Obama tells T-wolves to play better D during White House visit

Even the leader of the free world can see the Minnesota Timberwolves aren't bringing it on the defensive end.

With the Timberwolves on a two-day break between their Tuesday game in Philadelphia - which they lost 93-91 on a buzzer-beating layup by Robert Covington - and their Friday game against the Wizards in Washington, the team was granted a 90-minute tour of the White House, and a meeting with President Barack Obama, who shed some light on the young Wolves' season.

"Yeah," guard Ricky Rubio told Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. "He said we've got to play better defense."

The man has a point. The Wolves are allowing 105 points per game, placing them 17th in the league, but they also sport the 24th-worst defensive rating at 107.5 - a far cry from the expectations that came with signing a head coach in Tom Thibodeau, who headed defensive powerhouses in the Celtics and Bulls.

Obama, a devoted basketball fan, often hosts pickup games on election days, sits courtside to watch his hometown Bulls, and has even voiced interest in owning an NBA team in the future.

After being at the helm of the U.S. for the past eight years, he'll soon be a free agent, so look out for him picking up a front-office or scouting job in the NBA at some point.