Camden0916 wrote:I think we match up well with Golden State, believe it or not. We have more answers for Curry, Durant, and Thompson than they do for Towns. Green is a tremendous defender, both individually and team-oriented, but he can't handle KAT. Too big, too good. That's not to make it sound like it wouldn't be a hell of a challenge, because it would, but I'm saying we'd have a shot against them.
Keys to beating Golden State are:
- Multiple wing defenders, preferably with size.
(Jimmy Butler - 6'8, 236; Andrew Wiggins - 6'8, 199)
- Scoring PG threat, have to make Curry exert energy on defense.
(Jeff Teague's enough of a threat to keep a team honest, capable of games like tonight.)
- Win the rebounding battle.
(Wolves No. 12 team in rebounding differential. No. 7 in offensive rebounding.)
- Turnover differential. Extra possessions matter more in playoffs.
(Wolves No. 2 in limiting their own turnovers and No. 2 in forcing turnovers. Best differential in basketball. Warriors are 26th in throwing away possessions.)
- Match their bench production.
(Updated on January 13th: Wolves have the 29th-ranked bench. Alternatively, Warriors have the fourth-best bench.)
Any legitimate improvement to our bench is going to come from the backup wing spot. I think if we had a league average bench, we'd be right there and would have a shot. I really do.
Love the optimism, I just don't think we have the spare talent to land someone to make us deep enough. A team has to really be in love with Gorgui to get us there and I just don't see that as reality.
Camden0916 wrote:I think we match up well with Golden State, believe it or not. We have more answers for Curry, Durant, and Thompson than they do for Towns. Green is a tremendous defender, both individually and team-oriented, but he can't handle KAT. Too big, too good. That's not to make it sound like it wouldn't be a hell of a challenge, because it would, but I'm saying we'd have a shot against them.
Keys to beating Golden State are:
- Multiple wing defenders, preferably with size.
(Jimmy Butler - 6'8, 236; Andrew Wiggins - 6'8, 199)
- Scoring PG threat, have to make Curry exert energy on defense.
(Jeff Teague's enough of a threat to keep a team honest, capable of games like tonight.)
- Win the rebounding battle.
(Wolves No. 12 team in rebounding differential. No. 7 in offensive rebounding.)
- Turnover differential. Extra possessions matter more in playoffs.
(Wolves No. 2 in limiting their own turnovers and No. 2 in forcing turnovers. Best differential in basketball. Warriors are 26th in throwing away possessions.)
- Match their bench production.
(Updated on January 13th: Wolves have the 29th-ranked bench. Alternatively, Warriors have the fourth-best bench.)
Any legitimate improvement to our bench is going to come from the backup wing spot. I think if we had a league average bench, we'd be right there and would have a shot. I really do.
Love the optimism, I just don't think we have the spare talent to land someone to make us deep enough. A team has to really be in love with Gorgui to get us there and I just don't see that as reality.
While I love the run we're on now, I just don't see us in the same class as a healthy Houston or Golden State team. Just too much firepower for our defense and our offense can't rely on getting fouled a bunch more every playoff game. Right now, we are heavily reliant on free throw differential, which means you are relying on the refs to a large degree.
Agreed that we won't beat a healthy GS or rockets team this season, so do you think thibs should take a page out of Pops playbook and give some days off to Kat and Butler?
BizarroJerry wrote:Agreed that we won't beat a healthy GS or rockets team this season, so do you think thibs should take a page out of Pops playbook and give some days off to Kat and Butler?
Heh....I don't think Thibs could bring himself to do it. Hell, he has a hard time pulling all his starters out when we're up 25 points with 4 minutes left.
BizarroJerry wrote:Agreed that we won't beat a healthy GS or rockets team this season, so do you think thibs should take a page out of Pops playbook and give some days off to Kat and Butler?
Heh....I don't think Thibs could bring himself to do it. Hell, he has a hard time pulling all his starters out when we're up 25 points with 4 minutes left.
Agreed. But would you do it? Given our current position and assuming we continue to hang around the 4/5 position?
Agreed. But would you do it? Given our current position and assuming we continue to hang around the 4/5 position?
Keep the pedal to the metal and try to hold on to 3rd seed. Much rather have Houston in the second round than GS. You never know when one of their key players could have an injury or let down and we find ourselves in the finals.
Agreed. But would you do it? Given our current position and assuming we continue to hang around the 4/5 position?
Keep the pedal to the metal and try to hold on to 3rd seed. Much rather have Houston in the second round than GS. You never know when one of their key players could have an injury or let down and we find ourselves in the finals.
No, pedal to the medal. I think the minutes thing in general is way overblown. In a league where players sit a lot because of "injuries or injury prevention" the wolves have had 2 injuries all year in Belly and Teague and neither were serious.
The spread out schedule this year really helps thibs philosophy, because players are still getting extended rest and by all accounts thibs is practicing less or the practices are less extreme.
Agreed. But would you do it? Given our current position and assuming we continue to hang around the 4/5 position?
Keep the pedal to the metal and try to hold on to 3rd seed. Much rather have Houston in the second round than GS. You never know when one of their key players could have an injury or let down and we find ourselves in the finals.
I agree. I've always thought we had the this talent this season to be a top 3 team in the West and now we're there and playing at a level that suggests finishing in that slot is a realistic possibility. So let's go for it and avoid the Warriors in the second round (assuming of course we get out of the first round).
That other wing Cam wants might be on the roster. If this was the Spurs or a couple other franchises in the league you wouldn't even bat an eye at that assertion. Look at the way this team is rolling right now. The next thing is a guy like MGH or Bazz (you never know) or Anthony Brown etc to actually give something other than just hold the fort minutes.
