Rick Adelman

The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced that they are hiring Rick Adelman as their next coach.

News of Adelman’s deal first came out Monday, and the Timberwolves made the official announcement Tuesday morning. An introductory news conference will be held once the contract is signed.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Minnesota’s other two primary candidates were Don Nelson and Sam Mitchell.

ESPN.com

Larry Brown

After interviewing Rick Adelman and Don Nelson over the weekend, Minnesota intend to interview Larry Brown and possibly one or two others in this first phase to replace fired coach Kurt Rambis.

When the Timberwolves will interview Brown, who has coached teams to both NBA and NCAA titles, is uncertain because of a recent death in his family.

If they do, they will have interviewed two coaches among the top six all time in NBA career victories. Nelson is No. 1 with 1,335. Brown is No. 6 with 1,098.

The Wolves so far have interviewed Bernie Bickerstaff, Terry Porter, Mike Woodson, Adelman and Nelson.

Inside Hoops

The Nuggets and head coach George Karl have agreed to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced today.

George Karl

According to the Denver Post, the deal is for six years, three of which are option years.

“I’ve always said Denver is the place I want to end my career,” Karl said. “This puts me one step closer to achieving that goal. Masai Ujiri and Josh Kroenke were very professional throughout these negotiations.”

On Dec. 10, Karl became the seventh coach in NBA history to win 1,000 regular-season games, joining Don Nelson (1,335), Lenny Wilkens (1,332), Pat Riley (1,210), Jerry Sloan (1,221), Phil Jackson (1,143) and Larry Brown (1,098).

Inside Hoops

Don Nelson

The Golden State Warriors, with just a few days to go before the start of training camp, are on the verge of making a coaching change.

Sources with knowledge of the Warriors’ thinking saidthat the club’s new owners, Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, have decided to part company with Don Nelson and replace him with assistant Keith Smart.

The move is scheduled to be finalized by the end of the week, sources said, with Smart taking charge of the team in time for media day Monday and the team’s first practice of the season Tuesday.

ESPN.com

Don Nelson

Don Nelson will be back on the Golden State bench next season.

Nelson reiterated before Tuesday night’s final home game against the Jazz he would return next season to fulfill the final year of his contract for the Warriors, and general manager Larry Riley said that would be the case barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Last week in Minnesota, Nelson earned his 1,333rd victory to move him past Lenny Wilkens for the top spot on the NBA’s wins list.

Inside Hoops

Don Nelson

Don Nelson emerged from the Golden State Warriors locker room all disheveled from a wild celebration after finally overtaking Lenny Wilkens as the NBA’s winningest coach.

His gray hair was soaked to the scalp not with Dom Perignon, but a concoction of fizzy soft drinks after a 116-107 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

In 31 seasons on the bench, Nelson is 1,333-1,061 in a career that has made stops in Milwaukee, Golden State (twice), New York and Dallas. He won five titles as a player, has been named coach of the year three times, but has never made an NBA Finals as a coach.

Inside Hoops

Monta Ellis

Lately, Warriors games have been like that song on the radio that you get tired of hearing.

Guard Monta Ellis goes out and dominates. The rest of his teammates struggle to score and, eventually, the opponent double-teams Ellis. Warriors wind up losing.

It happened again in Wednesday’s 110-101 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Ellis had his best scoring night as a pro, totaling a career-high 46 points on 17-for-23 shooting.

“A remarkable performance by Monta,” Warriors coach Don Nelson said. “Didn’t have a great supporting cast, but he fought and kept us in the game, gave us a chance to win.”

HoopsWorld

Kelenna Azubuike

Kelenna Azubuike’s numbers – 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds a game – might appear modest, but they are representative of exactly what the Warriors have missed since losing the swingman to season-ending patellar tendon surgery.

“He was a very important part of what we were doing,” coach Don Nelson said.

“He was playing at a very high level, not just shooting from the outside. He could cut into the lane and finish at the basket.

HoopsWorld

Photo by Eric Molina

Keith Smart, the Warriors’ top assistant, is publicly playing the part of timid understudy as the team awaits the full-time return of head coach Don Nelson from a bout with pneumonia.

What Smart is doing in the locker room and on the court, however, might be proving that he is ready for a leading role.

He is widely considered the heir apparent to Nelson, though no one confirmed that verbiage is in writing.

FanNation

Don Nelson

Warriors coach Don Nelson has pneumonia and will not be with the team for today’s game against the Dallas Mavericks and Wednesday’s game at San Antonio.

He might miss Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, as well.

“He’s sick as a dog,” general manager Larry Riley said.

A team source said Nelson was tested for swine flu, and the Warriors are waiting for results. Assistant coach Keith Smart will take over as head coach until Nelson returns.

FanNation