--New Wolves coach Kurt Rambis watched parts of the Los Angeles Lakers' opener Tuesday night against the Clippers, including the pre-game ceremony where players, coaches and staff received their NBA championship rings. The best part was when he saw consultant Tex Winter, Phil Jackson's longtime mentor with the triangle offense, looking healthy again after he suffered a stroke in April. Rambis won't receive his ring for last season's title until the Wolves play the Lakers in Los Angeles in December.
"I'll get my ring," he said, "assuming it hasn't been put in a pawn shop already."
--Flattened by the flu for two consecutive days, Jonny Flynn recovered well enough to start -- and star in -- his first NBA game in Wednesday's opener.
If he hadn't, he would have known what to blame.
Being a rookie.
"Actually, I had the same exact thing Al had last week," Flynn said, referring to teammate Al Jefferson. "That's what the doctor said. I think it was from me carrying his bags, doing that rookie treatment for me. He joked around with me when I came to practice. He said, 'My fault for making you do all that stuff.'
"It's cool, though. I'm here now and I'm just ready to go."
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I didn't know that. But I wish it would have counted." -- Wolves forward Damien Wilkins, when told the first three-pointer made in Wednesday's opener was by a fan during a halftime contest. The Wolves and Nets combined to shoot 1-for-15 on threes.
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