Woods has several more weeks before his dance starts, but he's still counting steps. Such is life as an NBA rookie.

"I'm definitely treading water," Woods said. "I'm not drowning, but I'm not swimming anywhere. I'm keeping my head above water. That's all you want to do as a rookie."

It remains to be seen how long it will take before Woods, the Timberwolves second-round draft choice from Arizona, feels comfortable enough to make an impact. The 7-1 center has shown flashes of good and bad in the early part of preseason.

In two preseason games, Woods has averaged 7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks.

"Like any rookie, there have been times where he's played well and times where he has not played as well," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said. "That's to be expected."