The Fred VanVleet Audition - Raptors at Wolves GDT

[Q-is-here]

I half watched the game and was about ready to turn it off down 14 points with less that 10 mins to go in the 4th Quarter. I was about to cuss DLo's name from the roof top too.

But what a remarkable comeback and props to DLO for nailing four consecutive 3pt shots. Its wins like this that can turn seasons around. Hopefully this win does

Unfortunately we have thought that multiple times, only to be profoundly disappointed within days by a bad loss.

Such is the life of a .500-ish team. You're going to have some pretty cool games to get to 40 wins. You are also going to have some awful losses.

So true. But we're fortunate to have the least disciplined team in the league for our next two games, and they're on a 12-game losing streak. We need to keep our heads above water until (hopefully) we come back healthy.

Agreed. These must be the worst calf strains in history! I probably miss Lil' Mac more than KAT. Kyle Anderson may be a more effective player in this current iteration of the Wolves than KAT. I hate to say that, but he just seems so damn effective out there....and does so without all the histrionics.

[FNG]

Odd game last night, but I'm feeling quite good after gutting out a win...especially after what I thought was an excellent team performance against Denver the night before. Q is right...we don't win that game without Russell's superb clutch shooting in the 4th quarter. We're going to get that every 10-15 games or so, and it's always exciting to watch when he gets hot...very Jamal Crawford-like. But do we even need DLo's 4th quarter heroics if he (and Ant, by the way) play any defense at all in the first three quarters? I noted a couple times what Kekgeek noted... the veterans showing their disgust for DLo's hanging around in the paint rather than rotating to the perimeter shooter. It's what I see on the faces of several of our coaches when I go to games. Maybe, just maybe, our veterans can get Russell to play defense consistently like he did for moments in the 4th quarter...that would really change the fortunes of this team.

But I'm going to celebrate last night's win, because I almost bailed at the end of the 3rd quarter. Kyle Anderson is an incredible basketball player...I've said it before, but I would love to see him as our starting PG when KAT returns (he says it's his best position), with whoever is hot between DLo and Nowell providing fire power off the bench.

Ant has taken a step back the past two games, but two other young guys are finally playing the way we hoped they would. McDaniels impresses me more and more each game defensively, and he's now scoring reliably from the corners while also showing some nifty moves in the paint. And how about Jaylen Nowell the past 5 games? His 3-point shot is still off, but his ability to create and convert his mid-range shot is getting better and better. And while he's not always effective on defense, you can't question his effort. I'm not giving up on his chances of being a solid contributor off the bench.

Great win...now let's take 2 off of Houston!

[Q-is-here]

Odd game last night, but I'm feeling quite good after gutting out a win...especially after what I thought was an excellent team performance against Denver the night before. Q is right...we don't win that game without Russell's superb clutch shooting in the 4th quarter. We're going to get that every 10-15 games or so, and it's always exciting to watch when he gets hot...very Jamal Crawford-like. But do we even need DLo's 4th quarter heroics if he (and Ant, by the way) play any defense at all in the first three quarters? I noted a couple times what Kekgeek noted... the veterans showing their disgust for DLo's hanging around in the paint rather than rotating to the perimeter shooter. It's what I see on the faces of several of our coaches when I go to games. Maybe, just maybe, our veterans can get Russell to play defense consistently like he did for moments in the 4th quarter...that would really change the fortunes of this team.

But I'm going to celebrate last night's win, because I almost bailed at the end of the 3rd quarter. Kyle Anderson is an incredible basketball player...I've said it before, but I would love to see him as our starting PG when KAT returns (he says it's his best position), with whoever is hot between DLo and Nowell providing fire power off the bench.

Ant has taken a step back the past two games, but two other young guys are finally playing the way we hoped they would. McDaniels impresses me more and more each game defensively, and he's now scoring reliably from the corners while also showing some nifty moves in the paint. And how about Jaylen Nowell the past 5 games? His 3-point shot is still off, but his ability to create and convert his mid-range shot is getting better and better. And while he's not always effective on defense, you can't question his effort. I'm not giving up on his chances of being a solid contributor off the bench.

Great win...now let's take 2 off of Houston!

So you are proposing an Anderson, Ant, Jaden, KAT, and Gobert starting lineup if we are fully healthy and DLO is traded or otherwise dispositioned? That is a really interesting thought.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Abe's Late Late Night DVR Review (and Nap):

- I fell asleep after playing hoops, woke up, started watching... fell back asleep... woke up... fell back asleep... you get the point.

- The Timberwolves seem to be figuring things out. I really like that they didn't settle for Wednesday's "moral victory." Fuck moral victories. Win games. Even games when you're down double digits late on the back end of a back-to-back. Playoff teams win those games (sometimes).

- But... I noticed Naz Reid looked lousy. Yuck.

- The Timberwolves didn't play defense in the 1st half. But sounds like that turned around in the 4th quarter. WOW.

- And apparently, we saw Russell carry the team to victory (during one of my longer naps). Obviously, he has it in him. He's done it before. HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH... especially when it comes with its own unique sort of baggage. I feel like his situation is hanging over the team (or at least the fanbase) right now.

- Kyle Anderson sneakily has helped save the season. He's had one other run in his career where he was a more integral part of the offense. Eventually, he hit a bit of a wall, but the guy is one of the better plug-and-play guys in the Association right now. He can fill so many different roles. I just worry about how his game will be once the athleticism is gone. ahem.

- Toronto confuses me. They seem to have a legit starting 5, but they're only 20 - 26.

Anunoby (would bring back a ton in a trade)
Siakam (25/8/6) right now!
Barnes (prized 2nd year player, ROY)
Gary Trent
VanVleet

Now... the bench is BAD. The starters simply play too many minutes (Fred, OG and Pascal all play 36+ mpg). And there must be a fit issue going on, too. They have a bunch of long-limbed guys who can do multiple things surrounding a pint-sized PG who can't finish inside. Every time I think it will work... it doesn't quite get done. Case in point... yesterday.

- Please Mr. Timberwolves Players... don't let up vs. the woeful Houston Rockets. That would be so Wolvesian of you. Don't be like that. Be better. We deserve it.

Thanks guys!

[Coolbreeze44]

This win was emblematic of this team's identity. The team was built to score. Not having KAT's 23-25 efficient points per game hurts a lot for that reason. But it's still a scoring team with Edwards, DLO, Nowell, Naz and the remaining cast. In the previous game against Denver, the Wolves scored a lot of points but came up just short with Edwards and DLO below their scoring averages. In this game, Edwards and DLO both did what they can do offensively and the result was a win. Some would argue that DLO's performance enhances his trade value and enhances the opportunity to trade him for good value. I would argue that tonight's game is a reason to keep him. As I've said before, his has his faults but he's a guy who can put the team on his shoulders and turn what should be a loss into a win. That's what he did tonight, but he's done it a number of times including last season's play-in game against the Clippers.

Tonight's game also underscored the value of Kyle Anderson. Cam has been critical of Finch's coaching this season for good reason even though we've disagreed about that from time to time, but he appropriately praised his coaching tonight. I've been highly critical of Connelly for the Gobert deal, but I'll take this opportunity to praise him as I have before for signing Anderson.

Edwards, Anderson, McDaniels and Prince can all defend as well as score and it looks like McDaniels is starting to take a bit of a leap offensively. So there's no reason this team should be terrible defensively. Our front office needs to recognize who we are with Ant as our centerpiece - i.e., an offensively skilled, high-scoring team. As this organization continues to build this team, it should focus on and have a roster suited to that identity. That's why Nowell still makes sense for this team in spite of how frustrating he can be at times. He's still young and there's more growth there we can and should expect from him. I'd add Garza to the list of players on this roster I view as keepers along with Ant, McDaniels, Anderson, Prince and KAT. DLO remains a question mark in my mind, but tonight's game was reminder that he could be a good long-term fit.

Thanks Lip, we will check in with you after the next game to get your latest knee jerk reactions.

[FNG]

Odd game last night, but I'm feeling quite good after gutting out a win...especially after what I thought was an excellent team performance against Denver the night before. Q is right...we don't win that game without Russell's superb clutch shooting in the 4th quarter. We're going to get that every 10-15 games or so, and it's always exciting to watch when he gets hot...very Jamal Crawford-like. But do we even need DLo's 4th quarter heroics if he (and Ant, by the way) play any defense at all in the first three quarters? I noted a couple times what Kekgeek noted... the veterans showing their disgust for DLo's hanging around in the paint rather than rotating to the perimeter shooter. It's what I see on the faces of several of our coaches when I go to games. Maybe, just maybe, our veterans can get Russell to play defense consistently like he did for moments in the 4th quarter...that would really change the fortunes of this team.

But I'm going to celebrate last night's win, because I almost bailed at the end of the 3rd quarter. Kyle Anderson is an incredible basketball player...I've said it before, but I would love to see him as our starting PG when KAT returns (he says it's his best position), with whoever is hot between DLo and Nowell providing fire power off the bench.

Ant has taken a step back the past two games, but two other young guys are finally playing the way we hoped they would. McDaniels impresses me more and more each game defensively, and he's now scoring reliably from the corners while also showing some nifty moves in the paint. And how about Jaylen Nowell the past 5 games? His 3-point shot is still off, but his ability to create and convert his mid-range shot is getting better and better. And while he's not always effective on defense, you can't question his effort. I'm not giving up on his chances of being a solid contributor off the bench.

Great win...now let's take 2 off of Houston!

So you are proposing an Anderson, Ant, Jaden, KAT, and Gobert starting lineup if we are fully healthy and DLO is traded or otherwise dispositioned? That is a really interesting thought.

I don't think it would happen, Q, unless Russell were traded without getting a starting caliber PG in return, but I would love to see it. I was living in LA when Kyle was playing PG ahead of Lavine at UCLA, and I always marveled at the way he ran an offense. But Pop decided he was a SF, not a PG, and there was no room for him at PG for Memphis either with Conley and Morant. I think his three teams have done him a disservice playing him at forward, when he had so much success in college as a facilitating guard and has always called himself a PG. SloMo has a 9.6 positive rating with Rudy and 9 with Jaden, and he's also positive with KAT and Ant. I think he could really unlock Rudy's offensive potential, and we would also have a very long and effective defense. Plus, many of us have dreamed of DLO in a 6th man role...he would provide offense off the bench, and it would be much easier to hide him on defense against reserves.

I like this rotation even more if JMac is ever able to recover from the worst calf history ever, and can be our PG off the bench....this allows DLo to play off-ball in a more of a SG role.

Makes too much sense...probably why it won't happen :cry: .

[kekgeek]

Odd game last night, but I'm feeling quite good after gutting out a win...especially after what I thought was an excellent team performance against Denver the night before. Q is right...we don't win that game without Russell's superb clutch shooting in the 4th quarter. We're going to get that every 10-15 games or so, and it's always exciting to watch when he gets hot...very Jamal Crawford-like. But do we even need DLo's 4th quarter heroics if he (and Ant, by the way) play any defense at all in the first three quarters? I noted a couple times what Kekgeek noted... the veterans showing their disgust for DLo's hanging around in the paint rather than rotating to the perimeter shooter. It's what I see on the faces of several of our coaches when I go to games. Maybe, just maybe, our veterans can get Russell to play defense consistently like he did for moments in the 4th quarter...that would really change the fortunes of this team.

But I'm going to celebrate last night's win, because I almost bailed at the end of the 3rd quarter. Kyle Anderson is an incredible basketball player...I've said it before, but I would love to see him as our starting PG when KAT returns (he says it's his best position), with whoever is hot between DLo and Nowell providing fire power off the bench.

Ant has taken a step back the past two games, but two other young guys are finally playing the way we hoped they would. McDaniels impresses me more and more each game defensively, and he's now scoring reliably from the corners while also showing some nifty moves in the paint. And how about Jaylen Nowell the past 5 games? His 3-point shot is still off, but his ability to create and convert his mid-range shot is getting better and better. And while he's not always effective on defense, you can't question his effort. I'm not giving up on his chances of being a solid contributor off the bench.

Great win...now let's take 2 off of Houston!

So you are proposing an Anderson, Ant, Jaden, KAT, and Gobert starting lineup if we are fully healthy and DLO is traded or otherwise dispositioned? That is a really interesting thought.

I don't think it would happen, Q, unless Russell were traded without getting a starting caliber PG in return, but I would love to see it. I was living in LA when Kyle was playing PG ahead of Lavine at UCLA, and I always marveled at the way he ran an offense. But Pop decided he was a SF, not a PG, and there was no room for him at PG for Memphis either with Conley and Morant. I think his three teams have done him a disservice playing him at forward, when he had so much success in college as a facilitating guard and has always called himself a PG. SloMo has a 9.6 positive rating with Rudy and 9 with Jaden, and he's also positive with KAT and Ant. I think he could really unlock Rudy's offensive potential, and we would also have a very long and effective defense. Plus, many of us have dreamed of DLO in a 6th man role...he would provide offense off the bench, and it would be much easier to hide him on defense against reserves.

I like this rotation even more if JMac is ever able to recover from the worst calf history ever, and can be our PG off the bench....this allows DLo to play off-ball in a more of a SG role.

Makes too much sense...probably why it won't happen :cry: .

The 4 man unit is Slow Mo/Ant/Jaden/Gobert have have been so freaking good this year. That 4 man unit is in the 98th percentile of all nba lineups at a +13.3 pts per 100 possessions. That 4 man unit most common 5th has been Dlo and that has also been fantastic +14.2 per 100 possessions 82nd percentile. Lineups when when 4 man unit plays and that fifth isn't Dlo (33% of possessions that 4 man unit has played without Dlo, 66% with) is also fantastic 11.4 pts per 100 possessions (96th percentile). Prince as their fifth have destroyed people but small sample size. When that 5th man he a big (Kat or Naz) it has been really bad but it's legit only 10 possessions so you can't anything from that.

Just overall I don't care who starts but that 4 man unit should play together a ton though out the game.

[Q-is-here]

Odd game last night, but I'm feeling quite good after gutting out a win...especially after what I thought was an excellent team performance against Denver the night before. Q is right...we don't win that game without Russell's superb clutch shooting in the 4th quarter. We're going to get that every 10-15 games or so, and it's always exciting to watch when he gets hot...very Jamal Crawford-like. But do we even need DLo's 4th quarter heroics if he (and Ant, by the way) play any defense at all in the first three quarters? I noted a couple times what Kekgeek noted... the veterans showing their disgust for DLo's hanging around in the paint rather than rotating to the perimeter shooter. It's what I see on the faces of several of our coaches when I go to games. Maybe, just maybe, our veterans can get Russell to play defense consistently like he did for moments in the 4th quarter...that would really change the fortunes of this team.

But I'm going to celebrate last night's win, because I almost bailed at the end of the 3rd quarter. Kyle Anderson is an incredible basketball player...I've said it before, but I would love to see him as our starting PG when KAT returns (he says it's his best position), with whoever is hot between DLo and Nowell providing fire power off the bench.

Ant has taken a step back the past two games, but two other young guys are finally playing the way we hoped they would. McDaniels impresses me more and more each game defensively, and he's now scoring reliably from the corners while also showing some nifty moves in the paint. And how about Jaylen Nowell the past 5 games? His 3-point shot is still off, but his ability to create and convert his mid-range shot is getting better and better. And while he's not always effective on defense, you can't question his effort. I'm not giving up on his chances of being a solid contributor off the bench.

Great win...now let's take 2 off of Houston!

So you are proposing an Anderson, Ant, Jaden, KAT, and Gobert starting lineup if we are fully healthy and DLO is traded or otherwise dispositioned? That is a really interesting thought.

I don't think it would happen, Q, unless Russell were traded without getting a starting caliber PG in return, but I would love to see it. I was living in LA when Kyle was playing PG ahead of Lavine at UCLA, and I always marveled at the way he ran an offense. But Pop decided he was a SF, not a PG, and there was no room for him at PG for Memphis either with Conley and Morant. I think his three teams have done him a disservice playing him at forward, when he had so much success in college as a facilitating guard and has always called himself a PG. SloMo has a 9.6 positive rating with Rudy and 9 with Jaden, and he's also positive with KAT and Ant. I think he could really unlock Rudy's offensive potential, and we would also have a very long and effective defense. Plus, many of us have dreamed of DLO in a 6th man role...he would provide offense off the bench, and it would be much easier to hide him on defense against reserves.

I like this rotation even more if JMac is ever able to recover from the worst calf history ever, and can be our PG off the bench....this allows DLo to play off-ball in a more of a SG role.

Makes too much sense...probably why it won't happen :cry: .

The 4 man unit is Slow Mo/Ant/Jaden/Gobert have have been so freaking good this year. That 4 man unit is in the 98th percentile of all nba lineups at a +13.3 pts per 100 possessions. That 4 man unit most common 5th has been Dlo and that has also been fantastic +14.2 per 100 possessions 82nd percentile. Lineups when when 4 man unit plays and that fifth isn't Dlo (33% of possessions that 4 man unit has played without Dlo, 66% with) is also fantastic 11.4 pts per 100 possessions (96th percentile). Prince as their fifth have destroyed people but small sample size. When that 5th man he a big (Kat or Naz) it has been really bad but it's legit only 10 possessions so you can't anything from that.

Just overall I don't care who starts but that 4 man unit should play together a ton though out the game.

I think one thing that has really helped SloMo (and it's also very un-Wolves like) is that the shooting gods have smiled upon him this season. You just can't leave him open out there without some sort of close out. He will make those open 3's.

Having said that, the 5th guy in that 4-man lineup does need to be a shooter since Gobert is also in the game, so it should either be Prince, KAT, or DLO.

[Q-is-here]

Abe's Late Late Night DVR Review (and Nap):

- I fell asleep after playing hoops, woke up, started watching... fell back asleep... woke up... fell back asleep... you get the point.

- The Timberwolves seem to be figuring things out. I really like that they didn't settle for Wednesday's "moral victory." Fuck moral victories. Win games. Even games when you're down double digits late on the back end of a back-to-back. Playoff teams win those games (sometimes).

- But... I noticed Naz Reid looked lousy. Yuck.

- The Timberwolves didn't play defense in the 1st half. But sounds like that turned around in the 4th quarter. WOW.

- And apparently, we saw Russell carry the team to victory (during one of my longer naps). Obviously, he has it in him. He's done it before. HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH... especially when it comes with its own unique sort of baggage. I feel like his situation is hanging over the team (or at least the fanbase) right now.

- Kyle Anderson sneakily has helped save the season. He's had one other run in his career where he was a more integral part of the offense. Eventually, he hit a bit of a wall, but the guy is one of the better plug-and-play guys in the Association right now. He can fill so many different roles. I just worry about how his game will be once the athleticism is gone. ahem.

- Toronto confuses me. They seem to have a legit starting 5, but they're only 20 - 26.

Anunoby (would bring back a ton in a trade)
Siakam (25/8/6) right now!
Barnes (prized 2nd year player, ROY)
Gary Trent
VanVleet

Now... the bench is BAD. The starters simply play too many minutes (Fred, OG and Pascal all play 36+ mpg). And there must be a fit issue going on, too. They have a bunch of long-limbed guys who can do multiple things surrounding a pint-sized PG who can't finish inside. Every time I think it will work... it doesn't quite get done. Case in point... yesterday.

- Please Mr. Timberwolves Players... don't let up vs. the woeful Houston Rockets. That would be so Wolvesian of you. Don't be like that. Be better. We deserve it.

Thanks guys!

I found myself thinking the same thing about Toronto....Seems like they should be better than they are, as they have a number of coveted assets. I think their problem is similar to ours: They rarely have a guy that is clearly the best player on the floor on any given night. Add a legit star to their team and they could make a lot more noise in the East.

[FNG]

Odd game last night, but I'm feeling quite good after gutting out a win...especially after what I thought was an excellent team performance against Denver the night before. Q is right...we don't win that game without Russell's superb clutch shooting in the 4th quarter. We're going to get that every 10-15 games or so, and it's always exciting to watch when he gets hot...very Jamal Crawford-like. But do we even need DLo's 4th quarter heroics if he (and Ant, by the way) play any defense at all in the first three quarters? I noted a couple times what Kekgeek noted... the veterans showing their disgust for DLo's hanging around in the paint rather than rotating to the perimeter shooter. It's what I see on the faces of several of our coaches when I go to games. Maybe, just maybe, our veterans can get Russell to play defense consistently like he did for moments in the 4th quarter...that would really change the fortunes of this team.

But I'm going to celebrate last night's win, because I almost bailed at the end of the 3rd quarter. Kyle Anderson is an incredible basketball player...I've said it before, but I would love to see him as our starting PG when KAT returns (he says it's his best position), with whoever is hot between DLo and Nowell providing fire power off the bench.

Ant has taken a step back the past two games, but two other young guys are finally playing the way we hoped they would. McDaniels impresses me more and more each game defensively, and he's now scoring reliably from the corners while also showing some nifty moves in the paint. And how about Jaylen Nowell the past 5 games? His 3-point shot is still off, but his ability to create and convert his mid-range shot is getting better and better. And while he's not always effective on defense, you can't question his effort. I'm not giving up on his chances of being a solid contributor off the bench.

Great win...now let's take 2 off of Houston!

So you are proposing an Anderson, Ant, Jaden, KAT, and Gobert starting lineup if we are fully healthy and DLO is traded or otherwise dispositioned? That is a really interesting thought.

I don't think it would happen, Q, unless Russell were traded without getting a starting caliber PG in return, but I would love to see it. I was living in LA when Kyle was playing PG ahead of Lavine at UCLA, and I always marveled at the way he ran an offense. But Pop decided he was a SF, not a PG, and there was no room for him at PG for Memphis either with Conley and Morant. I think his three teams have done him a disservice playing him at forward, when he had so much success in college as a facilitating guard and has always called himself a PG. SloMo has a 9.6 positive rating with Rudy and 9 with Jaden, and he's also positive with KAT and Ant. I think he could really unlock Rudy's offensive potential, and we would also have a very long and effective defense. Plus, many of us have dreamed of DLO in a 6th man role...he would provide offense off the bench, and it would be much easier to hide him on defense against reserves.

I like this rotation even more if JMac is ever able to recover from the worst calf history ever, and can be our PG off the bench....this allows DLo to play off-ball in a more of a SG role.

Makes too much sense...probably why it won't happen :cry: .

The 4 man unit is Slow Mo/Ant/Jaden/Gobert have have been so freaking good this year. That 4 man unit is in the 98th percentile of all nba lineups at a +13.3 pts per 100 possessions. That 4 man unit most common 5th has been Dlo and that has also been fantastic +14.2 per 100 possessions 82nd percentile. Lineups when when 4 man unit plays and that fifth isn't Dlo (33% of possessions that 4 man unit has played without Dlo, 66% with) is also fantastic 11.4 pts per 100 possessions (96th percentile). Prince as their fifth have destroyed people but small sample size. When that 5th man he a big (Kat or Naz) it has been really bad but it's legit only 10 possessions so you can't anything from that.

Just overall I don't care who starts but that 4 man unit should play together a ton though out the game.

So true. Starting is overrated, it's who finishes that's most important. And as in so many discussions, DLo is the A topic. There are nights like last night when we are going to need him at the end of games if he's hot. But there will be many more games where his defense is too much of a liability to protect a lead at the end of games. Finchie doesn't have many options with our injuries, but he has shown me he can be trusted to put the right guys out there at crunch time when we're at full strength.