Wolves lose 12th in a row, 106-78 at Portland
Posted on November 22nd, 2009 – 3:29 AMBy Jerry Zgoda
The first two times the Wolves and Blazers played in this 13-day stretch, the Blazers won by 23 points each time.
This time, for the third time since Nov. 8, they lost by 28 after leading briefly by a bucket with four minutes gone in the third quarter.
This is progress?
Kurt Rambis called it such after the Wolves allowed 66 in the second half — the most the Blazers have scored in a half all season — and couldn’t score a lick after holding that brief 51-49 lead.
The Blazers outscored them 57-27 the rest of the way.
Rambis said his team played “really, really well for tremendous stretches” and when I asked if he saw progress from those first two games against Portland, he said, “Absolutely.”
Later, in the locker room, I asked Al Jefferson the same question and he stared at me blankly.
Then, he said, “We lost by 30. We played good into the second half, then we couldn’t score no more in the third quarter. We couldn’t make no shots.”
The Wolves have lost the last eight games in this 12-game losing streak by an average of 20.6 points, all of those eight by 10 or more points.
“Thanks for reminding me,” Jefferson said.
The Wolves haven’t won since opening night when they beat New Jersey, the NBA’s only remaining winless team (0-13).
That was 26 days ago.
If the Wolves lost Monday to the Clippers in L.A., they will tie the franchise record for worst start to a season, 1-13 in the 1994-95 season.
The franchise’s longest losing streak is 16 games, reached twice (1991-92 and 1993-94 seasons).
That’s all from Portland tonight. Got an early flight to L.A. tomorrow.
29 Responses to "Wolves lose 12th in a row, 106-78 at Portland"
[…] On the Wolves » Blog Archive » Wolves lose 12th in a row, 106-78 at Portland blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/wolves/2009/11/22/wolves-lose-12th-in-a-row-106-78-at-portland – view page – cached The first two times the Wolves and Blazers played in this 13-day stretch, the Blazers won by 23 points each time. […]
How are the Kool-Aid gang going to spin this one?
Hey Jerry,
What’s the chance of getting that f*&%*# Nissan ad off of the screen? You can’t even get into the sports without it interfering.
I need another letter from Kahn so I can feel better. “Expected but not accepted” won’t cut it this time. He’s a former sports writer he can come up with something like “beaten bad, but lotto balls to be had”. Come on we all need some Snake Oil right about now. Did anybody else see the “progress” Rambis was talking about?
seenenough - Stop asking for a spin. Its the exact same one all year. ALL YEAR ! It won’t change game to game.
It was a good game till about 3 min to go in 3rd quarter the wolves were actually ahead, I stepped away for about 5 min came back and all the sudden they were down by 11, Webster got hot and was hitting everything he took. Then the wolves started pressing, and missing shots and taking bad shots. In situations like that I would like to see Flynn or Sessions come down and have the confidence to shoot a 3 or an outside jumper, but instead it seems they try to force it inside
I think they need to let Ellington get out there more and take his lumps and learn andhopefully get better. its painful to watch gomes out there - he’s a solid nba player but isn’t much else.
Sessions, Pavlovic, Gomes, Jefferson, and Hollins. Brewer, Flynn and Love (when he returns) off the bench.
On Travis Outlaw in regards to Jerry’s last post, I like him, but when you look at the numbers, you’re not getting a player statistically superior to Ryan Gomes, and I suspect Gomes will cost far less. In terms of FA, draft, or trade, I think the Wolves need to find a low post defender and a shooter (in that order). Outlaw is probably an upgrade at SF, but I think we need to look beyond upgrading the adequate players we already have and look to fill what we don’t have.
I think there is a correlation between the Wolves being second in the league in steals, and nearly dead last in three pointers allowed. Stay on your man, Brewer.
Worse.than.mchale
next kahn letter = resignation letter
Outlaw has always been explosive and a decent shooter, but most of his big games seem to come against the Wolves. 
I just worry that for as good as he has looked at times, he has never been a starter for the Blazers. I would look at him at a reasonable price after they first get a more significant free agent.
Thank god Rochester cable doesn’t get channel 45!
No comment.
^your best comment all year Slam.
The team definitely needs a big man who can produce. Al demands too much of the ball to be efficient in a team setting. as was said, they aren’t running, mainly because they have issues with defensive rebounding. and Mike makes a good point - the guards do not stick to their man - I called Flynn on that in the last portland game.
Say Bosh is attainable - does Al stay around? probably not. role with the younger and cheaper option at the 4 and Bosh at the 5 and draft turner and you have:
Flynn/Sessions (arguably should be starting right now)
Brewer
Turner
Love
Bosh
that team is plenty competitive
also, wonder where Foo is to tell me that Kaman isn’t any good.
nearly 21 points, 9 rebounds, etc etc. filling up the stat sheet and better defense. Al in a trade for Kaman? yes, I’d still do it. imagine kaman and bosh frontline with Love off the bench.
Bosh is attainable for 40% of your cap aka overrated.
Or Al for 33%, Al and Cardinal is about the same salary as Bosh, there are other guys like Gomes and Wilkins/Pav that won’t be with the team and will make up the difference between Bosh and Al’s pay, but we will have a much better play.
player*
Even though I really like Bosh, I don’t think we have a shot at getting him, he really wants to play with Wade or Lebron and maybe if that doesn’t work, Bosh would take a sign and trade, Al and Gomes/filler for Bosh, Toronto wouldn’t lose him for nothing then.
who would u say is worth that at this piont in time Swan?
What is the most a player can sign for with his own team next year? I’m guessing right around 18-20 million a year, anyone know for sure?
How does anyone claim Bosh is superior at 133% of Jefferson’s price ? Stats do not back that up at all.
nor does Bosh’s defense.
I’ll take Bosh’s D over Al’s D any day of the week. The price of great players in their prime would be worth it.
I say give Bosh $25 Million in year one of his deal.
(Couldn’t pass that up)
Then lower the base salary in the following years.
Anyone know who Bosh’s agent is?
That might help us or hurt us.
haugen — Can’t do it. The Wolves won’t have $25 million in cap room.
they can spend over the cap. Many of the teams are over the cap right now. In 2004, with Spree and Cassel, we spent over the cap
according to my reading of Hoops Hype Salaries, we would have $25 Million in Cap room next year.
Every single elite Team is over the cap this season
#1 LA $91M
#4 Boston $84M
#6 Spurs $80M
#7 Orlando $80M
#8 Cavs $79M
Please explain Sean.
I’m predicting Kaman will have another season ending injury in the next 3 - 5 weeks. Hopefully then all this Al-for-Kaman-straight-up nonsense will stop… you gotta be kidding me…
Today is my lucky day
My mom had promised me to gift a nintendo wii this christmas. But I got it for free, yeee. While looking for some place where I could get it cheap or with some discount, I found this website http://bit.ly/5PYFPX which offered a chance to win nintendo wii, as a special christmas promotion. All I needed to do was to enter my mobile number to enter into the contest. And yup, I won it. Lucky me. Now I am thinking what to ask my mom as a gift. 
What do you guy’s suggest?
