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Now the Telfair deal is less troublesome. President of Basketball Operations David Kahn acquired a decidedly sub-mediocre 34-year old backup point guard with an expiring contract in a trade with Oklahoma City the other day, and in terms of short-term tinkering, it was a savvy swap. Unlike the departed Telfair, Atkins shouldn't and won't have any illusions that he is the best long-term answer for the Wolves as a floor general.

Drastic computer woes and a (partially related) bevy of lagging assignments sabotaged plans of duplicating last year's live blogging of the draft, and I think that's a good thing. I've got a really positive feeling about the direction of the Wolves in the past week or two, and, as with really negative feelings as well, wanted to let it linger at least overnight, parse the context and the exuberance. Some of these things are hunches, and thus a tad irrational; some are wishful thinking, no doubt, after the long, dysfunctional ride in the wilderness since the Western Conference Finals.

Well, now we know the reason behind Kobe Bryant's curiously fitful and misguided play during the first seven games of the Olympic tournament: An absence of pressure. Nearly universally (and accurately) regarded as the best clutch shooter in the game today, Kobe's commanding crunchtime aplomb was a superfluous virtue as the USA men ran roughshod over the best the rest of the world had to offer. The average margin of victory had been well over 20 points per game, boosted by a 37-point pasting of Spain in their previous matchup just last week.