The Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Michael Rand has a clever idea, in the wake of the NHL's success playing outside in Buffalo on New Years Day. Why not give it a shot in the NBA?

Hey, whatever gets people to watch Timberwolves games.

Put in some temporary seats, play another awful NBA team and trudge around for 48 minutes on an outdoor court. What if it snows? What if some long shorts freeze to some thighs? Tell us you wouldn't be first in line to buy tickets for an outdoor NBA basketball game. Honestly. The ball skidding off ice. A Mark Madsen free throw shattering a backboard.

We love the idea, actually, of NBA players growing playoff beards. Everyone in the NBA should look like Baron Davis.

A Solution To McLovins' Woes: An Outdoor Game? [Randball]