Thursday, January 24th, 2013 at 11:05 am  |  78 responses

Ricky Rubio Angered By Benching in Loss


by Marcel Mutoni / @ marcel_mutoni

From the moment Ricky Rubio returned following major left knee surgery, it was made clear to everyone that his playing time would be limited. The Minnesota Timberwolves understandably want to be as careful as possible with the prized point guard, and with their season in free fall at this point, there’s added incentive not to push their luck with Rubio’s health.

This doesn’t mean that Ricky Rubio is completely on board with plan, especially not when he gets benched in the fourth quarter of yet another crushing defeat.

Acting head coach Terry Porter went with JJ Barea instead of Rubio last night, during a loss to the visiting Brooklyn Nets, and the young Spaniard told the media that he was angry with the decision.

Per the Pioneer Press and Star Tribune:

Adding to another loss by the Timberwolves — their seventh in the past eight games — was Ricky Rubio’s candid disappointment over not playing in the fourth quarter of a 91-83 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at Target Center on Wednesday night, Jan. 23. It was the first time this season Rubio has not made an appearance in the fourth quarter, prompting Rubio to seek an explanation from head coach Terry Porter.

“I want to know what happened,” Rubio said. “We’re going to talk. ‘TP’ preferred to play the other players who were playing. I don’t know what to say. I don’t like it.” [...] “Yeah,” Rubio said when asked if he was upset, “but it is what it is. T.P. preferred to play players who were playing. I don’t know what to say, you know.”

Ricky Rubio was on the floor for 24 minutes last night, which is less than the team-imposed limit of 26-28. Rubio’s comeback from knee surgery has been difficult, as he continues to struggle with his shot-making, defense and health (Ricky admitted on Tuesday that his surgically-repaired knee still hurts.)

As for the Timberwolves’ losing ways, here’s how the point guard assessed their bleak state of affairs: “It’s hard for us to finish games,” Rubio said. “We have to want to win. Sometimes it seems that we don’t want to win.”

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  • Anthony Dixon

    no jump shot or defense

  • Redd

    He may have came back too quick.

  • http://twitter.com/thursti_tyht Thurstian Tsui

    Scared Rose will do the same.

  • Redd

    Likewise, but I think you can use Iman Shumpert as a general understanding of if D-Rose is ready.

  • RayJr

    and he misses wide open layups.

  • spit hot fiyah

    what? no defense? his on ball defense is actually really good and he gets steals

  • Mike From Spain

    This is true, but he’s an elite defender, not just good.

  • Mike From Spain

    Terry Porter went with Barea and Ridnour. Barea was in full ‘bad JJ’ mode (5 fouls in 3 minutes, no D, etc). I guess Rubio wanted to contribute and feels he should be leading the team down the stretch, but the way he’s shooting it’s like playing offense 4 vs 5. This said, I bet his decission making is better than JJ’s on a bad night

  • ctk

    get more fg made than games played than maybe u can be used n the 4th

  • k2

    He may have COME back too QUICKLY. For someone always calling people stupid your grammar sucks.

  • esau

    Why? Do they have the same body? You know it to be a fact that each player heals at the exact same rate?

  • Anthony Dixon

    not good on dwill and jj….

  • RKJ92

    He’s a great player.. have you actually watched him play or is this just your biased opinion on what you think? because his defense is fine and he proved many people wrong with his jumpshot

  • http://twitter.com/thursti_tyht Thurstian Tsui

    That’s risky because we know Rose is a way more aggressive player who cuts on his knee a lot more, and you can see how Knicks are carefully rationing his minutes already, Rose hasn’t even started full contact.

  • robb

    Benching great spanish players has become a trend it seems…

  • Redd

    Yes obviously…which is why I said a general.

    People need to learn to read. iman is an inch taller & they’re about the same weight. Clearly you can’t know the countless factors & details.

  • Redd

    He has taken more contact though.

    But again, I said a general understanding.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    if you don’t think Rubio is a good defender, then you haven’t actually watched him play.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    you are counting against his defense in his first 2 weeks back from an ACL tear against 2 of the best guards in the league? are you high?

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    he obviously has only watched him play once, last night.

  • http://twitter.com/thursti_tyht Thurstian Tsui

    Yeah, fingers crossed Rose comes back strong though, the world would hate to see him turn into a Brandon Roy; and you know he wouldn’t quit the same way Brandon Roy has refused to too.

  • http://twitter.com/apowellAdvocate Allen Powell II

    The blurb with the story questions his defense too.

  • esau

    They could be twins and none of the info you just posted would be relevant. My point is, you cannot simply say two separate individuals who had the same injury can be a barometer for each other’s healing time. Unless you have their lab work, pt/ptt etc, the rate at which they each regenerate tissue, you know it to be a fact the both ACL tears were to the same degree in both of their ligaments, you know their diet and their protein intake each day, you cannot possibly make the statement that you did.

  • Redd

    You’re the greatest idiot of the day.

    You JUST wrote a paragraph to argue against the same thing you just said.

    Lol..

  • Redd

    Yeah I love B-Roy, sad that he couldn’t return but hopefully Rose is able to give even a little of what he has this post season.

  • esau

    Um, no. You just have poor reading comprehension skills. Very poor. That much is clear. Even twins don’t have the same exact body.

    I wouldn’t expect you to understand anyway. Judging by previous comments, I speak your native tongue better than you and English is my third language.

  • ChosenOne

    You know… Rubio is one of the few guards in the world has achieved a Quadruple-Double.

    FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, playing for Spain.

    Played 33 minutes -

    19 Points

    10 Rebounds

    13 Assists

    11 Steals
    That is insane !!!
    The kid has game!

  • Redd

    No, you’re an idiot.

    I said the same thing you just said, “Clearly you can’t know the countless factors & details.”

    Learn to read.

  • RKJ92

    He probably didn’t even watch the game either, just the highlights and boxscore lol

  • The Philosopher

    Shut Rubio down for the rest of the season.
    Call up a D – League player, and give him some experience. This is a lost season for that team.

  • esau

    Perhaps you should learn to read. You accused me of arguing against my original point. That never happened. If anything you contradicted yourself w/ your first questionable statement, which was that Shumpert can be used to see if Rose was ready. Given the fact that Shumpert will have been back about a month before Rose is scheduled to return, your argument failed from the moment you posted it. I simply showed you why. The fact that you quickly resorted to name calling demonstrated that you can’t solidly back up an argument, and that you are probably so used to being called dumb on here that you are projecting those insecurities. I’m afraid you are the only one of lesser intelligence in this exchange.

  • Redd

    “general understanding”.

    It’s pretty easy for you to be an idiot clearly.

  • JJJ

    Rubio should progress to be one of the best guards in the league, slow it up Ricky, you’ll be full health soon enough

  • esau

    Nice comeback. Brilliant and witty.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    Rubio scored 51 points, the first player to do so in FIBA tournaments since Luol Deng (in 2001), grabbed 24 rebounds, made 12 assists, and stole the ball 7 times – in another U-16 game that summer.

  • Redd

    lol

  • ChosenOne

    Jesus!

    That’s Wilt numbers !

  • pposse

    what makes you think that rubio is cool with that? and if he is not, which is most likely the case, then can’t he easily opt out after his third year, which is the end of 2014??

  • Anthony Dixon

    great player…….. No

  • Anthony Dixon

    guess i’ll watch him a little more then good point.

  • http://twitter.com/apowellAdvocate Allen Powell II

    Cool with what? I’m just noting that the blurb also mentions that Rubio’s defense has been shoddy since he hurt his knee.

  • pposse

    why would Rubio be cool with that? Next year is his third year, can’t and won’t he just opt out after next year if he doesn’t like his situation and the management around him??

  • The Philosopher

    Rubio may, or may not agree with that.
    But he is worth more money as a healthy player. If he opts out next year, he would still command more money. Whether it be from Minnesota, or elsewhere. Also, if healthy, the team can get a better deal for him.
    In my opinion.

  • Caboose

    That was a dope SLAM article.

  • http://www.facebook.com/Alanpg Alan Pg

    That 51 points game was the Final of that European U-16 against Russia. Spain was losing by 3 and Rubio made a mid court shot at the buzzer to send the game to overtime (here’s the vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGKEUfUScJw). After two overtimes, Spain won the European.

  • http://twitter.com/sooperfadeaway nbk

    I know lol

  • pposse

    my bad, my comment was a reply to the philosopher comment about being benched for the rest of the season. Don’t know how it ended replying to your comment.

  • RunNGun

    A promising season ravaged by injury after injury and then your head coach goes on indefinite leave due to family illness. This team was playoff bound until all the injuries caught up to them. They must have gotten the Portland bug. That frustration of another lost season stepping in.

  • trent

    Maybe the other teams wants to win just as bad too. Just saying

  • http://twitter.com/Jzakoni Sanchez

    rubio got more heart then kevin love

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