2016-2017 Wolves season

[Pardon My Dinger]

Well, that wreaked. I don't relly care what Deanne's ft stats are like. Thins showed zero confidence in his defense tonight and it was a failure and totally boring.lame.

[bluechipper]

 

Well, that wreaked. I don't relly care what Deanne's ft stats are like. Thins showed zero confidence in his defense tonight and it was a failure and totally boring.lame.

Yeah the defense has shown no improvement so far. Pretty disappointing.

 

And Kris Dunn playing over twice as many minutes as Tyus doesn't make sense to me either. Dunn is brutal offensively, both his passing and shooting are much worse than I thought they would be.

[kab21]

 

Fair point, but Belly and Brandon Rush aren't going to shoot below 25% either. I think this team should be a little better than league average on 3's this year. That would be a nice improvement over what we've been seeing.

I think you missed the great point in that. They have one player that has a good chance to shoot 40+% from 3. They also pretty much return their entire team from last year and they shot 34% last year. I would expect some improvement as the young players establish themselves but going from the 25th in 3pt% to the top 10 is perhaps too much.

 

And that still doesn't solve the problem that they are 25th in 3 pt attempts. this still isn't much of a 3 pt shooting team.

[biggentleben]

That was a Laker team playing very well that the Wolves destroyed tonight. Very impressive win.

[bluechipper]

So fun watching Wiggins' monster game tonight, 47 points and on just 21 shots. A really nice win without Lavine and Shabazz.

 

Bjelica had a great game in his first career start, and we really saw the value of Rubio again. He was awesome tonight. I also have to give credit to Adreian Payne for making the most of his playing time.

 

 

[kab21]

Zach Lowe and David Thorpe discussed the Wolves and their potential in the second part of this podcast.

 

They disagree about Rubio like many do. They cast doubt about Gorgui being paired with Towns even though he is very good. They talk about Wiggins a lot. His speed and his okay defense despite great defensive tools. And how Sam Mitchell set this team back and should never be a head coach again.

http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=18057826&s=espn

[ALessKosherScott]

Because it needs to be said, god damn, no good, third quarter.

[kab21]

Yes, that was an ugly 12 minutes.

It has been nice to see Bjelica looking good the last couple of games.  I was really on his bandwagon last year. My expectations (very good role player) were tempered a bit but he is contending for the best bench player on the team although that isn't saying much.

[Pardon My Dinger]

My expectations (very good role player) were tempered a bit but he is contending for the best bench player on the team although that isn't saying much.

Someone's got to be that though. Honestly, I think it could be LaVine, but that is so tricky.

[kab21]

 

Someone's got to be that though. Honestly, I think it could be LaVine, but that is so tricky.

I don't understand. Lavine is definitely a starter. Did you mean Dunn? He should be the best but he is not there yet. Bazz is solid and Aldrich might be alright defensively. At least the bench is better than last year but it is still a very weak part of the team.

[Pardon My Dinger]

I don't understand. Lavine is definitely a starter. Did you mean Dunn? He should be the best but he is not there yet. Bazz is solid and Aldrich might be alright defensively. At least the bench is better than last year but it is still a very weak part of the team.

Did I say LaVine? Obviously, I meant Dunn. Damn autocorrect.

[ALessKosherScott]

If you told me at the beginning of the year Wiggins would take a big step up in rebounds and assists, that Bjelica would take a step forward and even Payne would resemble an NBA player, but the Wolves would start 4-7,I don't think I'd have believed you.

[ALessKosherScott]

I love this Wiggins write up from last-night's game:

 

https://theringer.com/james-harden-has-great-chemistry-with-the-blazers-8ac496e7c7ce#.gs685om5n

[TheLeviathan]

 

I love this Wiggins write up from last-night's game:

 

https://theringer.com/james-harden-has-great-chemistry-with-the-blazers-8ac496e7c7ce#.gs685om5n

 

I got to watch a rare Wolves game last night as an out of towner....man, he's taken the next step.  He and Towns are going to be scary good.

[Mr. Brooks]

Maybe too soon to say that Wiggins has taken that next step? Ouch.

 

Also, the Wolves need to find a PG next year that is at least a token threat to score.

I get there are more important factors to a good PG, but come on, the PG play this year has been awful.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Maybe too soon to say that Wiggins has taken that next step? Ouch

This was the first game you've seen this season, then? Mkay.

[Mr. Brooks]

This was the first game you've seen this season, then? Mkay.

You're right, it is just one game. Probably just frustration on my part.

 

I might have skipped a couple steps as well.

Superstar players in the NBA don't have a game like that. Not even 1 in in 82.

Sometimes I forget how young these guys are. Hopefully Wiggins can take those next few steps over the next couple of years into that territory.

[kab21]

They died by the 3 tonight. 4/24 including 0/5 and 0/7 from Wiggins and Lavine. 

 

Young players will have their off nights but hopefully they can start playing more consistently and go on an exciting run.

[Pardon My Dinger]

 

Young players will have their off nights but hopefully they can start playing more consistently and go on an exciting run.

I like your attitude. That's how I feel too. Just a damn shame though the way they throw games away, though. "Easy come, easy go" would be a fitting motto for this team right now. Elite at times, completely absent at others. 

[Mr. Brooks]

The biggest contrast last night was our continued black hole at the PG position compared to a team that has one.

 

Any good to elite PG's due to hit the FA market this offseason? If not we might have to move Levine or Wiggins to get one.

 

That is a tough pill to swallow, but this team is eventually going to need one if they are ever going to be a contender.

We'll be a perennial playoff team once Towns hits his peak, just like we were with KG. But, just like with KG, we'll be pretenders and not contenders until we can get our Sam Cassel.

[Pardon My Dinger]

There will be no getting rid of Wiggins. LaVine? Maybe. 

[ALessKosherScott]

I kind of wonder how much effect the minutes Wiggins and Lavine have had to play with the injuries to Rush and Muhammed came into play the last two games. Boston erased a 15-point lead in about seven minutes with a lineup that had Jaylen Brown on the floor last night. It seems the next piece this team needs is a great defensive wing off the bench. You have to wonder how long John Lucas is going to hold on to the last roster spot with three cromulent point guards on the roster and a dearth of wings.

 

On the bright side, the Timberwolves draft slot on DraftExpress right now projects to OG Anouby and Jonathan Isaac on NBADraft.net-- both of whom could be that great defensive wing.

[Pardon My Dinger]

I kind of wonder how much effect the minutes Wiggins and Lavine have had to play with the injuries to Rush and Muhammed came into play the last two games. Boston erased a 15-point lead in about seven minutes ...

Fair point, but the ~7minute collapse has been happening since game one. All but four games by my count. The problem is that they can't handle momentum swings. They go into a panic and start making bad decisions, everyone trying to be a hero.

 

Kids...

[kab21]

 

I like your attitude. That's how I feel too. Just a damn shame though the way they throw games away, though. "Easy come, easy go" would be a fitting motto for this team right now. Elite at times, completely absent at others. 

It is so frustrating but you have to keep expectations realistic. I expect them to go on a 12-6 run at one point when they look capable of beating any team on any given night though.

 

I have noticed the increased minutes/game for starters and was wondering about what the effect is/will be. This was one of Thibs BIG controversies in Chicago.

[Mr. Brooks]

There will be no getting rid of Wiggins. LaVine? Maybe.

I actually think Wiggins is the perfect trade piece.

The scoring ability could blind another GM into ignoring that he's awful defensively and, frankly every area that's not scoring, and overpay for him.

He's still very young, so it's tempting to dream about what he could be with a well rounded game, I get that.

And I'd rather find a PG in free agency if we can, I'm not a Wiggins hater. But if there is nothing in FA and a team dangles a top 8 PG for Wiggins, I'd do it.

[Pardon My Dinger]

There's not one single point guard good enough AND young enough to justify giving up Wiggins. Not a single one. Please throw out a name.

[Pardon My Dinger]

Kyrie Irving is the only name that comes to mind, I guess, so there you go...

[Mr. Brooks]

Well you are clearly valuing Wiggins off his absolute ceiling rather than what he is now if you believe that.

It's fine, like I said I have nothing against Wiggins, I'm just not convinced he'll ever add another dimension or two to his game.

Good scorers are nice, but if they never develop any other parts of their game than they aren't really impact players.

 

I don't really care how they do it, aside from moving KAT obviously, but one way or another they need to add a legit PG or none of this exciting young talent is going to matter.

[Mr. Brooks]

There's not one single point guard good enough AND young enough to justify giving up Wiggins. Not a single one. Please throw out a name.

Westbrook

Lowry

Irving

Lillard

Thomas

Walker

Mudiay

[Pardon My Dinger]

Westbrook

Lowry

Irving

Lillard

Thomas

Walker

Mudiay

Westbrook for Wiggins...good one.

 

Lowry, Thomas, Lillard? Lillard?!! For Wiggins? Come on man. No one is going to make that move. And if I were Thibs & Co., neither would I. It just doesn't add up for anyone. So, sorry, guess we're stuck with the next James Harden.