Again: I'm very happy to see the team ending the season on a winning note. However, for a second there right before the 1/2 I thought that they had found a new way to utilize Mark Madsen's amazing tanking abilities: the little-known you-can't-come-off-the-bench-with-your-shirt-untucked technical. At that point in the contest I started to prepare myself for a 4th quarter full of an unkempt Madsen making his way off the bench for 30 second increments, possibly jacking up a few 3s in the process.

Last night's game was the 3rd statistical oddity in a row. Here's how the 2 teams stacked up in the 4 Factors:

The Wolves::

• FG% (eFG): 51%
• TO: 13
• Offensive (and total) rebounds: 24-62
• FT: 11-16

The Grizz:

• FG% (eFG): 44%
• TO: 7
• Offensive (and total) rebounds: 17-45
• FT: 26-43

The approximate weight for FG% is 40%, TOs get 25%, rebounds = 20%, and free throws clock in at 15%. If you run these weights against each factor and add them up, the Wolves win 38.77 to 31.825...which just about matches their 9 point victory. Next year, one of my pet projects will be to test this measurement in each Wolves game. I'm also trying to develop an individual player stat that will seek to quantify the most important thing in all of basketball: recording how each player contributes to ending a possession in his team's favor. Hopefully I can work something out over the summer...although this project will be competing with warm weather, lawn work, trips to the dog park, camping, summer basketball league, and outdoor basketball. Anywho, back to the game:

The Wolves won because they went abso-frickin-lutely nuts on the boards and the Grizz couldn't shoot free throws for poo. Add in a benched Mike Miller and it was a recipe for disaster. Going forward, the Wolves simply cannot continue to give up this many free throws. It's not only insane, but embarrassing.

The Wolves now find themselves tied in the season series with Memphis at 2 games apiece. Memphis faces Portland and Denver to end the season, the Wolves get Detroit and Milwaukee. At this point in time, it would not be surprising if our Beloved Puppies took the last 2 games of the season. The game against Milwaukee should be very interesting. There are two teams in the league that are worse on the defensive end than the Wolves and the Bucks are one of them. Hopefully it won't turn into a Mad Dog 3 point fest for the ages.

Until later.