Reed continues to impress with hustle http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/basketball/14155423.htm Justin Reed had a limited role off the bench in Boston. In Minnesota, he has become one of the bright spots in the rebuilding phase the Timberwolves have entered. Reed was often the last name mentioned in Minnesota's multiplayer trade Jan. 26 trade with Boston, which picked him in the second round of the 2004 NBA draft out of Mississippi. A 6-foot-8 forward, Reed adds athleticism that the Wolves lacked before the trade. Teammates describe him as a player who "grinds," or works hard and hustles. He showed his grit during the Wolves' 100-96 win over the Miami Heat in just eight minutes of playing time Tuesday night at Target Center. Reed's layup put Minnesota ahead 80-70 late in the third quarter. Moments later, he was on the floor wrestling a loose ball away from Gary Payton. Reed's jumper early in the fourth quarter gave Minnesota an 84-70 lead. Then he drew an offensive foul against Antoine Walker on the other end, helping give the Wolves enough momentum to stave off the Heat down the stretch. "If his shot's not falling, he's going to get you rebounds," Minnesota guard Marcus Banks said of Reed. "If he's not getting rebounds, he's going to try to do it on defense. I look at J-Reed like we look at Mad Dog (Mark Madsen): just pure energy. No matter what we do, he's going to do it at 100 percent." On Sunday, Reed was a big influence on the game's tempo during the fourth quarter of the Wolves' 95-89 victory over the Sacramento Kings. He attempted to take a charge against Mike Bibby and fought Shareef Abdur-Rahim for position in the low post. He also had a baseline dunk that energized his teammates. Those might seem like small contributions, but they are part of a larger picture. The Wolves need to resist the temptation to write off the remaining 15 games of the season. "His energy and the way he plays defense is going to be a big part of what we do," coach Dwane Casey said. Reed will be a free agent this summer. He said he would like to return to Minnesota but isn't sure what the future holds. "I'd love to be here, but I have to do what's best for my family," Reed said. Briefly: Wolves special assistant Fred Hoiberg was interested in the coaching vacancy at Iowa State, but the Cyclones hired Northern Iowa's Greg McDermott on Tuesday. ‧ Reserve guard Troy Hudson continues to rehabilitate his sore right ankle. He said he had a little soreness in the ankle recently after shooting baskets and jogging. --

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