By ANTHONY MAGGIO
FOXSportsNorth.com
February 27, 2011
"Why are you lying to people?" Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Wes Johnson asked teammate Michael Beasley in the locker room, following Minnesota's 126-123 victory over the Golden State Warriors at Target Center on Sunday. "You're telling people you can score on me at will?"
"Who snitched?" Beasley playfully yelled back to a room full of reporters.
Playfulness has been in short supply around the Wolves lately, at least after games. But Johnson's defense in a contest that featured almost none saved what would've been among Minnesota's most disastrous letdowns in a season full of them, and allowed them to sport smiles that shined like most of their earrings in the afterglow of the Wolves first victory since February 8.
After Minnesota let a 17-point fourth-quarter lead wilt to one with less than a minute to play, Johnson came through with a clutch block of Monta Ellis with 4.3 seconds left and then a steal in the final 2.4 seconds with the Wolves clinging to their final three-point advantage.
It's the type of defense Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis needs from Johnson nightly now that the Wolves are without Corey Brewer
