With the Minnesota Timberwolves now Kevin Garnett-less, and posting an abysmal 16-50 record, is it any wonder that there are cries from the local media for the team to start mailing it in… losing on purpose, in order to garner the best chance when it comes time to select the ping pong balls for the upcoming draft.

When word from the media made its way to Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, he took exception to the claims about this season, and instead, pointed his finger at his former star player, Kevin Garnett and last season. As reported by The AP:

Garnett missed the last five games of last season with a leg injury and watched his team lose its final seven games, improving its draft status along the way, before being traded to Boston in July.

Taylor said the columnist "said a little bit last year that we sort of like tanked it. I don't think that. I don't like that so much. I don't like that.

"It was more like KG tanked it. I think the other guys still wanted to play. But it sure changed the team and didn't make us [as good]."

What was the reaction from Garnett’s agent, Andy Miller? “Ridiculous.”

The sharp words didn’t seem to phase Garnett. He was the top performer tonight in the game against the Rockets posting 22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, in the Celtics 94-74 beating of the Rockets, thus ending their 22 game win streak.

"I'm in Boston right now," he said courtside. "I could care less what Glen Taylor thinks of Kevin Garnett. Right now, huge win for us. That's nonsense. I don't even know why he would bring that up, but, you know, it shows the taste of some people."

For more on the KG trade to the Celtics, read The Biz of Basketball interview with Rich Gotham, President of the Boston Celtics

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