Poor rebounding usually leads to a loss

MINNEAPOLIS A few weeks ago, ignorance might have been bliss. A few weeks ago, there was just Lazar Hayward on a 10-day contract, not two downright serviceable players in Mickael Gelabale and Chris Johnson. There was no Nikola Pekovic, no Alexey Shved, and Ricky Rubio was even further from form. Under those circumstances, breaking down losses is best left to coaches, best not poked too much into by anyone else, best chalked up to injuries and left as is for the sake of one's sanity. But under these circumstances, these in which the Timberwolves have continued to lose even after signing a 16th player, after getting Pekovic and Shved back from injury and with Rubio's play improving by the day these deserve a closer look. The Minnesota Timberwolves have the fourth-worst record in the Western Conference, 18-27, as Feb. 5 dawns. That's good for 10th-worst in the NBA. They've won just two of their last 14 games and have a minus-6.2 point differential over the streak, and the team that w...