By Andy Greder

In Friday’s preseason game summary from the Wolves’ 116-110 win over Philadelphia, a play read “(Henry) Sims Bad Pass Turnover.”

But that’s not the whole truth.

It was a forced turnover by Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio, who slid his hand in on Sims’ handoff to Tony Wroten. Rubio knocked the ball of Wroten’s leg and out of bounds.

Besides that play that doesn’t appear in the box score, Rubio was credited with three steals Friday night. Afterward coach Flip Saunders poured on praise about Rubio’s potential — with a caveat attached.

“Ricky has the chance to be an elite on-the-ball defender,” Saunders said. “He gets a little careless because he wants to get steals, but he has a chance to be really good. We have to keep on working with him to take calculated risks.”

Measured mayhem is the prescription for a few Wolves — Rubio, Thaddeus Young and Corey Brewer — who ranked second, third and sixth, respectively, in the NBA in steals last season. If they don’t temper their risks to get steals, Saunders joked Saturday about sending them to Gamblers Anonymous.

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