FNG wrote:WARNING: PESSIMISM ALERT. OPTIMISTS READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
I write this post fully expecting to be eviscerated...but I'm not a snowflake like KAT, so I can take it. And I won't feel that I have to forgive any of you...or Thibs for that matter!
I'm reading some of the posts in this thread about what might constitute a successful season, and I find myself more in agreement with WolvesFan21 than most of the other posters who I feel might be satisfied with mediocrity. We need to have higher expectations. I need much more to consider this season a success. While I'm rube enough to get excited about squeezing into the playoffs this season (which I think we certainly will) and I'll pull every string to get tickets to any home playoff game, HOW we are getting to the playoffs has to be considered when concluding on the long-term prospects for this Rosas-created roster. That is, if you tend to take the long view like I tend to do...long-term success over momentary gratification is my mantra. My fear is that there is an intangible about the leadership on this roster (and I admit KAT's behavior and comments are coloring my opinion) that will always lead to our performing at a level below what our individual talent would indicate. And making the playoffs will give Gupta the cover he needs to not make any significant changes to the roster. And I'm convinced we need changes.
Here's my concern. We all agree that injuries impacted our record last year...most of us think we were better than a 23-win team last season. Well, it's disingenuous to conclude differently in a season where we have been extraordinarily fortunate with respect to injuries. Not only have we been the third healthiest team in the league in terms of man games lost (only Charlotte and OkC have had fewer man games lost), we have also been incredibly fortunate with injuries to key players on our opponents in most of our games. I took a look at our 22 wins, and could only identify 5 games where the opponent wasn't either missing their best player or at least one or more key starters. The only wins where we beat a healthy team were 4 wins against dreadful OkC, the Kings and the Spurs (we're better than those three teams) and what I would call the one signature win of the season...the home win against a healthy Miami team that had us all feeling quite optimistic. We've managed to avoid LeBron, Steph, Kawhi, Zion, Murray, Brooks, George, Luka, Jaylen Brown, Draymond Green, and many other impactful players...wow, there are a few Hall of Famers in there that we were lucky to miss. And let's face it...this kind of luck won't last forever.
My solution? I don't frickin' know. Some here thing we need help on the wing, and some say we need more size up front. I don't disagree. But how do you bring in meaningful talent? 1)through cap space, which we don't have. 2) through trades, but almost nobody here wants to give up any of our Big Three, and frankly nobody except Mrs. Jester wants Jake Layman (even though he seems to appear in every trade we propose here). or 3) through the draft...but sneaking into the playoffs leaves us out of the lottery where true game-changing talent is hard to find. So that's why I'm perhaps the only one here still on the Simmons train, or why I would not be opposed to blowing things up and rebuilding...again. Our bizarre injury luck isn't going to continue, and I'm not prepared to accept a ceiling of first round exits.
So I'll continue to watch every game because I find this team entertaining, and maybe a win over the Nets tomorrow (missing their best player...what a surprise!) will improve my mood. But I'm tired of being disappointed by this franchise, and I don't want to accept mediocrity. I'm hoping Lore and ARod feel the same way and push Gupta to do some major reshuffling before the trade deadline.
Okay, fire away...
Can we stop with the luck thing. The Timberwolves statistically have the best starting lineup in the NBA. That starting lineup has started only 16 games together. So only 35.5% of the time the Wolves have been able to start the statistically lineup in basketball.
Pat Bev has missed about 30% of the season. Dlo about 25% of the season. Kat about 20% of the season.
I like you FNG but sometimes I don't get you. Before the season the Wolves opened up at 34.5 wins and you went on huge thing about how good the Vegas number is. Now according to 538.com the Wolves are projected for 42 wins 7.5 more wins over there preason Vegas number. What would be the 3rd best overachiever compared to preseason Vegas number in the NBA. (Only behind the Cavs and the Suns).
So before the season you argued so much about the Vegas number and how much it means and now the Wolves are the 3rd biggest "overachiever" in the NBA and you are dissatisfied. I just don't get it.
This championship or bust culture is so toxic also. In the NBA there hasn't been a team that has won the title without a top 8ish player in the NBA since the Pistons in the early 2000s. Right now the wolves are developing a team that could consistently make the playoffs and trying to develop Ant into that top 8 player. Also Wolves will need to continue to raise their young players value so they either become great or can be used as big pieces in a trade.
I love what the Wolves are doing right now. They have a young talented playoff team. With a potential top tier player in the NBA in Ant. They have young pieces that could develop into greatness in McDaniels, Nowell and Naz (less confidence on Naz).
Let it play out. The Wolves have a really young competitive team that has massive options going forward. Also by your preseason love of Vegas Win Totals the Wolves are the 3rd most successful team in the NBA this year.
