In Chicago's first three games, Chandler and Curry played little. Chandler averaged only 6.7 minutes and had a total of six points, two rebounds, three fouls and one block. Curry was better, averaging 11 minutes, 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds on 50-percent shooting.

Fans have been eager to see the kids play, hoping at least to sniff the potential Krause saw in them. A Chicago Tribune Web site poll, as of Wednesday, found 57.9 percent of respondents wanting Chandler and Curry to play at least 20 minutes nightly. Coach Tim Floyd has bristled at questions about the newcomers' playing time.

"I don't necessarily feel pressured to play them," Floyd said one day. "I feel pressure for them to succeed."

The Wolves have been there, done that. They know that, for the youngest and best rookies, success rarely is immediate.

"A lot of kids jump in like, boom, I'm here," Garnett said. "When it doesn't work out, they get frustrated. That's when you have a lack of confidence and second-guessing and, in this league, you can't second-guess yourself."

It took Garnett two months into his rookie season before he was starting, and another month before he showed flashes of stardom. Bryant was erratic early and McGrady, McHale recalled, almost was written off by Toronto.

"They were trying to trade him for a bag of chips," he said.

"If you get one of those young guys -- and Chicago is going to find out -- you have to spend a lot of time," McHale said. "You've got to do a lot of counseling with them as far as, 'You're OK, don't worry, you're not as bad as you think you are.' Because they're going to get their butts whipped a lot.

"You just don't get instant results. That's the problem with our society. We're a microwave society. We want things yesterday."