Rick Adelman: How Coach's Absense Will Affect Ricky Rubio's Early Progression

Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman is going to miss Tuesday's game to attend his mother-in-law's funeral, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.

His presence will be missed by such a young squad and after such an impressive showing.

Fans waited for what seemed like an eternity to finally see Rubio in action. His first NBA game featured jaw-dropping passes that made it clear that the unselfish point guard was well worth the wait.

His pass-first style of play is a rarity at the NBA level, and his court vision is downright uncanny.

It's impossible to teach what Rubio brings to the table, which is why Adelman missing one game isn't going to mean anything in the grand scheme of things.

He's got a tragedy to focus on, and even if he needed more time off, it still would have zero affect on Rubio. The budding star isn't a point guard who needs someone looking over his shoulder, easing him onto the pro scene and ensuring that he gets his feet wet the right way.

With six assists in 26 minutes, Rubio's command of the floor was evident in the Timberwolves' season opener. He's an exciting player, and while having his coach miss a game early in the season isn't ideal, it's impossible to assume that a giant leap backwards is inevitable.

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