It took Kevin McHale just one quarter of work to get his fifth straight win Saturday night, but the Timberwolves' coach isn't planning to make a habit of it.
"That was not a very energetic first quarter," McHale said Sunday. "I'm glad they found some energy." The Wolves trailed the Milwaukee Bucks by as many as 14 points in an opening quarter that ended with Minnesota on the short end of a 28-19 score and McHale being ejected after getting hit with two technical fouls.
With McHale watching in the locker room, the Wolves rallied for a 106-104 win and he said he doesn't plan to make an issue of the technicals with the league office.
"I'll talk to somebody about it," McHale said. "That'll just probably be for my benefit."
McHale was tossed after questioning referees Tommy Nunez Jr. and Sean Corbin about two first-quarter plays: a traveling violation on Al Jefferson and a non-call on a shot in which the coach believed Mike Miller was fouled.
"I was trying to talk to Tommy actually on one play, just the travel play," McHale said. "It just happened."
Talent to spare: For a player who can be so spectacular on the court, Rodney Carney has an unusual hobby off it.
Would you believe bowling?
"He's a bowler? I didn't know that," McHale said, feigning enthusiasm. "Wow! It's exciting."
Carney scored a season-high 22 points off the bench against the Bucks, finishing just three shy of the career high he set in 2006 while with Philadelphia.
"The best part about last night to me was there was just such a genuine happiness for Rod," McHale said. "He was interviewing out on the court and the guys were all chanting 'Rodney' in the locker room waiting for him to come in. Because they just like him."
Wolves fan: Winners of five straight for the first time in three years, the Wolves haven't won six straight since a nine-game run to end the 2003-04 season.
After Saturday night, Bucks guard Michael Redd said he's a believer.
"They have a fire lit under them, obviously," Redd said. "It goes right to Kevin McHale and what he's doing over there. ... They're getting better."
Quote of the day: McHale, asked if it's more enjoyable to watch these wins from the bench than his former seat in the stands:
"To be truthful, I wish I was 10 rows up and doing that, you know what I mean? I've always said there's part of the coaching that is really fun. It's getting in there; it's the competitiveness; it's all that stuff. That's really fun. It's as close as you're going to get to playing again, but yet it's nothing like playing. It may sound weird, but if you're a decent player, you have a hundred times more control over the outcome of a game than a coach."
