobility, he is one of the best post players to step on an NBA floor this season.

Ricky Rubio is an instant highlight reel whenever he steps onto the court. The point guard has the best court vision of any player in Timberwolves history, which has certainly made fellow rookie Derrick Williams look good.

Michael Beasley still takes too many plays off and forces things offensively, but when he’s focused and playing selfless basketball then he flows well into Minnesota’s scheme.

With Rick Adelman at the helm, Minnesota finally has the respectable coach it’s craved since Flip Saunders was fired during the 2004-05 season.

As the young season has shown, Adelman has done a number with this squad. It looks like a Mustang on the outside but with pieces missing in the inside.  

The Wolves are a team on the rise. They’re on pace to be the next Oklahoma City Thunder or Atlanta Hawks, teams that built from within (for the most part) to achieve success.

With all that talent and a respected coach, it’s time to achieve more than moral victories.