Welcome Back Wolves! From: the NBA

Well that was fun! It was nice to have an NBA All-Star weekend that you felt good about. Yes, we have made ourselves know throughout the past few years in the Rookie/Sophomore game - thanks to our 6 picks in the top 7 over the past 5 years. Yow! And once again the Wolves made their presence known in the first Shaq vs. Chuck game with some spectacular highlights from Ricky of the Year. But even before Rubio shined in the Rookie challenge along with Derrick Williams, or D-Will hopped over Crunch's bike in the dunk contest, or K-Love stood toe-to-toe with the world's best 3-point shooters and won, or K-Love having an impressive showing on Sunday night with some big 3's, (Wow, 'Sota was legitimately represented at All-Star weekend!) the Wolves were having one of their most exciting 1st halves of the season in team history. Momentum is on the side of the Timberwolves right now.

This just in from the NBA: Dear 'Sota, hope you enjoyed that. If you guys are legitimate though, it's time for you guys to take the training wheels off. Your not sneaking up on anyone anymore. We know about the Spanish kid, and we know K-Love is legit. And that Serbian guy isn't somebody to be messed with. We're not laughing at Kahn anymore, he actually seems like he knows what he's doing. No more jokes. Best of luck in the 2nd half. Although just for good measure, we're going to send you out to L.A. to get things started... on back-to-back nights... and then we're going to send you to Phoenix after that... to complete the back-to-back-to-back. Sincerely, the NBA.

Well, thanks I guess. The T'Pups have their work cut out for them these next 3 nights. The Clippers are getting hot as CP3 is making a serious case at MVP (if not for LeBron and KD35 doing serious damage this year, of course), and the Lakers own us until we prove we can beat them instead of just play with them. Oh, and although the Suns had a tough 1st half at 14-20, and Steve Nash is not an elite PG anymore, they will have had 7 days between games up to hosting the Wolves. Yes, that's right - Phoenix will have a week off after the grind that was the first half, and 'Sota will be coming into town for their 3rd game in a row after a back-to-back against Lob City and the Lake Show. Oh boy.

Pekovic is ready to prove his 1st half was a trend and not a mirage.

So it is not realistic at all to think that Minnesota will start off the 2nd half by taking all 3, right? How about 2? I didn't think so. A 1-2 start? Even that will be a lot to ask. As much as it hurts to say, there is a good likelihood the Timberwolves could start the 2nd half 0-3 (hard to beat the Clippers at Staples twice in a row, hard to beat Kobe anywhere if your Minnesota, and hard to beat a very fresh team on the road while you're playing your 3rd night in-a-row). But as Chris Berman would say, "That's why they play the games!" I think we hope for 1, try to steal 2, and if we get 3... WE COMIN!

Follow Wolves Rubes on Twitter @wolvesrubes.