Merry Christmas - GDT

[AbeVigodaLive]

You have to make the defense move as the ball handler. You can't just stand there and expect someone to get open. The ball handler needs to draw the second defender before that pass actually becomes open. A post up 15ft from the rim in the triple threat position doesn't draw an extra defender so any movement should be blocked by the defender that should be between his man and the basket. Kanter didn't just stand there waiting for people to get open. He actually posted his guy up and backed down to the hoop forcing the extra defender opening up the pass. Our post up plays from Wiggins and Towns rarely draw an extra defender so there is nowhere to pass the ball. We just have no ability to pressure the defense into poor position while also not being able to make the right pass in that situation anyway. It feels like most possessions we settle for what they wanted us to do in the first place.

Yuck.

Again, the Wolves labor to take contested shots in a very passive way. Every game. Having Rubio walk it up to throw it to Wiggins with a guy right on him in the high post or to watch Towns/Wiggins jab, jab, jab before finally going vs. a set defense? Meh.

We see what happens when you constantly pressure a defense... eventually they break. The Wolves broke. Busted. Destroyed.

After following the team for 27 years, I'm used to losing. I don't live or die with losses. I'm pretty laid back about it. But I enjoy NBA basketball... and this team is not a fun NBA team to watch.

So void of energy and life. The best plays are usually in isolation. Meh. Not the type of game I enjoy watching if I had a choice. But I'm a provincial rube, so...


[Note: I know he doesn't shoot often... so the number of times Rubio misses a layup directly at the rim without pressure is actually sort of alarming...]

[Hicks123 [enjin:6700838]]

You have to make the defense move as the ball handler. You can't just stand there and expect someone to get open. The ball handler needs to draw the second defender before that pass actually becomes open. A post up 15ft from the rim in the triple threat position doesn't draw an extra defender so any movement should be blocked by the defender that should be between his man and the basket. Kanter didn't just stand there waiting for people to get open. He actually posted his guy up and backed down to the hoop forcing the extra defender opening up the pass. Our post up plays from Wiggins and Towns rarely draw an extra defender so there is nowhere to pass the ball. We just have no ability to pressure the defense into poor position while also not being able to make the right pass in that situation anyway. It feels like most possessions we settle for what they wanted us to do in the first place.

Yuck.

Again, the Wolves labor to take contested shots in a very passive way. Every game. Having Rubio walk it up to throw it to Wiggins with a guy right on him in the high post or to watch Towns/Wiggins jab, jab, jab before finally going vs. a set defense? Meh.

We see what happens when you constantly pressure a defense... eventually they break. The Wolves broke. Busted. Destroyed.

After following the team for 27 years, I'm used to losing. I don't live or die with losses. I'm pretty laid back about it. But I enjoy NBA basketball... and this team is not a fun NBA team to watch.

So void of energy and life. The best plays are usually in isolation. Meh. Not the type of game I enjoy watching if I had a choice. But I'm a provincial rube, so...


[Note: I know he doesn't shoot often... so the number of times Rubio misses a layup directly at the rim without pressure is actually sort of alarming...]

Solid take. I agree. And regarding your take on Rubio.....100% agree. We have 11/12 year old kids in our basketball organization that I would take 100% of the time over Rubio if we needed a layup or 3 ball.

[Brooklyn_Wolves [enjin:14608167]]

I think that Aldrich is a big oaf with poor hands. But if there were a game to play him big minutes it was the Thunder game with Adams of Kanter always on the floor. So another head-scratcher by Thibs. But Hill actually is a better player than Aldrich so I don't mind him playing vs lighter front-courts.

[Lipoli390]

You have to make the defense move as the ball handler. You can't just stand there and expect someone to get open. The ball handler needs to draw the second defender before that pass actually becomes open. A post up 15ft from the rim in the triple threat position doesn't draw an extra defender so any movement should be blocked by the defender that should be between his man and the basket. Kanter didn't just stand there waiting for people to get open. He actually posted his guy up and backed down to the hoop forcing the extra defender opening up the pass. Our post up plays from Wiggins and Towns rarely draw an extra defender so there is nowhere to pass the ball. We just have no ability to pressure the defense into poor position while also not being able to make the right pass in that situation anyway. It feels like most possessions we settle for what they wanted us to do in the first place.

Yuck.

Again, the Wolves labor to take contested shots in a very passive way. Every game. Having Rubio walk it up to throw it to Wiggins with a guy right on him in the high post or to watch Towns/Wiggins jab, jab, jab before finally going vs. a set defense? Meh.

We see what happens when you constantly pressure a defense... eventually they break. The Wolves broke. Busted. Destroyed.

After following the team for 27 years, I'm used to losing. I don't live or die with losses. I'm pretty laid back about it. But I enjoy NBA basketball... and this team is not a fun NBA team to watch.

So void of energy and life. The best plays are usually in isolation. Meh. Not the type of game I enjoy watching if I had a choice. But I'm a provincial rube, so...


[Note: I know he doesn't shoot often... so the number of times Rubio misses a layup directly at the rim without pressure is actually sort of alarming...]

The approach to offense you describe shouldn't be surprise because it's what Thibs ran in Chicago. It can work I guess with a healthy Derrick Rose at the point, but it seems a bad use of the talent we have.

[Lipoli390]

Kahns -- Interesting take because I repeatedly see Towns doubled down low. What frustrates me and people around me at Target Center is that Towns holds the ball long enough for the double team to come. Sometimes he tries to pass out of the double team and sometimes he tries to score one on two. Either way, his best move would be the one he doesn't make and that's a quick move to the basket before the double team arrives.

So far this season I've gotten the sense that Towns is trying to do what he's being coached to do, which appears to be instruction to wait for the double team and then pass to an open 3-point shooter or cutter. So I think he's trying to do what Thibs wants him to do, but he's not confident enough that he has open guys to pass to except maybe Ricky but we all know he's not a particularly good target out of the double team. Note the large number of turnovers so far this season, many of them intercepted passes, including passes out of the post.

The execution just isn't there on anything approaching a consistent basis. I suspect it's a combination of things and not just one or two players. My main concern remains the defensive end. Ricky couldn't even slow Westbrook down tonight and our other defenders were losing track of Thunder players without the ball, which led to way too many Thunder alley-oops. We could really use a defensive forced like a DeAndre Jordan in the middle. And against certain PGs like Westbrook, Ricky just can't hack it. Tonight I would have had Wiggins guard Westbrook. Thibs will have to make defensive adjustments like that against certain PGs. I do look forward to seeing more playing time for Dunn. I do love his defense.

They weren't doubling Towns tonight that much I know. They let him go at Adams and Sabonis and Kanter and he lit them up early. Then he started getting further and further away from the basket as the game went on starting to face up more and settle for jumpers rather than keep his position on the block and make a move so that by the time the 4th rolled around he was just standing around at 15ft looking for a pass that was never going to open up because he wasn't drawing an extra defender and then backing his man down way too far from the bucket to get a good look.

I agree with you observations on KAT from last night's game. But given the way Thibs runs our offense down to the last detail on every possession I doubt is freelancing when he establishes his position 15 fee from the basket later in games. Perhaps it's part of Thibs intent to open up the lane for his point forward Wiggins. Maybe its for some other reason. But that can't be happening without Thibs approval.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Don't worry everyone, the media says we have, um, the best young talent, ah, in the league, ya know, it's only a matter of time, or something like that.

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

I think that Aldrich is a big oaf with poor hands. But if there were a game to play him big minutes it was the Thunder game with Adams of Kanter always on the floor. So another head-scratcher by Thibs. But Hill actually is a better player than Aldrich so I don't mind him playing vs lighter front-courts.

Well, Doc Rivers sure was able to get Cole Aldrich to play well and he played better for the Knicks too. I don't know why Thibs is unable to get good production out of anyone other than Zach on the offensive side and Zach's improvement is mostly a reflection of his hard work and another year of physical maturity.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Oh, boy.

[Monster]

I just finished watching this game. I knew the outcome so that effected how I watched it. A couple thoughts so had.

Early in the game there was a corner 3 Wiggins rotated out to contest the shot but he realized he wasn't going to be able to contest much so he stunted and tracked back toward the paint and boxed a player out which helped lead to the Wolves securing a rebound. That's one play but I thought it was smart and a little bit significant.

I haven't seen the Atlanta game but I see Dunn is up to .4 blocks a game in 17mpg. That's kinda impressive.

I thought in general Rubio had another good Rubio game.

OKC player their game and played it very well. The Wolves had some defensive breakdowns and at one point Dieng was very unhappy with nobody helping him out. His teammates do leave him out to dry quite a bit and make him look bad.

Hey that's jordon Hill guy looked more than decent. Was Aldrich hurt or something? Anyway it was good to see him out there and having some level of competence.

I enjoy watching Westbrook do his thing even if he was destroying the Wolves. He does that to pretty much every other team too so it should be expected. Unfortunately too many other OKC guys got rolling too. Lantern was just absolutely terrific he should get credit for playing very well. He hit some tough shots along the way.

Overall even though the Wolves didn't play great in this game I thought they looked more legit than they did a couple weeks ago.

Also Towns the last couple games some good and much more controlled drives to the basket. I'm ok with him going to the basket with more control instead of what he was doing earlier when it was more Bazz like reckless abandon.

Speaking of Bazz the usual Bazz showed up and made his Bazz shots. He seemed a bit more in control of himself making his usual plays as well. It sure would be great if he could join the party and be a nice boast as a scorer for that bench.