Around the NBA

[Wolvesfan21]

Zach LaVine had 49 points tonight. That's the sort of game we needed from Wiggins the Suns or, especially, the other night at home against Utah when Utah's defense was focused entirely on stopping KAT. Yes, Wiggins has played well so far this season, but if this team is going to become a contender with Wiggins as one of our two pillars along with KAT, then he has to have games like LaVine's 49 point game tonight or Booker's 30+ point effort tonight against the Wolves. With defenses focused so much on KAT, Wiggins needs to dominate.

I agree, I'm tired of banging the Wiggins drum, he does need to produce every night. His 3P shot is still too scud missile like, get some arc on that thing like KAT does. It takes less effort if you shoot it higher (45 degrees actually gives you the longest distance by power) and it has more room to go in, obviously due to it coming down at a more vertical angle. The downside is it has a little more time to go offline. So you need to find the right angle. I'm not sure what it is, I just know Wiggins shot is way too flat.

My gut says that the Wolves are soft tanking. With all these players out all of a sudden and the G leaguers brought up. It just seems like, OK RoCo, we'll have you take a day off here to rest. Same with you Teague when he was sick for a week, or Wiggins the other game when he was "sick". It is a good idea to get the young guys some run so we can easier evaluate the roster and what needs are going forward.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Not sure you guys read the earlier part of this thread on LaVine. While he did explode last night, he has proven to be more of a liability for the Bulls than an asset. They are generally better with him off the floor than on it. This is not new, as it was a similar situation in Minnesota.

I view LaVine as being potentially the next Jamaal Crawford/Nick Young/Gerald Green/Louis Williams type player. He has massive defensive deficiencies and takes a lot of ill-advised shots, therefore may be best used as a bench scorer versus a franchise pillar for someone.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Robert Covington had a death in the family, according to Jon K. He's not sitting out due to load management or general soreness.

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

Wolves are trying to win games and create a system that is more than fir just this year.

Roco and wiggs are and have been dealing with a death in the family. Wiggs then got sick taking care of his daughter.

Kat got suspended for 2 games.

We've been littered with legit injuries to our rotation players.

Tough to get some consistency when we can't even practice together much less play. Players are still learning and it's been showing in games, especially when you have to plug in gleague players. I think the wolves have used the most gleague minutes so far this year.

[Wolvesfan21]

I think LaVine is between a Tracy McGrady and a Jamal Crawford. His defense is between those two and so is his offense. He is a much better 2nd or 3rd option on a great team, where he could put in more effort on defense. The Bulls are really thin with talent so it's difficult for them to score, LaVine has to take a lot of the load, which he does fairly well efficiency wise (offensively).

I think that being heavily ball dominant and score first can hurt the team as well, like Kyrie does. Guys are not touching the ball much and even if it's subconscious they envy the other players stats. Difficult to be cohesive when one guy dominates the ball that much compared to others.

Harden does it, but he's such an elite scorer, they can still win doing that. LaVine isn't that great offensively. A notch below obviously. I still don't think that Harden will win a championship, because of his style. It's much better to share the load and play some defense too.

[Wolvesfan21]

Robert Covington had a death in the family, according to Jon K. He's not sitting out due to load management or general soreness.

Maybe that's true. They do need to make up excuses if they are tanking though. You can't by NBA rules just load manage players. So I wouldn't call anything repotted as 100% always factual. If it is, obviously my best wishes go out to him and his family.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Robert Covington had a death in the family, according to Jon K. He's not sitting out due to load management or general soreness.

Maybe that's true. They do need to make up excuses if they are tanking though. You can't by NBA rules just load manage players. So I wouldn't call anything repotted as 100% always factual. If it is, obviously my best wishes go out to him and his family.

I'm pretty sure it's true. They aren't going to just make up a death, my goodness....

What may also be true, however, is that the Wolves have a more generous approach to bereavement and actively encourage players to take 3, 4, or 5+ days to deal with it.

I do agree that something is different in the way the Wolves are handling illness, bereavement, and injuries. My theory is that what is different is that they are simply erring on the side of being more generous and careful versus pressuring or rushing players back.

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

Robert Covington had a death in the family, according to Jon K. He's not sitting out due to load management or general soreness.

Maybe that's true. They do need to make up excuses if they are tanking though. You can't by NBA rules just load manage players. So I wouldn't call anything repotted as 100% always factual. If it is, obviously my best wishes go out to him and his family.

I'm pretty sure it's true. They aren't going to just make up a death, my goodness....

What may also be true, however, is that the Wolves have a more generous approach to bereavement and actively encourage players to take 3, 4, or 5+ days to deal with it.

I do agree that something is different in the way the Wolves are handling illness, bereavement, and injuries. My theory is that what is different is that they are simply erring on the side of being more generous and careful versus pressuring or rushing players back.

I just think they are valuing the importance of family. Its the new culture change.

[kekgeek]

Cam's guy Josh Richardson powers the Sixers over Jimmy Butler and the Heat for an easy victory!

And similar to his time in Miami, he has one of the best net ratings on the Sixers, behind only Joel Embiid. May be it's because he can dribble, pass, shoot, and defend all at a solid level. The Wolves seem to be on a 20 year quest to find a single perimeter player that can do even three of those things well.

Richardson was the guy the Wolves could have had for Butler. And we would have apparently received Miami's 2019 first round pick as well (#13).

It was Richardson, waiters (who had a shitty contract) and a lotto project 1st what conveys to 2 2nds if they don't make the playoffs (heat didn't make the playoffs do they do that with Jimmy IDK)

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I just like Richardson because he's what I call a generalist - just a solid all-around wing that is pretty good at everything and has no glaring weaknesses. These types of wings are as rare as the dodo bird (at least for the Wolves). I love RoCo too, so not complaining about him.