6 Things We Learned About the Minnesota Timberwolves from Their First 2 Games

Is this a new era in Minnesota Timberwolves basketball?

Some may say it's too soon to tell, but one thing is for sure, fans are hopeful.

Minnesota faced Milwaukee twice this week, and each time they topped the Bucks.

The Wolves finished with a 117-96 win on Saturday, and they edged out last night's contest, 85-84. The team managed to squeak out the win even without new additions Ricky Rubio and Jose Juan (J.J.) Barea.

The following are six things we've learned after Minnesota's first two games of the 2011-12 season.

K-Love Is Picking Up Where He Left Off

If there's one thing we don't have to worry about, it's how All-Star Kevin Love will perform this season.

Love put up double-doubles in the first two games, scoring 22 and 21 points, respectively. He continues to be a consistent force under the basket.

In his third year and at just 23 years old, Love is practically at veteran status as part of one of the youngest rosters in the NBA.

"It feels good to win a game like this," Love said following Game 2. "It just shows the guys that even in a short preseason, a condensed preseason, two games, if you just give yourself a chance to win, sometimes the ball can fall in the right places."

Don't Dismiss Michael Beasley Just Yet

While I've always been a Michael Beasley supporter, his inconsistency on the hardwood paints question marks in the minds of fans.

When rookie Derrick Williams was drafted No. 2 overall in last year's draft, many wondered what the decision meant for Beasley. The two play with similar offensive styles, and there didn't seem to be room for both on the roster.

However, coach Rick Adelman doesn't seem to benching Beasley anytime soon.

In fact, it was the young forward's made free throws with 9.1 seconds remaining in Game 2 that gave Minnesota the "W."

Beasley tallied 21 and 12 points on Saturday and Monday, respectively.

Ricky Rubio Might Be the Real Deal

Rookie Ricky Rubio missed Monday's game due to an ankle injury, so we'll go off Game 1's stats.

He may have only scored six points, but that's okay. Remember, he's not expected to be a huge scorer—that's never been his style of play, and it probably never will be.

The 21-year-old point guard out of Spain tallied six rebounds and seven assists over 24 minutes on the hardwood—not too shabby for the new guy.

According to NBA.com's Jon Krawczynski, "Rubio wowed an eager crowd with some slick passing in his NBA debut" on Saturday.

Look for continued improvement and high assists from a new fan favorite throughout the season.

Derrick Williams Shows Strong Potential

Drafted No. 2 overall out of Arizona, rookie Derrick Williams finally got his pro debut on Saturday night.

Williams scored 14 points, including three buckets from behind the arc, en route to the Timberwolves victory.

Compared to his 21 minutes of playing time in Game 1, Williams received 14 minutes during Monday's contest.

He nabbed only four points during that time, but fans look forward to increasing numbers and confidence as he gains experience in the NBA.

J.J. Barea a Great Asset to Minnesota

Less than a year after winning a championship ring with Dallas, guard Jose Juan (J.J.) Barea joins Minnesota with a four-year contract worth $19 million.

Although coming from the No. 1 team in the nation to a squad who has won only 37 games over the past two seasons, Barea brings enthusiasm and energy to the young team.

Earlier last week, the fifth-year point guard tweeted his anticipation for arriving in Minnesota.

Barea missed Monday's game due to a left quad contusion, but he tallied 14 points and six assists off the bench in the first game of the season.

The question, then, may soon be this: Who starts? J.J. or Rubio?

Only time will tell...

Rick Adelman Doesn't Mess Around

Let's be realistic for a minute, I don't think many people expected a coach with the amount of success as Rick Adelman would take Minnesota under his wing.

However, we were wrong.

And now that he's here, one thing is certain: If anybody can turn this team around, it's Adelman.

When asked in September why he accepted the position, Adelman responded:

"

"I just looked at their roster, and I know they've lost a lot of games, but they've got a very young team that has some talent and I just felt like maybe this is a situation where you add a couple pieces or whatever and you can turn it around in the other direction pretty quickly."

"

Where some coaches saw despair, Adelman saw potential. These first two games show that he's serious about putting the tools in place and winning games.

Welcome to Minnesota, Coach.

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