CoolBreeze44 wrote:Do not like the strategy as it pertains to Wiggins tonight. That is be a decoy, stand in the corner taking Leonard out of the defense, and let the Wolves play 4 on 4.
Wig does really well when challenged and Thibs isn't giving him a chance tonight.
Wiggins has been struggling against virtually everybody.
Many (most?) think Kawhi Leonard is the game's best defensive player right now. I wouldn't have liked those odds.
longstrangetrip wrote:I'm just back from the game...not as depressing as my last one (the Knicks debacle), but still not very good. As far as bad performances go: Ricky was dreadful, Wig was totally outplayed on both ends of the court by the marvelous Leonard, and KAT wanted nothing to do with Gasol's and LMA'a length and decided to hang around the top of the key.
But here's the big question, and my warmest personal regards to the first poster who can correctly answer this question:
San Antonio played a tough game last night and the Wolves had the day off. So why were the Wolves clearly the team with the tired legs in the second half?
Come on now...it's an easy answer. I know Joachim Noah can get it.
Probable because Wolves starters played much more minutes any Spurs starter except Leonard. Spurs ball movement in offense made Wolves also to use much more energy in defense than they had to use in defense.
I think that's part of it, mikkeman, but I think it goes beyond that. What is this...the 8th or 9th time this season that we have had a second half collapse after playing well the first half? Something is going on to cause this pattern, and playing off of something Noah once said, this continues to be my theory:
A 2-hour Thibs full-court practice is tougher on the legs than playing 32 minutes for Pop the night before a game. Anyone who didn't see a completely different defensive effort in the two halves tonight is blind. I'm tired of it.
Maybe. Something seems amiss between the players and the coaches. But I think we should be aware of an NBA tradition that's been around for decades...
NBA teams who know how to win also know when to turn it up. The 76ers of the past few years even stuck close with teams for much of the game. So did a ton of crappy Wolves teams. Vet players know when to push though the NBA schedule doldrums and when to exert their will on a game. Young teams don't. Or they're learning (hopefully).
Basically, NBA teams can toy with lesser opponents. SA toyed with the Wolves last night and it should show us how far the Wolves are from being a legit team. The game never seemed to be in question. And sadly... I don't think we saw anything close to the Spurs best effort.
That's not to entirely refute your take. I just think it's a combination of things...
CoolBreeze44 wrote:Do not like the strategy as it pertains to Wiggins tonight. That is be a decoy, stand in the corner taking Leonard out of the defense, and let the Wolves play 4 on 4.
Wig does really well when challenged and Thibs isn't giving him a chance tonight.
Wiggins has been struggling against virtually everybody.
Many (most?) think Kawhi Leonard is the game's best defensive player right now. I wouldn't have liked those odds.
He struggles against most plus wing defenders:
3-13 against Andre Roberson
8-24 against Mbah Moute
5-18 against Jae Crowder
He's in the midst of a miserable 10-game stretch where he has only shot the ball better than 50% once. It would have been fruitless to keep feeding the ball to Wiggins against the top wing defender in the league. It was a good strategy because it led to a fine game from LaVine.
