This board

[Porckchop]

Is more optimistic with a losing team than they are with a winning team.
How does one reason with that??

[thedoper]

Is more optimistic with a losing team than they are with a winning team.
How does one reason with that??

PTSD

[TAFKASP]

^^^ LOL

I blame expectations!

[thedoper]

^^^ LOL

I blame expectations!

I guess but we're right in the zone where most on this board predicted we'd be. We were thin on the wing and expected more from Gourgui I'd say when the season started. But most of the general performance is close to our collective predictions of what this talent could do. I think a lot of it has been the losses over the bad teams in the east. Those 4-5 potential wins were hard to swallow I think.

[Big O [enjin:13874644]]

For me it's that I worry that this team was built to get to this level but getting to the next is impossible due to too many flawed players with bad contracts.

[thedoper]

For me it's that I worry that this team was built to get to this level but getting to the next is impossible due to too many flawed players with bad contracts.

That's a fair observation but our previous talent also could have maxed out at a 7 or 8 seed which is an even worse spot to be in. I'll worry when we stop improving, but to me if you're really driving for excellence you should try to maximize improvement year by year since there are no certainties. Especially when we have a history of star players leaving after prolonged losing.

[WildWolf2813]

1. expectations

2. simply being jaded. I don't think the optimism will show until the results finally reflect what we wanted. We're still waiting for the other shoe to drop, and even as we're tied for 3rd seed, the fear of not making it is still there. I don't think this board wants to believe that we waited 13-14 years to maybe make the playoffs and be that one and done team we got tired of being, because if that's the payoff for all the years being out, this team coulda patchworked a team like that a while ago.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Shit, my optimism on the team is where I'd expect it to be. I haven't wavered in my faith in Thibodeau despite my questioning specific decisions he's made as of late, such as defending the backcourt against Cleveland on the final play. I still believe he's a key component in this franchise's turnaround.

I still believe Towns is a future MVP in this league and one of the elite's elite offensively. That stat that was broadcasted against Houston really solidified that view for me. Our big guy is second in all of basketball in points per shot and he only trails James Harden.

I'm still ecstatic we made the trade for Jimmy Butler despite the discussions of swapping Zach LaVine for Andrew Wiggins in that deal. I've felt that LaVine was already the better player of the two and would become a star in the NBA for several seasons now. However, I also believe that if there is an opportunity to acquire one of the best players in basketball, you almost have to do it. And that's what we did. We traded for a guy that was All-NBA, All-Defense, All-Star selection last year. He has matched or exceeded everything I thought he'd bring to this team with his 21/5/5 line and superb efficiency shooting. He's also a much better leader than I anticipated and without him we are not in the hunt for the third-seed in the Western Conference.

I think the Wolves are going to be playing basketball in the second round of the playoffs. And that series will likely be a fun one to watch given the interesting individual matchups. That is an amazing leap from the year prior and it puts us several steps ahead on the path to becoming a real contender. One could argue the first step is making the post-season. One could argue the second step is securing home court advantage. We will likely do both of those things this season and I expect to see "win a playoff series" with a check in the box as well. And this is just the first year these guys have been together. Seasoning will help them along the way.

[Monster]

Shit, my optimism on the team is where I'd expect it to be. I haven't wavered in my faith in Thibodeau despite my questioning specific decisions he's made as of late, such as defending the backcourt against Cleveland on the final play. I still believe he's a key component in this franchise's turnaround.

I still believe Towns is a future MVP in this league and one of the elite's elite offensively. That stat that was broadcasted against Houston really solidified that view for me. Our big guy is second in all of basketball in points per shot and he only trails James Harden.

I'm still ecstatic we made the trade for Jimmy Butler despite the discussions of swapping Zach LaVine for Andrew Wiggins in that deal. I've felt that LaVine was already the better player of the two and would become a star in the NBA for several seasons now. However, I also believe that if there is an opportunity to acquire one of the best players in basketball, you almost have to do it. And that's what we did. We traded for a guy that was All-NBA, All-Defense, All-Star selection last year. He has matched or exceeded everything I thought he'd bring to this team with his 21/5/5 line and superb efficiency shooting. He's also a much better leader than I anticipated and without him we are not in the hunt for the third-seed in the Western Conference.

I think the Wolves are going to be playing basketball in the second round of the playoffs. And that series will likely be a fun one to watch given the interesting individual matchups. That is an amazing leap from the year prior and it puts us several steps ahead on the path to becoming a real contender. One could argue the first step is making the post-season. One could argue the second step is securing home court advantage. We will likely do both of those things this season and I expect to see "win a playoff series" with a check in the box as well. And this is just the first year these guys have been together. Seasoning will help them along the way.

Cam I feel the same in terms of my optimism. Honestly they are probably exceeding my expectations a bit overall.

[Papalrep]

I'm pessimistic about thinking we have a championship contender. To me, you can already see the limits of this team. We will make the playoffs, win the first round series.

We will then play Houston or GS and lose in 5 or 6. That's it, for the next few years. What if we had kept Zach, had Markinen. Had a one two punch of Ricky/Tyus, is the ceiling eventually higher for that line up?