A backup in basketball is often called the butler. Less so when a second-year player after enduring rookie requirements to go-fer just about anything a veteran wants. But still a butler.
Tonight the butler did in Minnesota. Ex-Raptor draft choice Kareem Rush (I understand the money-saving trade for Lindsay Hunter two years ago, but this rates as one of Glen Grunwald's bigger gaffes) teamed up with Shaq's backup buddy Slava Medvedenko to bury the T-Wolves.
A sequence late in the fourth quarter right after Shaq got away with what should have been a disqualifying push-off against Mark Madsen, saw Rush hit a three and then Medvendko drain a base-line jumper when challenged to an open shot. Those baskets broke Minnesota.
That said, this was a tired team that lost tonight when the Lakers were quite willing to lose. Kevin Garnett just plain lost it in the fourth, fouling offensively more than scoring. The CAFKAS played a whale of a game until the final dozen minutes and nobody else stepped up. In the end, Sam Cassell's absence decided the series in favour of the Lakers.
Oh well. Hard to totally disapprove of Shaq, Fisher and the MailMan having some success.
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