Five games over .500...

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Our young guys still aren't the most mature when it comes to game in and game out. Both Towns and Wiggins lack in the little things that help win games night in and night out. They play to their level of competition a lot so I actually don't think a tougher schedule is going to make that big of a difference. I would expect as the competition level goes up, so will their level of play and that will let us win more than you might think the team that played last night would win.

[Wolvesfan21]

Our young guys still aren't the most mature when it comes to game in and game out. Both Towns and Wiggins lack in the little things that help win games night in and night out. They play to their level of competition a lot so I actually don't think a tougher schedule is going to make that big of a difference. I would expect as the competition level goes up, so will their level of play and that will let us win more than you might think the team that played last night would win.

I think you're right on that point. Heck in Wiggins Rookie year he was putting down 30 points like it was nothing on decent shooting against better teams.

Now he half asses it against the crap teams and we end up losing close games. Is it too many minutes or has he packed it in? Or is the pressure of a max contract getting to him? Is he happy being just another NBA player to never win or contend? IDK.

[WildWolf2813]

Our young guys still aren't the most mature when it comes to game in and game out. Both Towns and Wiggins lack in the little things that help win games night in and night out. They play to their level of competition a lot so I actually don't think a tougher schedule is going to make that big of a difference. I would expect as the competition level goes up, so will their level of play and that will let us win more than you might think the team that played last night would win.

I think you're right on that point. Heck in Wiggins Rookie year he was putting down 30 points like it was nothing on decent shooting against better teams.

Now he half asses it against the crap teams and we end up losing close games. Is it too many minutes or has he packed it in? Or is the pressure of a max contract getting to him? Is he happy being just another NBA player to never win or contend? IDK.

Like I've said regarding Wiggins.

Wiggins just got $148 million doing exactly what he did. Why change anything now? He has no reason to make adjustments at least in his mind.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Our young guys still aren't the most mature when it comes to game in and game out. Both Towns and Wiggins lack in the little things that help win games night in and night out. They play to their level of competition a lot so I actually don't think a tougher schedule is going to make that big of a difference. I would expect as the competition level goes up, so will their level of play and that will let us win more than you might think the team that played last night would win.

I think you're right on that point. Heck in Wiggins Rookie year he was putting down 30 points like it was nothing on decent shooting against better teams.

Now he half asses it against the crap teams and we end up losing close games. Is it too many minutes or has he packed it in? Or is the pressure of a max contract getting to him? Is he happy being just another NBA player to never win or contend? IDK.

Like I've said regarding Wiggins.

Wiggins just got $148 million doing exactly what he did. Why change anything now? He has no reason to make adjustments at least in his mind.

That's when maturity kicks in. He's 22 and people expect him to act like he's 32. He's a kid and still acts like one. He'll naturally mature like any other kid the older he gets so that deal will probably be an overpay early like so many others, but just like others he'll probably grow into it and start living up to it on the back-end when he's 25-26.

[Monster]

Our young guys still aren't the most mature when it comes to game in and game out. Both Towns and Wiggins lack in the little things that help win games night in and night out. They play to their level of competition a lot so I actually don't think a tougher schedule is going to make that big of a difference. I would expect as the competition level goes up, so will their level of play and that will let us win more than you might think the team that played last night would win.

I think you're right on that point. Heck in Wiggins Rookie year he was putting down 30 points like it was nothing on decent shooting against better teams.

Now he half asses it against the crap teams and we end up losing close games. Is it too many minutes or has he packed it in? Or is the pressure of a max contract getting to him? Is he happy being just another NBA player to never win or contend? IDK.

Like I've said regarding Wiggins.

Wiggins just got $148 million doing exactly what he did. Why change anything now? He has no reason to make adjustments at least in his mind.

That's when maturity kicks in. He's 22 and people expect him to act like he's 32. He's a kid and still acts like one. He'll naturally mature like any other kid the older he gets so that deal will probably be an overpay early like so many others, but just like others he'll probably grow into it and start living up to it on the back-end when he's 25-26.

I agree with what you are saying Kahns. I think people had some high expectations for this season whether theybrealized it or not. You already mentioned Wiggins and Towns who will be 25 three years from now. That's still very young. Plenty of guys don't completely figure it out at this age.

This season we went into the season with Butler Taj Teague and Crawford as true proven vets on the team but all of them were new to the team. The rest of the likely top rotation players were 3 guys 22 yeas or younger in Wiggins Towns and Tyus, a third year Europe guy in Belly, another young guy that's 24 in Bazz who clearly had t figured out his game yet and Dieng who is a solid young vet. Basically it's some talented dudes and a solid guy in Dieng. That's not exactly a group of guys that are gonna know how to play and all this stuff. Are things going as planned? Nope I didn't expect them to. I absolutely expected bumps in the road. People have plenty of reasons to not be happy about how things are going but I think sometimes people expect this team to have arrived when it's made up of young players or guys brand new to the team. Oh and we still have a winning record. Teams with league MVPs have struggled at times this year and this team is supposed to have figured it out already? This isn't the magical Celtics when KG and Ray Ray teamed up with Pierce. That group gelled quickly. That was more of the exception. How long did it take for that Cassell Spree KG team?

[Lipoli390]

Our young guys still aren't the most mature when it comes to game in and game out. Both Towns and Wiggins lack in the little things that help win games night in and night out. They play to their level of competition a lot so I actually don't think a tougher schedule is going to make that big of a difference. I would expect as the competition level goes up, so will their level of play and that will let us win more than you might think the team that played last night would win.

KAT and Wiggins aren't comparable. KAT shows immaturity at times complaining to refs and making mistakes out of exuberance, especially on the defensive end. He also does multiple positive things nearly every game, as in scoring and rebounding. Increasingly he's been consistently passing well and blocking shots. In contrast, Wiggins repeatedly fails to show effort and intensity. He typically does only one thing -- score -- and he doesn't do that efficiently. His ballhandling hasn't improved and his shooting from the field, the three-point line and foul line have all regressed. Moreover, Wiggins has one more year in the League than Towns. With Towns, it is truly the "little things" that he needs to work on. With time, those things will get worked out. Sadly, with Wiggins it's big things.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Our young guys still aren't the most mature when it comes to game in and game out. Both Towns and Wiggins lack in the little things that help win games night in and night out. They play to their level of competition a lot so I actually don't think a tougher schedule is going to make that big of a difference. I would expect as the competition level goes up, so will their level of play and that will let us win more than you might think the team that played last night would win.

KAT and Wiggins aren't comparable. KAT shows immaturity at times complaining to refs and making mistakes out of exuberance, especially on the defensive end. He also does multiple positive things nearly every game, as in scoring and rebounding. Increasingly he's been consistently passing well and blocking shots. In contrast, Wiggins repeatedly fails to show effort and intensity. He typically does only one thing -- score -- and he doesn't do that efficiently. His ballhandling hasn't improved and his shooting from the field, the three-point line and foul line have all regressed. Moreover, Wiggins has one more year in the League than Towns. With Towns, it is truly the "little things" that he needs to work on. With time, those things will get worked out. Sadly, with Wiggins it's big things.

Well said Lip. It's just silly to think that a 4th year starter and former #1 pick just needs to mature. Maturity has absolutely nothing to do with Wiggins' struggles. It's a lack of skills that he's never developed and a motor that he's never had.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Our young guys still aren't the most mature when it comes to game in and game out. Both Towns and Wiggins lack in the little things that help win games night in and night out. They play to their level of competition a lot so I actually don't think a tougher schedule is going to make that big of a difference. I would expect as the competition level goes up, so will their level of play and that will let us win more than you might think the team that played last night would win.

I think you're right on that point. Heck in Wiggins Rookie year he was putting down 30 points like it was nothing on decent shooting against better teams.

Now he half asses it against the crap teams and we end up losing close games. Is it too many minutes or has he packed it in? Or is the pressure of a max contract getting to him? Is he happy being just another NBA player to never win or contend? IDK.

Like I've said regarding Wiggins.

Wiggins just got $148 million doing exactly what he did. Why change anything now? He has no reason to make adjustments at least in his mind.

That's when maturity kicks in. He's 22 and people expect him to act like he's 32. He's a kid and still acts like one. He'll naturally mature like any other kid the older he gets so that deal will probably be an overpay early like so many others, but just like others he'll probably grow into it and start living up to it on the back-end when he's 25-26.

It's not just maturity.

It's human nature. I've been saying this for months now... beaten the horse to death... twice.

There is no incentive for Wiggins to change anytime soon. He's already got the $148 in his pocket doing it his way. KAT will be looking at the same situation. Often, it takes a "special" kind of star to overcome this... and not just a thing where maturity will take care of it.

[Wolvesfan21]

I think with Glen Taylor calling out Wiggins before signing the extension was quite an ominous warning as well. There must be things he doesn't do, like work as hard as he should to become great off the court. I can see he has gotten bigger physically, I think lots of it is just probably mentally and if Thibs can't get to him is it Thibs or is it Wiggins? Can another coach get more out of him or is he simply going to be another "has been" potential guy.

I guess that was one thing I liked about Rubio, was he always was giving full effort. Maybe too much at times (diving for loose balls in blowouts). Possibly causing injury.

What we know with Wiggins, well he certainly won't be mistaken for playing too hard or aggressive anytime soon. KG he is not.

[TAFKASP]

I think with Glen Taylor calling out Wiggins before signing the extension was quite an ominous warning as well. There must be things he doesn't do, like work as hard as he should to become great off the court. I can see he has gotten bigger physically, I think lots of it is just probably mentally and if Thibs can't get to him is it Thibs or is it Wiggins? Can another coach get more out of him or is he simply going to be another "has been" potential guy.

I guess that was one thing I liked about Rubio, was he always was giving full effort. Maybe too much at times (diving for loose balls in blowouts). Possibly causing injury.

What we know with Wiggins, well he certainly won't be mistaken for playing too hard or aggressive anytime soon. KG he is not.

KG once said something to the effect of "You can't teach dog, you either have it or you don't". Now I wouldn't base anything in life on the philosophies of KG, but thus far Wiggins is proving his point.

There is a lot of talk about Thibs responsibility here. I agree he should take full responsibility for the team's failures, but not for Wiggins lack of improvement. LeBron didn't have great coaching early in his career, he overcame. Kevin Love most certainly didn't have good coaching early in his career, he overcame. The list of players who've used their physical gifts along with a heavy dose of determination to overcome being in bad situations is long. Sadly, the list of players who've undermined their ridiculous physical gifts to become nothing more than average NBA players is equally long. Wiggins improvement, or lack of, falls completely upon his shoulders IMO, the lack of success of the team not so much.