http://www.startribune.com/508/story/919127.html The Wild completed the first half of the schedule by winning 21 games and losing 20. In the process, the St. Paul gents posted 44 points and surrendered 52 to the opposition. This put the Wild and Calgary in a seventh-place tie in the West, with the Flames having played two fewer games. The Wild started the season 10-2 and has gone 11-18 since then. These two months of subpar hockey do not seem to have lessened the optimism that the local sporting public has for this team. On Friday night, the Timberwolves defeated Philadelphia 104-102 in overtime at Target Center. It was their sixth victory in eight games and put the Wolves in the same category as the Wild -- one more victory (16) than defeat (15). They also hold the last playoff position (eighth) in the Western Conference. The Wolves' improved play over the past five weeks (11-6) has not seemed to change the public perception that this is an inept collection not worthy of much attention. If a media type were to utter a negative comment about the Wild, followers would be quick to scream, "We've had to play the past 35 games without Marian Gaborik, our offensive star." Conversely, if a media type were to offer any degree of credit to the Wolves for moving above .500 while missing Rashad McCants their best outside shooter, the response would be ridicule. Doug Risebrough, the Wild's president and general manager, has been the recipient of endless accolades for making a 30 percent turnover on the nightly active list with the additions of Mark Parrish, Pavol Demitra, Keith Carney, Kim Johnsson, Petteri Nummelin and Branko Radivojevic. Kevin McHale, the Wolves' vice president for basketball, has overseen a 25 percent turnover on the nightly active list with the additions of rookies Randy Foye and Craig Smith and free agent Mike James. The public would hoot into submission anyone offering an accolade toward McHale. A reporter decided to take the chance when he saw McHale in a Target Center corridor before Friday's game and said, "Your team's playing better lately." McHale shook his head and said, "Just when someone says that, we can turn around and lose a game we're supposed to win ... lose a game like this." The basketball boss came close to being clairvoyant with his caution. The Wolves had no answer for Andre Miller, the point guard who came to Philly in the Allen Iverson trade. Miller finished with 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in 45 minutes. "Don't get me wrong here," Wolves coach Dwane Casey said. "Allen Iverson is a different caliber, but I really like Andre Miller. He's an old school point guard. He makes life easy for the guys around him." Casey was referring to Miller's new teammates, not to James and Foye, the Wolves point guards who spent the night trying to limit Miller's impact. Foye played the fourth quarter and the overtime. His best moment came when he blocked a Miller shot. "Andre knew that the next time he had the ball, he could give a head fake and Randy would go up and try to change the lightbulbs [in the ceiling]," Casey said. This came with 55 seconds left in regulation. Foye went for the fake, landed on Miller, and Andre's two free throws tied the game at 96-96. Kevin Garnett couldn't make a jumper in traffic before the buzzer and the Wolves were back in overtime. It was 102-102 in the final minute and the Wolves responded with a brutal possession that ended with Ricky Davis' shot put toward the basket. "[Foye] walked the ball up the floor," Casey said. "We need to get the ball up the floor and get into our offense. Randy was trying to catch his wind at the same time the shot clock was winding down." Can't do that at crunch time? "No, sir," the coach said. Fortunately, this wasn't the last chance. The Wolves had three seconds to win it, and this time Garnett made the buzzer-beating jumper. So, the Wolves are 16-15 and holding a playoff position in the West. That means they deserve as many of our happy thoughts as the 21-20 Wild, right? --

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