Q-was-here wrote:We've now seen multiple games this year where KAT gets the ball and makes a huge shot in crunch time, either from 3 or driving it to the hoop. Did it really have to take 7 seasons to figure out how to get our best player the ball in these situations!? Finch has made it look pretty easy.
KAT finally has an elite head coach who understands how to use him. And he finally has high-caliber players around him in DLO and Edwards - something he hasn't had since Jimmy Butler left. With 20 games left, the Wolves are in 7th place in the West. Looking down in the standings, the Wolves are 1.5 games ahead of the 8th place Clippers and 5 games ahead of the 9th place Lakers. Looking up in the standings, the Wolves are 3.5 games behind the 5th place Mavs and 6th place Nuggets. So I'd say it's likely the Wolves finish anywhere from 5th to 8th. It would be huge if this team could follow up tonight's great win with a home win over the Warriors this week.
I don't know Lip.....I just don't think this team has the juice yet to really compete with the big boys. Yes, we get the occasional big win against a really good team (and they often have someone injured....), but we mostly get pushed around and spanked like what happened the other night against Philly. We need Ant to get really, really good over the next year or two. He can be a force of nature when rolling that not many other players in the league can match.
Still, this has been a nice step forward for this team overall. Big offseason coming up after what I expect to be a fairly swift exit from the playoffs.
I agree with you on all your points, Q. I'm not expecting the Wolves to beat the Warriors this week. The Wolves had some success early in the season defensively, but this team eventually settled into who they really are. And as you noted, they're not yet ready to compete with the big boys. They might surprise us with a win over the Warriors. But ultimately, I think this team will finish 7th or 8th, which would have meant an automatic playoff birth before the play-in tournament. I still think the Wolves can win a play in series against the Clippers or whoever they end up playing. I agree that whether this team takes it to the next level after this season depends on the development of Anthony Edwards. For now, I'll be satisfied if the Wolves make the playoffs. I'll be elated if they can finish 5th or 6th and avoid the play-in tournament.
Q and Lip, I have to disagree about the Wolves' chances tonight against the Warriors. Yes, GS is one of the Big Boys...but only if they are healthy. And they're not even close. While the Wolves will be at full strength tonight, the Warriors will be missing three players who would be starting if they were healthy (Green, Thompson and Wiseman) plus a defensive bench stalwart (Iguodala). Beyond that, Bjelica is questionable. Vegas has the Warriors favored by 1, but maybe the Klay news hasn't adjusted the line yet. Throw everyone you have at Curry. Just like last night, this is a game we have to win. Yes, the Wolves have had extraordinary injury fortune this season, but they have also done what they had to do when they play teams missing multiple starters. Tonight is one of those nights.
Q-was-here wrote:We've now seen multiple games this year where KAT gets the ball and makes a huge shot in crunch time, either from 3 or driving it to the hoop. Did it really have to take 7 seasons to figure out how to get our best player the ball in these situations!? Finch has made it look pretty easy.
KAT finally has an elite head coach who understands how to use him. And he finally has high-caliber players around him in DLO and Edwards - something he hasn't had since Jimmy Butler left. With 20 games left, the Wolves are in 7th place in the West. Looking down in the standings, the Wolves are 1.5 games ahead of the 8th place Clippers and 5 games ahead of the 9th place Lakers. Looking up in the standings, the Wolves are 3.5 games behind the 5th place Mavs and 6th place Nuggets. So I'd say it's likely the Wolves finish anywhere from 5th to 8th. It would be huge if this team could follow up tonight's great win with a home win over the Warriors this week.
I don't know Lip.....I just don't think this team has the juice yet to really compete with the big boys. Yes, we get the occasional big win against a really good team (and they often have someone injured....), but we mostly get pushed around and spanked like what happened the other night against Philly. We need Ant to get really, really good over the next year or two. He can be a force of nature when rolling that not many other players in the league can match.
Still, this has been a nice step forward for this team overall. Big offseason coming up after what I expect to be a fairly swift exit from the playoffs.
I agree with you on all your points, Q. I'm not expecting the Wolves to beat the Warriors this week. The Wolves had some success early in the season defensively, but this team eventually settled into who they really are. And as you noted, they're not yet ready to compete with the big boys. They might surprise us with a win over the Warriors. But ultimately, I think this team will finish 7th or 8th, which would have meant an automatic playoff birth before the play-in tournament. I still think the Wolves can win a play in series against the Clippers or whoever they end up playing. I agree that whether this team takes it to the next level after this season depends on the development of Anthony Edwards. For now, I'll be satisfied if the Wolves make the playoffs. I'll be elated if they can finish 5th or 6th and avoid the play-in tournament.
Q and Lip, I have to disagree about the Wolves' chances tonight against the Warriors. Yes, GS is one of the Big Boys...but only if they are healthy. And they're not even close. While the Wolves will be at full strength tonight, the Warriors will be missing three players who would be starting if they were healthy (Green, Thompson and Wiseman) plus a defensive bench stalwart (Iguodala). Beyond that, Bjelica is questionable. Vegas has the Warriors favored by 1, but maybe the Klay news hasn't adjusted the line yet. Throw everyone you have at Curry. Just like last night, this is a game we have to win. Yes, the Wolves have had extraordinary injury fortune this season, but they have also done what they had to do when they play teams missing multiple starters. Tonight is one of those nights.
Good analysis, FNG. I didn't realize that Thompson was out and I hadn't seen the Vegas line.
Q-was-here wrote:Yeah, I didn't look at the injury report. So YET AGAIN, we are gifted an opponent with some key guys out.
Still, it is the second night of a back to back, which given our history in these situations means we can book this as a loss.
Fair point. A lot of factors to consider. GS is missing 3 starters (including 2 perennial all-stars) and at least 1 and maybe 2 key bench players, and has lost 5 of their last seven. But we are notoriously bad on the second night of BTBs. I still think we have to beat a team that is starting Kevin Looney and Moses Moody. This has to be the night where we get the back-to-back monkey off our backs.
Q-was-here wrote:Yeah, I didn't look at the injury report. So YET AGAIN, we are gifted an opponent with some key guys out.
Still, it is the second night of a back to back, which given our history in these situations means we can book this as a loss.
Fair point. A lot of factors to consider. GS is missing 3 starters (including 2 perennial all-stars) and at least 1 and maybe 2 key bench players, and has lost 5 of their last seven. But we are notoriously bad on the second night of BTBs. I still think we have to beat a team that is starting Kevin Looney and Moses Moody. This has to be the night where we get the back-to-back monkey off our backs.
It's not a road back-to-back, so the Wolves legendary record stays intact even with a win!
By the way, that was Minnesota's 33rd win of the season. Their next victory will trigger the over on the early betting lines in Vegas (33.4). It's only March 1st with 20 games left to play. Ruh-roh.
Camden wrote:By the way, that was Minnesota's 33rd win of the season. Their next victory will trigger the over on the early betting lines in Vegas (33.4). It's only March 1st with 20 games left to play. Ruh-roh.
Camden wrote:By the way, that was Minnesota's 33rd win of the season. Their next victory will trigger the over on the early betting lines in Vegas (33.4). It's only March 1st with 20 games left to play. Ruh-roh.
Cant wait to cash in that $300 bet baby!!!
33 lucky wins and counting! Too bad the standings don't know the difference. They certainly didn't when Minnesota had bad luck of their own.
Maybe look for another bet to throw some of your winnings into! I'm sure you can find something worthwhile.
Camden wrote:By the way, that was Minnesota's 33rd win of the season. Their next victory will trigger the over on the early betting lines in Vegas (33.4). It's only March 1st with 20 games left to play. Ruh-roh.
Cant wait to cash in that $300 bet baby!!!
33 lucky wins and counting! Too bad the standings don't know the difference. They certainly didn't when Minnesota had bad luck of their own.
Maybe look for another bet to throw some of your winnings into! I'm sure you can find something worthwhile.
$100 on Buxton 12-1 I will bet to the end of time. Because if he's healthy he can win the MVP. Problem is never strings 162 games together but God damn I was happy man in April with my bet.
