D-League'n It: Checking In With Jonny Flynn & Paul Harris

You've no doubt heard by now that Jonny Flynn spent one game with the Sioux City Skyforce before returning to his rightful place with the Minnesota Timberwolves...only to get sent right back down. The T'Wolves aren't done checking out Flynn's repaired hip and want to see what will happen this weekend.

Flynn was recalled after last Friday's game with the Skyforce but Rambis has said he wants to see how Flynn responds to playing a back-to-back, which the Skyforce have scheduled for this Friday and Saturday night at home against Tulsa.

According to most, this isn't some kind of quick demotion. Flynn was apparently recalled only so he could practice with his Minnesota teammates before heading back down. Per NBA rules, any first or second-year player can be assigned to a team's D-League affiliate up to three times per season.

Flynn has taken the move in stride and says that it was a mutual decision for him to spend time in South Dakota.

"It was pretty much a mutual decision. I'm a big baseball fan, and when players there get hurt, whether they are in single-A or making $20 million a year, they have to go to the minor leagues to get back into whatever rotation they are in. You can't simulate things that happen in games in practice situations, you are only going to get that with refs on the court, real opponents, people in the crowd. Seeing how baseball players do it, it was kind of an easy decision to go to Sioux Falls and play in a rehab game."

Tonight's game against the Tulsa 66ers is part of a simulcast that you can watch online, if that's your thing.

As for Flynn's old friend from Niagara Falls and Syracuse, Paul Harris is flourishing in his second chance with the Maine Red Claws. Harris is currently third on the team in scoring (15.9) and leads the team in rebounds (9.7). He's also the only Red Claw to start every game this season.

Here's a determined Harris (#24) dunking so hard he nearly takes out the entire basket at its base.

How intense is Harris about this season? He's firing off late-night texts to his head coach whenever he wants to get a message across:

Like most of his teammates, Paul Harris was still thinking about the game that got away Friday night and fired off a late-night text to Coach Austin Ainge.

"I promised Coach I would be more aggressive," Harris said. "I told him I won't settle for too many (jump shots) and I'm going to attack the basket and try to get fouled."

The Skyforce and Red Claws don't clash anytime soon. Harris, however, is having a homecoming of sorts this weekend. Maine has a two-game set in Erie, which is about as close to Niagara as he's gonna get. A Paul Harris contingent will be on hand to watch the game.

"He’s going to come out like gangbusters," said Harris’ uncle, James Duckett, who is making the nine-hour drive from his home in Somers, Conn., for the game. "It’s going to be great for the family and the people from Niagara Falls to get to see him enjoying the game again."

"I’m definitely looking forward to playing in front of the people that know what I went through in the last year," Harris said. "Some people have him me up out of the blue on Facebook and said they’ve been following me since high school and they’re coming to the game. Things like that make me feel good, let me know that people support me."

Now that he's finally healthy, it sounds like Paul is becoming the star we expected him to be. Good for him and hopefully it means a shot with the Celtics or Bobcats soon.