Links of the Day (October 28, 2010)

• I'm slowing down on my Timberwolves blogging until TMJF returns from hip surgery, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to blast Kurt Rambis. Last night in Minnesota's opener against Sacramento, Rambis sat Kevin Love for the final eight and a half minutes of a one-point loss to the Tyreke Evans-less Kings. Rambis pulled similar stunts last year, claiming that Love and Al Jefferson couldn't play together. Jefferson was shipped out of town at a relative bargain, and now, in the opener, Love gets 24 minutes, the same number as Darko Milicic and four fewer than Anthony Tolliver. Rambis claims that the reason Love sat was because Tolliver was playing well defensively, but as Tom Ziller points out in that link, a bunch of Sacto's late points came from guys Tolliver was supposed to be guarding. I really have no respect for Rambis as a coach, and it bothers me when he does stuff like this and then reacts like it isn't a big deal, like because he assisted Phil Jackson with the Lakers he's some sort of Zen master by association. No, he's just a bad coach. Not playing the best player on a bad team because Anthony Tolliver -- Anthony Tolliver! -- is allegedly playing great defense (Sacramento did score 117 points without its best player, so I'm not sure how good the defense actually was) is just embarrassing.
• If any Wolves fans read this blog, perhaps this will make you feel better. I know McHale's involved and he's public enemy number one up there in T-Wolf land, but maybe just focus on Rambis falling on his ass. I love McHale, of course, so it definitely makes me feel better.
• Zach Lowe breaks down Boston's turnover problems. Lowe puts a lot of the blame on Rondo's shoulders, particularly in transition. I've noticed that Rondo's "feel" for the game, which is usually outstanding, disappears in transition. I'm not sure what it is; sometimes, it feels like he's too busy processing his options to make a decision.
• Everyone's talking about Blake Griffin's debut last night, with video of two spectacular one-handed jams in a loss to Portland. I link to Hardwood Paroxysm above all others because I like them best, and because Rob Mahoney's caption is clever. Oh, and because they want page views.
• Tracy McGrady was allegedly on a 15-minute cap in Detroit's opener last night, and will be for the immediate future. First of all, what investment are we trying to protect by limiting his minutes? And secondly, why would Tracy McGrady play more than 15 minutes in a professional basketball game?
• The Heat-Celtics opener was the most-watched NBA regular season game of all-time.
• I didn't notice this until this morning, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas was a game-high +17 in 10:39 of playing time against Boston on Tuesday night. Big Z's stat line: No shots from the field, 1-2 from the line, three boards (two offensive), three steals, a block, two turnovers, and four personal fouls. Not a bad contribution, but +17? That's what being on the court when LeBron James decides to take over earns you. I know +/- hardly counts as an advanced metric these days, but it's things like this that have made me slow to embrace the statistical revolution.
• DNP-CD for RwH fave Greg Monroe in Detroit's opener last night. Let's hope this doesn't become a pattern.
• Someone better bring me the head of the person responsible for this.