Anyone who has watched Ricky Rubio sit on the bench since he suffered a sprained ankle on November 7 knows how badly he's wanted to get back onto the court.
As the Minnesota Timberwolves' winning percentage continued to dip, Rubio's voice from the bench grew louder, as did his focus on the game. In basketball, losing can often be followed by a lethargic on-court attitude, especially with a team as young as the Rubio-less (also missing: veterans Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic) Timberwolves.
So when the Wolves lost on Monday in Dallas to a much better Mavericks team in Rubio's first game back, it was obvious he would be ready for his home debut Wednesday against Miami. It concluded with a thrilling 102-101 victory at the Target Center, and there was plenty to take away from Rubio's performance. Timberwolves fans were in luck — most of it was good.
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"I feel good," said Rubio, who finished with 8 points and 9 assists in 23 minutes. "I'm happy to be back out there and playing basketball again. I missed it so much, and I want to do everything, but I know I have to take it easy."
Rubio has always been an elite passer and ferocious defender with a knack for disrupting passing lanes. What has always been missing is his midrange shooting and the ability to finish at the hoop.
Coming into Wednesday's win, Rubio had already eased the minds of most Wolves fans with a noticeable change in his shooting form put on display Monday in Dallas. This was illustrated extremely well in a piece by CBS Sports NBA writer Zach Harper after his first game back.
By the time Rubio returned to the Target Center to play his first home game in three months, most everyone had come to terms with the fact that his shot at least looks better. Time will ultimately tell on that. What wasn't as heavily discussed in game No. 1 was his passing. In his first game back, he had just 4 assists in his 20 minutes of action.
Wednesday, his dime game was as sharp and flashy as it's always been, his 9 assists in 23 minutes a clear indicator. Rubio's passing, while flashy, is almost always done with a purpose in mind — his no-looks are to throw off defenders, his behind-the-backs are made because the angles dictate that as the best pass.
"He always puts pressure on the other team's defense by pushing the ball up the court," Wolves head coach Flip Saunders said after the game. "Guys can cut harder, because they know that even if it doesn't look like the pass can get there, he's going to find a way to get the pass through there."
That was on full display tonight, as early as the first score of the game, when he completed a pick and roll with Nikola Pekovic with a sweet no-look for the bucket.
Mo Williams and Zach LaVine did all they could with the given circumstances, but neither are true, pass-first point guards.
It's tough to really appreciate the difference a quality passing point guard can bring to a game until you see one in action. Plays like the one below, a dump pass to Thaddeus Young after smart off-ball motion, were desperately missing during Rubio's absence and were seen in excess Wednesday.
Guys like Young and Andrew Wiggins are still relatively new to Rubio's virtuoso-like style of passing the ball. It has its moments of brilliance (see above), but there are still kinks to be worked out.
"We haven't had a lot of practice lately, and I was out for almost three months," Rubio said. "I know my game is a little bit different, so I just need to get used to my teammates and know where they're at."
There was one highlight that stood above the rest tonight, and it also came with the help of a first-year Wolf. It was yet another example of Rubio using the no-look to throw off the defense and bring some fun back to the Target Center.
Defensively, more than anywhere else, is where he most showed the angst that was displayed during his injury-ridden stint with the Wolves. Instead of staying in his smart-but-aggressive state that he's shown in past years, he got into quick foul trouble. Still, his hustle and lead-by-example attitude on defense gets other Wolves playing harder, which may show best in the final play of what was a very close game against the Heat.
In the span of about five total seconds in two different sequences (at the 20 and the 9-second marks), Rubio managed to dive for a loose ball, contest at the rim, and sprint to contest at the perimeter.
"We're just a different team with him," Saunders said. "He plays so hard defensively, it energizes the rest of our defense."
Saunders is right. The Wolves are clearly a different team when Rubio is on the floor. The game flows more smoothly, his teammates play harder and the fans are more engaged. As Rubio continues to work out on-court relationships with new guys like Young and Wiggins, the game may look even smoother. For now, fans, players and coaches are excited to have him back.
The thing is, if his attitude off the court is any indicator, Rubio may be more excited than anyone else.