Minnesota
Timberwolves weigh their options ahead of NBA draft
MINNEAPOLIS — Tim Connelly has only been the president of the Timberwolves for just over a year.
“Oh it’s night and day,” he said about the different feeling from this June to last. “It’s been awesome to explore. The weather’s so nice, within the city, outside the city.”
This is Connelly’s second draft in Minnesota. The team’s only pick is late in the second round. That is limiting.
Timberwolves to play two preseason games in Abu Dhabi in October
“I think we’ll prioritize a guy that can further add to the culture,” said Connelly.
With the 53rd pick, Connelly allowed for the possibility that the Timberwolves could trade up. Not to the first round but, to early in the second.
“We have a board,” Connelly said. “If we think a guy has dropped in an area we can move up into and we think he’s undervalued, we’d be pretty aggressive.”
The Wolves have hosted 12 prospects for workouts. Others declined because of the late draft slot. But not Missouri’s D’Moi Hodge, who is trying to become the first NBA draft selection from the Virgin Islands.
“I got a whole country behind me,” said Hodge. “It’s definitely different. It feels different. But definitely excited. I mean to make history is going to mean a lot for the country for me. So just being positive and hoping for the best.”
Hitting the jackpot in the second round is rare. Many players taken 53rd overall don’t pan out.
“Anyone who tells you they have the draft figured out, you should go the other way,” said Connelly. “So, fingers crossed. I think we’re ready to make an informed decision. Hopefully it’s not an informed mistake.”
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MINNEAPOLIS — A task force is recommending the decriminalization of magic mushrooms.
A nearly 200-page report from the Minnesota Psychedelic Medicine Task Force said psilocybin mushrooms show evidence they may improve mental health.
Logan Fleischman co-owns Wonderland Mushroom Dispensary in St. Paul, a shop specializing in mushroom-infused gummies and drinks that tout supposed real-life health benefits.
“We’re not saying that this certainly will give you energy or will give you focus, but for some people, it does help,” Fleischman said.
Fleischman does not sell “magic mushrooms,” also known as psilocybin mushrooms, that cause hallucinations and are still illegal.
However, news of a state task force report that lays out potential health benefits, gives Fleischman hope.
“Really helping combat things like depression, anxiety, PTSD,” Fleischman said.
By a two-thirds supermajority, members of the Psychedelic Medicine Task Force are recommending the Minnesota Legislature create a state-regulated clinical program for the therapeutic administration of psilocybin-containing mushrooms, while removing criminal penalties for their use, and allocating for more funding for research on psychedelics, like psilocybin mushrooms.
The task force also looked at a clinical program for synthetic drugs like MDMA and LSD, but that didn’t garner enough support. There also was not enough support for a recreational market for magic mushrooms.
“The report itself is meant to be a long-term resource for the state,” said Jessica Nielson, chair of the task force. “We do need someone in the legislature to actually introduce the bill and move it through the system.”
Minnesota Sen. Mark Koran, R-North Branch, a member of the task force, is optimistic.
“If we can get a true environment to have some research done and find an effective way to administer it, and we have the resources to do it here, then I would be all for moving it forward,” Koran said.
Ohio State will look for some Big Ten consistency on the road against Minnesota.
The Golden Gophers are struggling to keep up with high-end competition, yet to beat a top 80 team in the country thus far. Can the team score a home upset against Ohio State? The Buckeyes have yet to win a true road game but are laying a handful of points on the road on Monday night.
Here’s our best bet for this one.
Spread
Moneyline
Total: 136.5 (Over -110/Under -110)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Ohio State
Bruce Thornton: Enjoying a career-best year, Thornton is up to nearly 17 points per game while shooting 54% from the field and 44% from three. The veteran guard will be tasked with guiding the Buckeyes to a road win as the team looks to keep its three-point shooting at a high.
Minnesota
Dawson Garcia: The senior is averaging 19 points per game with seven rebounds while also showcasing improved playmaking with two assists per game. The Gophers are struggling to find consistency on offense, but a lot of it is coming from the 6’11” senior.
Ohio State continues to be an overvalued commodity after a strong start to the season. The team is ripe for regression, including three percent overall with a massive drop-off expected from beyond the arc (four percent), per ShotQuality.
The team will face a Minnesota team that grades out as a better defense according to shot quality and does a great job of contesting perimeter shots, which is a key to Ohio State’s offense. The Gophers are 38th in the country in three-point rate allowed, which can slow down Ohio State’s offense that ranks top 30 in three-point percentage.
The Gophers play at a prodding pace, bottom 10 in the country in adjusted tempo, and Ohio State’s defense continues to be overvalued due to poor shot-making marks, ranking 14th in effective field goal percentage. However, the team is outside of the top half of the country in turnover percentage, defensive rebounding rate, and opponent free throw rate.
In a low possession battle, give me the home underdog to keep this close.
PICK: Minnesota +5.5
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Detroit’s next series was upended by another turnover of sorts, this time a stop on fourth-and-1 that was caused by Jonathan Bullard tipping Goff’s pass at the line of scrimmage. It returned the ball to Minnesota with three-and-a-half minutes left in the first half – and a prime opportunity to double-dip.
But they botched that chance, too, tasking Reichard with another field goal after fading at Detroit’s 13.
“This game could look differently in the end, very easily, with one or two more plays down in the red zone, being successful, and the way that works with momentum, and the way that works for the energy of your whole team. I thought the guys fought. I thought they battled,” Kevin O’Connell said. “They answered the bell, in that first half, turning the football over, giving us ops, getting stops. … We were going to go down there and try to get seven points, and we just didn’t do it. And you’re not going to beat a team like that, regardless of some of the other metrics in the game, when the weighty downs kind of go the way it did, and weighty as they get. They don’t get more weighty than scoring plays.”
Minnesota’s inability to capitalize offensively lingered in the third quarter, when Smith plucked an overthrown ball for Williams out of mid-air. Again, Reichard kicked a field goal.
To understand how well Minnesota’s defense played early look at the difference in second-quarter performance – a good indicator being it has been the most productive frame for the Lions this season in terms of yards (120.9) and points (10-plus) – Sunday and Week 7: The Vikings yielded 65 yards on 18 plays (3.6 avg.), and just three points, versus 202 yards on 17 plays (11.9 avg.) and 21 points in October.
Eventually, however, Gibbs stole the show.
The second-year phenom compiled 170 scrimmage yards and scored all four of Detroit’s touchdowns. He did it via a blend of untouchable speed, uncanny vision between the tackles and a serious finishing burst.
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