http://www.startribune.com/511/story/1046458.html Pat Riley is a zealot of defensive acts and stats, applauding his troops for all they do when they don't have the basketball. At one point in Miami's victory Friday over the Timberwolves, Riley bent over and screamed encouragement inches from Heat guard Jason Williams after Williams sprawled on the floor to chase down a loose ball. And it's well-known that Riley has his guys' totals of "charges taken" charted prominently in the media notes. The Wolves track defensive stats of their own, ones that haven't exactly gleamed lately. Heading into Saturday's game at Atlanta, Minnesota had given up an average of 103.8 points on 46.9 percent shooting over its previous 25 games, going 7-18 in that time. As for non-traditional numbers, that suggests their deflections and challenged shots haven't been strong, either. Assistant coach Vince Taylor has primary responsibility for tracking those categories during games. "The biggest thing that we chart is, we want to know how hard we challenge shots," Taylor said after Friday's game. "A challenged shot, most of the time, a guy isn't going to shoot better than 28, 30 percent if you get a hand up on his shot." To get impact from that, the Wolves need to keep their percentage high, too. "We want to challenge 70 percent of all shots," he said. "So I'll have the number, at halftime, to tell them how we're doing. "It never fails -- if you're challenging less than 50 percent, it's a lot of layups or open jump shots, and you're losing." Against Shaquille O'Neal, Williams and the rest Friday? The Wolves challenged 57 percent of Miami's 72 attempts, which Taylor said was a "C-minus" game. Little things matter Forward Kevin Garnett, who has a defensive bent anyway, likes the focus on defensive numbers. "Small things are what make this game so precious and so detailed at times," he said. "The charges, getting loose balls, the hustle plays, the energy -- all that changes momentum. So the fact that they're keeping track of it and aware . . . the more aware you are of something, the more you're focused on doing it." Refs need convincing Garnett has been frustrated lately with the referees, including Violet Palmer's changed call at Boston and repeated lane violations whistled against the Wolves Friday during Miami free throws. "The refs didn't help us none," he said. "The last couple of games ... we're being as aggressive as any other team -- I feel like we're not getting the calls. We're going to the basket. I don't know what's going on. "I hope the league looks at some of these games that we sent last week." Coach Randy Wittman said the Wolves' label as a jump-shooting team makes officials less likely to reward them, and the only way to defeat that is to stay aggressive to alter the reputation. James has had chances Guard Mike James, before and after Friday's game, expressed some displeasure to reporters regarding his role lately. But Wittman said James hasn't sought him out to complain. "I'm searching for different things," Wittman said. "Our play there [at point guard] has been up and down. I'm just looking for different combinations. . . . He hasn't talked to me about that. He's got to stay ready." Should a team know what it has from each guy after 61, 62 games? "I think so. We've given them opportunities," Wittman said. "I don't think [James] would say he's having the greatest of seasons from a scoring standpoint, from a shooting standpoint and the ability to come in and get the team involved offensively. It's really a combination." --

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