Game Report - Wolves v. Kings

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

The last play you're referring to I think is when Zack attempted run PnR with Kat and turned it over trying to make a pass before making the defense commit. I don't see that as hero ball. He just didn't execute the play.

That's the one. and I agree that he didn't execute. But he's not a PG and operates much more comfortably in the flow of the offense, so I'm not surprised it didn't work...again. PnR looks effortless when it works, but repetition is the key to its beauty, and non-PGs like Zach and Wig just aren't going to get sufficient reps to execute like a PG that works it all game. You analyzed it correctly, but I don't blame Zach for not reading the defense correctly...I blame Thibs for putting the kid in that position.

Good anyalsis of that play although from a different perspective I remember when I watched it thinking Towns didn't do a great job on that play as well. He often isn't great at doing things in the 2 man game after setting a screen. His strength is setting a screen to get a guy open but getting himself open? Mehta something he needs to improve on and I expect him to do so. Dieng and Lavine are so good together if Lavine and Towns can work like that someday they will be absolutely lethal.

I don't disagree, monster. I love KAT's energy, talent and potential, but he still has some serious technical flaws in his game. And since Thibs' strong suit is the technical rather than psychological side of coaching and KAT appears to be an eager learner, I think Thibs will be good for his development. And while these are dark days, KAT reaching his enormous ceiling would be a very good thing for the future of this franchise.

[Duke13]

Yea I agree with that monster. Kat didn't do a great job of that. Zack is a work in progress running the PnR, but at times he does it well.

LST, I suggest you listen to Jim Pete talk about the negative of Rubio running the PnR, it was earlier in the 2nd half I believe. Teams don't need to guard him they just go under the screen which nullifies the effectiveness of it. Defense don't need to rotate at all, it often times ends of with Rubio getting. Pushed off his spot with the dribble and dribbling pointlessly under the hoop. I can't fault a coach for running a play with his two best players at the end of the game.

A little thought reframing, lets considering Tibs going to Zach in that instance a "pat on the back" and a vote of confidence to his young star.

Ricky has been here 6 years, has never been known to close games and has had plenty of opportunities. Granted he's been on poor teams, the one team he was on that won at a .500 clip he was in essence benched because the team was ineffective closing game.

[Lipoli390]

I don't mind Thibs having Zach occasionally run the offense and orchestrate the P&R. Unlike Andrew, Zach has the ballhandling and passing ability to succeed in that role even today but more so in the future. My problem is that Andrew hasn't come close to showing the ballhandling or skill set to succeed in that role yet Thibs is more likely to put Andrew in that role over Ricky or Zach in crunch time. That just doesn't make sense to me if the goal is, as it should be, to win as many games as possible. That role is so far outside Andrew's current skill set that I can't see any reasonable justification for putting Andrew in that position.

Having said all that, the main problem last night was Wiggins generally, not who ran the offense in crunch time. Stuff happens. The problem was Wiggins missing 13 of 19 shots and failing to get a single rebound over 4 quarters and about 40 minutes.

[Lipoli390]

Zach had lots of ISO buckets early in the 4th and Ricky had just bricked a few jumpers later in the 4th previous to that possession. I don't dislike giving ISO to the hot hand. Zach just couldn't execute down the stretch, but neither could Ricky. He had chances when it mattered and couldn't deliver as per usual. I fail to understand why Thibs is to blame for avoiding giving Ricky an opportunity when he has never been a clutch performer.

Thibs has had us in every game except a few this year, the players have then failed to execute when it matters. This is what happens to teams with a lack of experienced winners. All are guilty of the losing culture. The hustle police seem a little too focused on one suspect as usual but it's been the corporate lack of intensity when it matters that kills this team. Chest pumping after dunks and layups still leads to lazy d o n the other side. There's been glimpses of improvement, last night was not one of them.

Doper -- There really is one guy far above all others who shows an alarmingly consistent lack of hustle and grit. And yes, it's Wiggins. Zach is in constant motion on the offensive end both with and without the ball. And he's generally been playing with a lot of hustle and determination defensively as well. His problem on defense consists of mental mistakes and sometimes simply being outmuscled by bigger more physically mature opponents, not a lack of hustle or intensity. KAT just doesn't fist pump after a dunk. The guy repeatedly scratches, claws and fights for rebounds while also repeatedly fighting physically with the opposing team's biggest guy for post position. I agree he's had some moments where he's failed to hustle the way I think he should on the defensive end, but not nearly to the degree I've seen over the last 2.3 years from Wiggins. Gorgui and Ricky are also 100% effort guys who are always intense and always hustling.

And I'll be clear. I definitely don't blame Thibs for lack of hustle or intensity. That's totally on the players in my view -- whoever they are.

[SameOldNudityDrew]

It's been a little, uhhh, interesting to see Wiggins get the ball so often at the end of quarters and games this year and watch the offense clear out for him. It's clearly not the most efficient play we've got given his poor ball handling and passing. LaVine would be a much better choice every time. It feels a bit like Thibs is trying to help Andrew develop the ability to do that if needed because it's clear he's a great scorer, so if he can add that to his game, it'd make him a much more dangerous offensive player. But it just shouldn't happen that often until he really improves his dribbling and vision/passing.

Another thing I want to see less of this year is Towns putting the ball on the floor and driving right into the defense when it's already set and waiting for the drive. It's getting predictable. Too many charges, too many weak layup attempts at bad angles. I'm all for trying to get to the rack rather than settling for long 2s, but he's gotta get better at knowing when to pull up for a short J or pass the ball when the defense comes to help.

Finally, I liked our defense the last few games up until the Sac game. We gotta get back to that (G's been great), and we have to move the ball much better on offense in general. We have not really been a good ball movement team all year and even when Zach is on fire, I don't like just giving it to him to go one-on-one because it comes contagious and other guys not as good at that style of play start trying it too.

Overall, I've been impressed with Zach and Gorgui this year, but most everybody else has kind of plateaued or even regressed (Dunn's been a bit of a bummer too though I like his on the ball defense), and we really need to improve our defense and ball-movement overall. I still have hope for this team, but man they gotta get back that little bit of momentum they had and run with it after Christmas.

[thedoper]

Zach had lots of ISO buckets early in the 4th and Ricky had just bricked a few jumpers later in the 4th previous to that possession. I don't dislike giving ISO to the hot hand. Zach just couldn't execute down the stretch, but neither could Ricky. He had chances when it mattered and couldn't deliver as per usual. I fail to understand why Thibs is to blame for avoiding giving Ricky an opportunity when he has never been a clutch performer.

Thibs has had us in every game except a few this year, the players have then failed to execute when it matters. This is what happens to teams with a lack of experienced winners. All are guilty of the losing culture. The hustle police seem a little too focused on one suspect as usual but it's been the corporate lack of intensity when it matters that kills this team. Chest pumping after dunks and layups still leads to lazy d o n the other side. There's been glimpses of improvement, last night was not one of them.

Doper -- There really is one guy far above all others who shows an alarmingly consistent lack of hustle and grit. And yes, it's Wiggins. Zach is in constant motion on the offensive end both with and without the ball. And he's generally been playing with a lot of hustle and determination defensively as well. His problem on defense consists of mental mistakes and sometimes simply being outmuscled by bigger more physically mature opponents, not a lack of hustle or intensity. KAT just doesn't fist pump after a dunk. The guy repeatedly scratches, claws and fights for rebounds while also repeatedly fighting physically with the opposing team's biggest guy for post position. I agree he's had some moments where he's failed to hustle the way I think he should on the defensive end, but not nearly to the degree I've seen over the last 2.3 years from Wiggins. Gorgui and Ricky are also 100% effort guys who are always intense and always hustling.

And I'll be clear. I definitely don't blame Thibs for lack of hustle or intensity. That's totally on the players in my view -- whoever they are.

I'll continue to be the outlier then I guess. Wiggins shows a tremendous amount of hustle guarding the best wing night in and night out, grit too. Zach has great athleticism and has made great strides on offense but continues to be our worst defender by a mile.

Grit and determination is not chucking up 3s 5 seconds into the shot clock. Zach and KAT consistently dip in the 4th and get a pass. Their hustle and intensity have lacked in every 3rd and 4th quarter run. I know the hustle and grit police don't see it the same way, but there's a clear reason why Thibs is still giving Wiggins so much responsibility, and it's because he's are best defender who often is the only one giving effort on that end.

[SameOldNudityDrew]

Everybody needs to work harder on D and loose ball situations, but I get the sense that I have seen guys like Ricky, Dunn and Gorgui make the most defensive hustle plays and then LaVine, KAT, and even Bazz seem to be in a tier just beneath those three. I think that is a pretty nice improvement for Zach in my book (though sometimes he does a bit of ball watching after a shot), and even Bazz has made some hustle plays that didn't directly lead to him getting a shot! I tend to agree with Lip that Wiggins leaves me wanting more defensively. It's like he's got one gear, which is a pretty decent gear considering his length and athleticism, but I never really see him ratchet up the pressure and really attack guys defensively or make the kind of hustle plays some other guys do. He's just always, kind of, there, but I want him to do more defensively.

Offensively, I feel like we have willing and capable passers, but we just haven't made it a habit to do so other than after trying to drive first. We've got the personnel to pass more (Ricky, LaVine, Gorgui, Towns, Dunn, Belly, Tyus--I'd like to see him out there a bit more), but we need to get into the habit of doing so. We need to pass more, pass more quickly, look for the pass before we start dribbling, and move without the ball more. I also think Gorgui and Towns are both good passing big men, and I'd like to see us run the offense through them passing out of the elbows a bit more.

[thedoper]

Yeah Ricky really gives it his all fighting through those screens. I think I've seen him get through one this year.

[Monster]

Yeah Ricky really gives it his all fighting through those screens. I think I've seen him get through one this year.

He has been much better the last few games.

[Lipoli390]

Yeah Ricky really gives it his all fighting through those screens. I think I've seen him get through one this year.

Sarcasm noted, but he really does consistently fight (or tries to fight) through screens. He doesn't always succeed, but there's never a lack of total effort from Ricky on either end of the court. He's always intense hustles every minute he's on the court.

I see where your coming from with Wiggins, but I think the proof is in his stats, especially his rebounding stats. Given Andrew's length and athleticism, his rebounding numbers suggest a lack of intensity and hustle.