Debriefing that tough Timberwolves loss, and other sports news
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, right, is defended by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Wednesday in Denver.
David Zalubowski | AP
Host Cathy Wurzer talked with Minnesota Now’s resident sports experts, Wally Langfellow and Eric Nelson, about that tough Timberwolves loss, the Wild, Twins and more.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
INTERVIEWER: 12:48 here on Minnesota Now. There's a lot to talk about when it comes to sports. It's Thursday, and of course, it means that we do talk about sports on this program. Wally Langfellow, Eric Nelson join us every Thursday. Wally's the founder of Minnesota Score Magazine and the co-host of 10,000 Takes sports talk show on radio and TV. Eric's the other host of 10,000 Takes. He's also the Minnesota Vikings reporter for CBS Sports Radio's Eye on Football. How are you two doing?
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Indoors and dry, as opposed to being outdoors and not.
SUBJECT 2: Yeah, I'm out watching floods this week, Cathy. It is rather fascinating.
INTERVIEWER: I can't even imagine. Are you actually covering floods? Really?
ERIC NELSON: I am.
INTERVIEWER: You, Eric Nelson? Wow, OK, good for you. I know. It's a mess, isn't it? But anyway, let's talk about sports, which you guys are experts in. What in the heck is going on with the Timberwolves? They just do not look good.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Well, let's put it this way. It was a bad night for Minnesota's playoff teams in general, with the Wolves and the Wild. But yeah, the Wolves-- first of all, Sunday-- they looked dreadful. Last night, they played much better, particularly in the third quarter. They came out-- they were down by 15 at the half-- 64 to 49. But they had a huge third quarter. They actually took the lead a couple of times, against Denver.
But the Nuggets are the number one seed for a reason. They have been, and are the best team in the Western Conference during this season. And so this is not going to be easy. They're down two games to none. They end up losing the game, 122 to 113. They kept it close down at the end. But now they trail 2-0.
They play again tomorrow night at Target Center, another 8:30 start. Fortunately, it's a Friday night. So folks who work the Monday through Friday and have to get up during the week are not going to have to fret too much. It's a Friday night game. But lo and behold, Sunday, we got another Sunday night game. Anthony Edwards did show up last night. He had 41 points-- countered, however, by Jamal Murray's 40 for Denver.
But the big problem, Cathy-- and again, it's Karl-Anthony Towns. He disappears in the playoffs. He did this last year against Memphis. Had a couple of good games, but then just went into the tank. And he had 10 points last night. They're not going to win with Karl-Anthony towns scoring just 10 points. He is their star. And I hesitate to call him a superstar, but he is their star player. They need more out of him. It's just that simple.
INTERVIEWER: Eric, what do you think?
ERIC NELSON: Well, I think the Timberwolves played like they had altitude sickness in Denver. It is elevation 50 to 80, and the Nuggets brag about that. They like to intimidate teams when they come into their arena. But they had plenty of time to acclimate. They've been in Denver for half the week.
And it was a better showing last night, no doubt. But if Karl-Anthony Towns wants to be thought of as an impact guy-- a top 20 guy in the NBA, he has to show up on the playoff stage. That is where you define your legacy. That is where people remember your greatness, or lack thereof. So it's a must-win situation, in my opinion, for Minnesota Friday night. They can't go down 0-3 to Denver.
INTERVIEWER: Well, he was right, of course, that the other playoff team, the Wild-- they had some problems last night with Dallas, Eric.
ERIC NELSON: Yeah, absolutely. It was a double dose of defeat-- Dallas-- 7, Minnesota-- 3. That series, now, tied up at 1-1. They'll play game 3 Friday night at the X. In fact, it's going to be at the exact same time as the Timberwolves, so we have a sports log jam.
But the real issue here-- the elephant in the room-- and the Wild are trying to deny it. But it was the decision by head coach Dean Evason to start Marc-Andre Fleury. Let's go back to game one. Double-overtime win for Minnesota in Dallas. And Gustavsson, who's 24 years old, stopped 51 of 53 shots. He was outstanding and a huge reason why the Wild won that game.
And you would think-- because the saying in hockey is, you go with the hot goalie, especially in the postseason, that Gustavsson would have started again last night. That wasn't the case. Evason went to Marc-Andre Fleury, who-- yes, will be in the Hall of Fame someday, but he's 38, and his nickname is the Flower. And you know what? He wilted last night, in the Texas heat. That was really an embarrassing game for Fleury.
Now, it's not all his fault. The defense didn't step up. Kirill Kaprizov pulled a cat last night. He was a no-show, too. He was not really a factor. And Dallas had a guy by the name of Roope Hintz, who scored a hat trick-- one on a power play, one on a shorty, and one at even strength. So it was hockey's version of the cycle for Roope Hintz, and not a good night for Minnesota.
INTERVIEWER: Hm, OK, how are the Twins doing, Wally Langfellow?
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Right now, they're actually playing in Boston at Fenway Park and trail 1-0 in the second inning. Boston's Alex Verdugo hit a leadoff home run in the first inning. But overall, they're still in first place, Cathy. They have a game-and-a-half lead over Cleveland. They pounded the Red Sox last night. They beat them 10 to 4, and they hit three home runs.
Joey Gallo came off the injured list. It was his first game since coming off the injured list. He hit a home run. They got a home run from Trevor Larnach. It was the third time that they have been in double digits already this season. And really and truly, that has been their downfall in games that they have lost so far-- not hitting the baseball, because the starting pitching, for the most part, has been pretty good. And as long as they can lean on that starting pitching, I think that they're going to be right there whether they win the division or not, whether they make the playoffs or not, that remains to be seen. But I think that their starting pitching will keep them in it.
Kenta Maeda is pitching today. And remember, Maeda was MIA all of last season and part of the season before with an injury, but he has come back and he has pitched fairly well thus far. Even though he's 0 and 2, I think that Rocco Baldelli will tell you that he has kept them in games, like most and all of their starting pitching has been so far this year.
So overall, I'd say they're probably a B, B-plus. At this point of the season. You take it, and you just see what happens. By the way, as I'm looking at-- I'm watching the Twins game right now. The weather is slightly better in Boston. It looks chilly, but the sun is shining, which I don't think we're going to see here for another couple of days.
INTERVIEWER: Yes, you are correct. Sunday would be the next time we see some sunshine.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Oh, wonderful. Thanks for that.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you. Well, that's what I do. I give out information. This is not great weather, obviously. I was a little surprised. Should I be, Eric, that we're talking Gopher football already?
ERIC NELSON: Well, they have their annual spring game on Saturday. And typically, Cathy, that's played outside in the elements-- Huntington Bank Stadium, right there in Dinkytown. The Gophers are an outdoor football team. And they have made in the, in my opinion, bonehead decision to move the thing indoors to Athletes Village. That's their multimillion-dollar state of the art training facility, that all the sports are able to use over there at the U of M.
And my question is this-- how soft are the Gophers? I know it's not going to be a great weekend. It's not going to be Malibu, Miami, or Maui. It's going to be 40 degrees in Minneapolis on Saturday, but this is Minnesota. Fans won't be allowed to go. I'll guarantee you a few people would have showed up to watch that spring game. Maybe a parent brings their kid. It's usually free or just a couple of bucks.
And here's a comparison for you. The Colorado Buffaloes-- and the weather in Boulder where the University of Colorado is located, on Saturday-- 42 degrees and snow. They will play their spring game at their home stadium, outside. They're going to have 55,000 fans because Deion Sanders, Coach Prime, is making his debut there after coaching at Jackson State. He's got them revved up.
You don't think they thought about going indoors, do you? That's a flat-out, no. I think this is embarrassing for Minnesota, a state that prides itself on dealing with the elements. We've gone soft.
INTERVIEWER: [LAUGHS]. Oh, we've gone soft. We probably have, Wally.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Like a marshmallow.
ERIC NELSON: He's a whiner.
INTERVIEWER: [LAUGHS]. Oh, you guys. All right, I appreciate you being here. I hope you guys have a good weekend. Obviously, it's going to be busy with-- coming up here with the Timberwolves and the Wild. So we'll see how both teams do.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: It is. Yes, very busy. Eric's going, I'm not-- my son's getting married tomorrow, by the way.
INTERVIEWER: I did not know that. Congratulations to all involved.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Yeah, so I will be checking out of sports for a day.
INTERVIEWER: [LAUGHS]. A single day.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: And believe it or not, the Earth will keep spinning on its axis.
ERIC NELSON: Exactly.
INTERVIEWER: Exactly. Well, thank you, guys. I appreciate it.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Thanks, Cathy. We'll see you at the spring game.
INTERVIEWER: Yeah, right.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Oh, yeah.
INTERVIEWER: Yeah, have a seat for me, there outside. Wally Langfellow, Eric Nelson. Wally's the founder of Minnesota Score Magazine. He's the co-host of 10,000 Takes sports talk show. Eric is the other host of 10,000 Takes. He's also the Minnesota Vikings reporter for CBS Sports Radio's Eye On Football.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Indoors and dry, as opposed to being outdoors and not.
SUBJECT 2: Yeah, I'm out watching floods this week, Cathy. It is rather fascinating.
INTERVIEWER: I can't even imagine. Are you actually covering floods? Really?
ERIC NELSON: I am.
INTERVIEWER: You, Eric Nelson? Wow, OK, good for you. I know. It's a mess, isn't it? But anyway, let's talk about sports, which you guys are experts in. What in the heck is going on with the Timberwolves? They just do not look good.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Well, let's put it this way. It was a bad night for Minnesota's playoff teams in general, with the Wolves and the Wild. But yeah, the Wolves-- first of all, Sunday-- they looked dreadful. Last night, they played much better, particularly in the third quarter. They came out-- they were down by 15 at the half-- 64 to 49. But they had a huge third quarter. They actually took the lead a couple of times, against Denver.
But the Nuggets are the number one seed for a reason. They have been, and are the best team in the Western Conference during this season. And so this is not going to be easy. They're down two games to none. They end up losing the game, 122 to 113. They kept it close down at the end. But now they trail 2-0.
They play again tomorrow night at Target Center, another 8:30 start. Fortunately, it's a Friday night. So folks who work the Monday through Friday and have to get up during the week are not going to have to fret too much. It's a Friday night game. But lo and behold, Sunday, we got another Sunday night game. Anthony Edwards did show up last night. He had 41 points-- countered, however, by Jamal Murray's 40 for Denver.
But the big problem, Cathy-- and again, it's Karl-Anthony Towns. He disappears in the playoffs. He did this last year against Memphis. Had a couple of good games, but then just went into the tank. And he had 10 points last night. They're not going to win with Karl-Anthony towns scoring just 10 points. He is their star. And I hesitate to call him a superstar, but he is their star player. They need more out of him. It's just that simple.
INTERVIEWER: Eric, what do you think?
ERIC NELSON: Well, I think the Timberwolves played like they had altitude sickness in Denver. It is elevation 50 to 80, and the Nuggets brag about that. They like to intimidate teams when they come into their arena. But they had plenty of time to acclimate. They've been in Denver for half the week.
And it was a better showing last night, no doubt. But if Karl-Anthony Towns wants to be thought of as an impact guy-- a top 20 guy in the NBA, he has to show up on the playoff stage. That is where you define your legacy. That is where people remember your greatness, or lack thereof. So it's a must-win situation, in my opinion, for Minnesota Friday night. They can't go down 0-3 to Denver.
INTERVIEWER: Well, he was right, of course, that the other playoff team, the Wild-- they had some problems last night with Dallas, Eric.
ERIC NELSON: Yeah, absolutely. It was a double dose of defeat-- Dallas-- 7, Minnesota-- 3. That series, now, tied up at 1-1. They'll play game 3 Friday night at the X. In fact, it's going to be at the exact same time as the Timberwolves, so we have a sports log jam.
But the real issue here-- the elephant in the room-- and the Wild are trying to deny it. But it was the decision by head coach Dean Evason to start Marc-Andre Fleury. Let's go back to game one. Double-overtime win for Minnesota in Dallas. And Gustavsson, who's 24 years old, stopped 51 of 53 shots. He was outstanding and a huge reason why the Wild won that game.
And you would think-- because the saying in hockey is, you go with the hot goalie, especially in the postseason, that Gustavsson would have started again last night. That wasn't the case. Evason went to Marc-Andre Fleury, who-- yes, will be in the Hall of Fame someday, but he's 38, and his nickname is the Flower. And you know what? He wilted last night, in the Texas heat. That was really an embarrassing game for Fleury.
Now, it's not all his fault. The defense didn't step up. Kirill Kaprizov pulled a cat last night. He was a no-show, too. He was not really a factor. And Dallas had a guy by the name of Roope Hintz, who scored a hat trick-- one on a power play, one on a shorty, and one at even strength. So it was hockey's version of the cycle for Roope Hintz, and not a good night for Minnesota.
INTERVIEWER: Hm, OK, how are the Twins doing, Wally Langfellow?
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Right now, they're actually playing in Boston at Fenway Park and trail 1-0 in the second inning. Boston's Alex Verdugo hit a leadoff home run in the first inning. But overall, they're still in first place, Cathy. They have a game-and-a-half lead over Cleveland. They pounded the Red Sox last night. They beat them 10 to 4, and they hit three home runs.
Joey Gallo came off the injured list. It was his first game since coming off the injured list. He hit a home run. They got a home run from Trevor Larnach. It was the third time that they have been in double digits already this season. And really and truly, that has been their downfall in games that they have lost so far-- not hitting the baseball, because the starting pitching, for the most part, has been pretty good. And as long as they can lean on that starting pitching, I think that they're going to be right there whether they win the division or not, whether they make the playoffs or not, that remains to be seen. But I think that their starting pitching will keep them in it.
Kenta Maeda is pitching today. And remember, Maeda was MIA all of last season and part of the season before with an injury, but he has come back and he has pitched fairly well thus far. Even though he's 0 and 2, I think that Rocco Baldelli will tell you that he has kept them in games, like most and all of their starting pitching has been so far this year.
So overall, I'd say they're probably a B, B-plus. At this point of the season. You take it, and you just see what happens. By the way, as I'm looking at-- I'm watching the Twins game right now. The weather is slightly better in Boston. It looks chilly, but the sun is shining, which I don't think we're going to see here for another couple of days.
INTERVIEWER: Yes, you are correct. Sunday would be the next time we see some sunshine.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Oh, wonderful. Thanks for that.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you. Well, that's what I do. I give out information. This is not great weather, obviously. I was a little surprised. Should I be, Eric, that we're talking Gopher football already?
ERIC NELSON: Well, they have their annual spring game on Saturday. And typically, Cathy, that's played outside in the elements-- Huntington Bank Stadium, right there in Dinkytown. The Gophers are an outdoor football team. And they have made in the, in my opinion, bonehead decision to move the thing indoors to Athletes Village. That's their multimillion-dollar state of the art training facility, that all the sports are able to use over there at the U of M.
And my question is this-- how soft are the Gophers? I know it's not going to be a great weekend. It's not going to be Malibu, Miami, or Maui. It's going to be 40 degrees in Minneapolis on Saturday, but this is Minnesota. Fans won't be allowed to go. I'll guarantee you a few people would have showed up to watch that spring game. Maybe a parent brings their kid. It's usually free or just a couple of bucks.
And here's a comparison for you. The Colorado Buffaloes-- and the weather in Boulder where the University of Colorado is located, on Saturday-- 42 degrees and snow. They will play their spring game at their home stadium, outside. They're going to have 55,000 fans because Deion Sanders, Coach Prime, is making his debut there after coaching at Jackson State. He's got them revved up.
You don't think they thought about going indoors, do you? That's a flat-out, no. I think this is embarrassing for Minnesota, a state that prides itself on dealing with the elements. We've gone soft.
INTERVIEWER: [LAUGHS]. Oh, we've gone soft. We probably have, Wally.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Like a marshmallow.
ERIC NELSON: He's a whiner.
INTERVIEWER: [LAUGHS]. Oh, you guys. All right, I appreciate you being here. I hope you guys have a good weekend. Obviously, it's going to be busy with-- coming up here with the Timberwolves and the Wild. So we'll see how both teams do.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: It is. Yes, very busy. Eric's going, I'm not-- my son's getting married tomorrow, by the way.
INTERVIEWER: I did not know that. Congratulations to all involved.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Yeah, so I will be checking out of sports for a day.
INTERVIEWER: [LAUGHS]. A single day.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: And believe it or not, the Earth will keep spinning on its axis.
ERIC NELSON: Exactly.
INTERVIEWER: Exactly. Well, thank you, guys. I appreciate it.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Thanks, Cathy. We'll see you at the spring game.
INTERVIEWER: Yeah, right.
WALLY LANGFELLOW: Oh, yeah.
INTERVIEWER: Yeah, have a seat for me, there outside. Wally Langfellow, Eric Nelson. Wally's the founder of Minnesota Score Magazine. He's the co-host of 10,000 Takes sports talk show. Eric is the other host of 10,000 Takes. He's also the Minnesota Vikings reporter for CBS Sports Radio's Eye On Football.
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