Wayne Ellington taking his best shot at Timberwolves' shooting guard spot

Wayne Ellington is the latest Timberwolves player to step up and make a case for playing time at shooting guard — the position generating the most intense competition on the team since the start of training camp.

Ellington is battling veterans Martell Webster and Corey Brewer, plus rookie Wesley Johnson, at a position the Wolves sought to upgrade during the offseason.

After Ellington scored 22 points Sunday night in the Wolves' 114-109 exhibition victory over Milwaukee in Sioux Falls, S.D., Wolves coach Kurt Rambis called himself "dumb" on Monday for not giving the second-year player more minutes in the first five exhibition games. Sunday's game was the first preseason start for Ellington, who made all three of his three-point shots in the fourth quarter.

"His dumb coach hasn't given him the amount of time to show what he can do out there," Rambis said. "What we saw him do as a starter and in the late-game situations, that's the way he's been playing in practice. He's been playing very well. I just haven't given him the time."

Ellington's performance is expected to force Rambis to change his thinking, or at least his rotation at shooting guard, although Rambis said he is not sure Ellington will start tonight's game against Indiana at Target Center.

Before Sunday's game, Rambis had given starts to Brewer and Johnson.

Webster, acquired in a draft-night trade from Portland, has come off the bench in each game but is averaging 26.7 minutes and is the Wolves' third-leading scorer (12.3)

"That game shows that I'm ready to do whatever the team needs me to do," Ellington said. "I knew there would be competition at the position. I worked as hard as possible in the offseason to be ready. The spot is open, and we're all fighting for it."
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Flynn accelerating workouts: Point guard Jonny Flynn, recovering from July 27 hip surgery, appears to be getting more active with his individual workouts.

After Monday's practice, Flynn went through agility and shooting drills with Jason Glover, the Wolves' new assistant player development coach. Flynn's activity has been limited throughout training camp and the preseason after he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip.