Big O wrote:I'd like to see more Rush and less Belly going forward whenever the matchup allows us to play smaller.
My only problem with this is Rush is at an age where he's really just a stop gap while Belly were he to continue to build upon his recent strong play has the potential to be a good rotation player for a number of years to come. Beyond that, yeah, Rush has been a very nice piece these past few games!
Big O wrote:I'd like to see more Rush and less Belly going forward whenever the matchup allows us to play smaller.
My only problem with this is Rush is at an age where he's really just a stop gap while Belly were he to continue to build upon his recent strong play has the potential to be a good rotation player for a number of years to come. Beyond that, yeah, Rush has been a very nice piece these past few games!
To be fair rush is 31 and belly is 28. Belly is not a spring chicken, not saying saying belly can't improve but don't expect a big leap at his age
Only saw a bit of the game last night, but what a great win. Ricky is looking like his old self, maybe an even better version lately, and Towns is starting to look like the guy who had one of the best rookie seasons ever and now is taking the next step. Frankly if he didn't shoot another 3 point shot the rest of the season he would be better off. Not only is he not making them but it takes him away from the hoop, and he's destroying the boards right now. It was really nice to see him make Adams his bitch. You can tell the physical strength is coming.
3 in a row is nice, feels good, but now they have to beat Dallas. With San Antonio after that they need to put another W in the column. Otherwise the little progress they made gets erased. But I'm hopeful for the first time this season. Maybe the team we thought we had this season is finally showing up. Again, though, Dallas. Must win.
Big O wrote:I'd like to see more Rush and less Belly going forward whenever the matchup allows us to play smaller.
My only problem with this is Rush is at an age where he's really just a stop gap while Belly were he to continue to build upon his recent strong play has the potential to be a good rotation player for a number of years to come. Beyond that, yeah, Rush has been a very nice piece these past few games!
To be fair rush is 31 and belly is 28. Belly is not a spring chicken, not saying saying belly can't improve but don't expect a big leap at his age
Belly is signed for another year and then can be a restricted FA after that. Rush is on a 1 year contract. The Wolves can keep Belly for a few years if they want him.
As for Belly's upside...is it huge? Maybe not but it's only the 2nd year in the league. There have been some pretty good international players that have come over later in their careers and been very successful. Belly has plenty of theoretical skills. There is some nice potential there as a solid contributor. He could bring a lot of the things that this team needs.
As for Rush...if he plays relatively well this year why not keep him around for a cheap 2+1 deal for a modest amount? This team has had so much roster turnover why not keep a decent vet like Rush if he fits in? It's not like the guy is 35. He has a decent resume that says if he is healthy he can be plenty useful as a bench player. I'd prioritize getting Belly minutes over him this year but he can be useful.
Big O wrote:I'd like to see more Rush and less Belly going forward whenever the matchup allows us to play smaller.
I disagree. I think Bjelica has been great as of late. Rush deserves minutes, and I think he'll eat into some of LaVine and Wiggins' high numbers in that area as long as he's productive.
Rush hadn't done much until these last 3 games, but that is largely due to who he is playing with. Before these 3 games, his teammates rarely gave him shot opportunities. Which is pretty apparent from these quotes after the game:
jace frederick ?@JaceFrederick 24h24 hours ago
Rush on Rubio: "Love Ricky. He's definitely looking for me all the time in the corners. He's just smart and knows how to play the game."
jace frederick ?@JaceFrederick 24h24 hours ago
More Rush on Ricky: "Draymond was just like that. Made it really easy for me last year. I just love playing with Ricky, man. Great player."
60WinTim wrote:Rush hadn't done much until these last 3 games, but that is largely due to who he is playing with. Before these 3 games, his teammates rarely gave him shot opportunities. Which is pretty apparent from these quotes after the game:
jace frederick ?@JaceFrederick 24h24 hours ago
Rush on Rubio: "Love Ricky. He's definitely looking for me all the time in the corners. He's just smart and knows how to play the game."
jace frederick ?@JaceFrederick 24h24 hours ago
More Rush on Ricky: "Draymond was just like that. Made it really easy for me last year. I just love playing with Ricky, man. Great player."
Thanks for posting, Tim. I'm not surprised. Ricky is the ultimate team player and has a super high basketball IQ. He makes players around him better. We are the perfect team for him because we're loaded with scorers at our other positions.
Big O wrote:I'd like to see more Rush and less Belly going forward whenever the matchup allows us to play smaller.
I disagree. I think Bjelica has been great as of late. Rush deserves minutes, and I think he'll eat into some of LaVine and Wiggins' high numbers in that area as long as he's productive.
Yes, Belly has been really good lately,even when he's not shooting well. He's rebounding and playing well defensively. Thibs keeps singling him out for praise.
