http://www.startribune.com/511/story/920165.html More and more, Trenton Hassell has been hearing it. From Kevin Garnett in practice. From coach Dwane Casey for more than a season. Even from Vice President Kevin McHale. Their message: If you see a shot, take it. If you see a play, make it. Assert yourself. This isn't exactly new. Anyone who has seen Hassell play games in the summer -- or watched him score while in college at Austin Peay -- knows he can be an offensive force. It's just that, when he came to the Wolves as a free agent after being cut by Chicago in October 2003, he carried the tag of defensive specialist. And there's nothing wrong with that. But the Wolves want more. And they're starting to get it. Take Friday's overtime victory over Philadelphia. The old Trenton Hassell was there, dogging Kyle Korver all over the court on the defensive end. And on the other end? Try 22 points, matching Hassell's career high, on 10-for-13 shooting. Until Garnett got hot down the stretch, Hassell was the team's top offensive option. "These last couple of games we've won, he's been aggressive," Garnett said after Friday's game. "We need him to be more aggressive. We basically put the ball in his hands, and he's been making some really good decisions." All the while, Hassell's confidence on the offensive end has been growing. "I'm finding more ways to score," said Hassell, who had 11 points and did a good job of initiating plays from the post against San Antonio on Wednesday. "Offensive rebounds, cutting off [Garnett], hitting open shots. That's things I wasn't doing earlier. I was standing in one spot. But now I'm trying to do a little more." But the Wolves will need a whole lot of the old, defensive-minded Hassell tonight against Houston. With center Yao Ming out (knee), Tracy McGrady has been carrying the Rockets, who are 5-1 since Yao left the lineup. McGrady has shot 53 percent from the field and averaged 36 points over the past four games. That includes a 44-point effort in a victory over Utah on Friday. "He looks like the T-Mac from Orlando, the guy who led the league in scoring," Hassell said. "I think he was giving up a lot of his skills to Yao Ming, because Yao was playing so good. T-Mac was getting everyone involved. He's still doing that, but he knows he has to score for them to have a good chance." And Hassell knows McGrady can't score a lot if the Wolves are to have a good chance. "I probably won't be as much offensive-minded [today]," Hassell said. "Because all my energy will have to go to guarding T-Mac." But nobody wants Hassell to shut it down on offense. After all, a good way to slow McGrady's offensive output is to make him play defense. "He can do both," Casey said. "He did it [Friday] night. He did it against San Antonio against [Manu] Ginobili and [Tony] Parker. He didn't score much, but he quarterbacked in the post a lot against Parker. Those are things we need out of him." --

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