Ricky Rubio is averaging 4.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.2 steals in 18 minutes per game this season. [Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images]
After missing four straight games with back spasms, Ricky Rubio is expected to give it a go tomorrow night against Atlanta. And perhaps there is no better time to get the Spanish Unicorn back on the hardwood. With Kevin Love out for the foreseeable future, the Wolves need Rubio to revert back to his rookie play in the worst way. Not only that, they need him to play at an all-star level if they are going to make the playoffs. The pressure is definitely on and the critics will be watching closely, asking if Rubio can indeed carry a team like Rajon Rondo carries the Celtics or Chris Paul carried the Hornets in years past. Rubio has no choice but to accept the challenge of hoisting this team on his back. That’s the type of player he innately is and the one he is destined to become. It’s tests like these that define great players, and Ricky was born to ace it.
On to the game… In their first season without Joe Johnson, the Atlanta Hawks have exceeded expectations early on – racing out to a 20-12 start. They have dropped two games in a row, but currently sit third in the Eastern Conference and boast a 9-6 road record. Tomorrow night the depleted Wolves, who have been pretty good in the warm and cozy confines of the Target Center this season, with a 9-5 home record, will have their hands full with Al Horford and Josh Smith. If they are to keep the game close they will need a strong team performance and cross their fingers that Ricky is as magical as his first game back earlier this season against Dallas. As I said before, we need Ricky to be great, of course, but asking him to star in this contest is fairly unrealistic. All we can hope for is a positive step in the right direction – something like 8 points, 8 assists, and 2 steals – and a win for the team. Anything more is icing on the cake.
Below are highlights of Rubio’s triumphant return vs. the Mavericks, which sparked a key win in overtime:
And I will leave you with a video filled with tremendous audio commentary on Rubio – from the likes of Dan Barreiro, Kevin Love, Dwyane Wade, and Bill Simmons (to name a few):
Stay optimistic folks. That’s all we have in Wolf-land.
The Daily Wolf 