CoolBreeze44 wrote:The one element that is missing without question is toughness. Both physical and mental. I think if you can add that element through acquisition to our core, you would see a huge difference. We get pushed around every game, and then we don't seem to have the stones to push back. On top of it we are fragile mentally. This is precisely what has been happening during our third quarter problems.
Agreed. We don't deliver hits, we just absorb them.
I'm happy with this starting lineup going forward. They're only going to get better playing together.
My issue is that we don't have legit 6th (or 7th) man. I was hoping Muhammad would make a leap this year and embrace this role, but he simply has too many holes in his game. I'd look to move Bazz and give all his minutes at SF to Bjelica.
As Cool mentioned this team really lacks toughness both mentally and physically.
CoolBreeze44 wrote:The one element that is missing without question is toughness. Both physical and mental. I think if you can add that element through acquisition to our core, you would see a huge difference. We get pushed around every game, and then we don't seem to have the stones to push back. On top of it we are fragile mentally. This is precisely what has been happening during our third quarter problems.
Agreed. We don't deliver hits, we just absorb them.
It sounds like an easy out and this team does need to acquire a strong physical player in the front court but some of the physical and mental weakness is youth. Will Wiggins Towns and Lavine become hulking dudes? Towns is the guy that probably will to some extent but Wiggins and Lavine may never get super strong. Right now those are the team's top guys and they can't dish it out because they don't have the experience or physical matruration. That's legit. Then you look at the bench. Aldrich can bring it to some extent and Dunn does some too but he is a Rookie guard. Bazz usually is a guy that gives the team an edge but he has struggled. Payne has brought some pain but he could turn back into a bumpkin at anytime. Jordon Hill isn't playing and looks like he dropped weight in the offseason. So some of the issue is the roster lacking and some is the youth inexperience.
To add to that like Jim Pete has said a few times the bench needs an identity. I think it seems more difficult to do that when the starters are so young and inexperienced. I don't think players have settled into roles yet. If they can it could make a big difference.
Edit:
So the Wolves need to find ways to mans blows without nessasaly being physical. Last year Dieng was pretty good at playing to his strengths poking balls away being a pesky guy since he wasn't big enough to bang. The Wolves need to get their athletic asses up and down the court beating other teams with their speed and get themselves into plenty of transition buckets. Instead too often they are jogging down the court. Dunk on some people. Quit complaining about being fouled and get back on defense every single possession. That stuff matters and it's not like these guys aren't playing hard at all it's just they aren't playing as hard as they really need to on every possession. Like Jim Pete used to say about Jeff Adrian "Be hard to play against" you don't have to be built like Jeff Adrian to be hard to play against. Too often the Wolves aren't.
This exact topic is covered in Doogie's "Scoop" with Coach Thorpe. I HIGHLY recommend listening to that portion of the podcast, which starts early on. Great stuff!
If you don't think things can turn around in a hurry, check out the plight of the Clippers these days. When you were all praising them as the monster of the west, I was cautioning you that they were playing great for the time being. Things are never as good or bad as they seem. It's a long season and we have plenty of time to shore things up and get on a roll.
I sure hope that Thibs isn't so desperate to make the playoffs that he trades a young player for a vet. Sure I'd like to make the playoffs but not at the expense of trading a core player. The rumors of acquiring Deng or Noah are just the thing I want to avoid. We can probably find a better player in free agency for less money than those two. I'm not panicing as I think the team and Thibs will eventually get on the same page, if not this year, probably next year.
TeamRicky wrote:I sure hope that Thibs isn't so desperate to make the playoffs that he trades a young player for a vet. Sure I'd like to make the playoffs but not at the expense of trading a core player. The rumors of acquiring Deng or Noah are just the thing I want to avoid. We can probably find a better player in free agency for less money than those two. I'm not panicing as I think the team and Thibs will eventually get on the same page, if not this year, probably next year.
I find comfort in the measured approach that Thibs and Layden have used so far since taking over the franchise. In addition Thibs has used young players on the court. Remember all that talk about Lucas being the 3rd PG? Good times I never really bought into it. Jordan Hill has been firmly planted on the bench in a spot we thought was reserved for Payne. I don't see any signs that Thibs is gonna start wheeling and dealing getting some vets to try and make the playoffs. None of the local media people seem to see that is something that's going to happen either. And guess what who were the players that played big minutes down the stretch last year when this team finished strong? It was the young players for the most part so why couldn't it be a similar deal this year? Lip and Jon K have made the comments about coaches having ego of being able to make players better. I would think Thibs (and Layden) would have faith in his process as a coach to get these guys to where they needed to be instead of flailing at some overpriced vet for a likely short term return. I think both Thibs and Layden are really detail guys and so Inthink they will understand they have to let their process play out. Layden doesn't come across as a knee jerk guy.
Now could they make a move to bring in a more experienced player? Sure. They have cap space to facilitate a deal and Bazz could be an asset heck maybe a desperate team wants Jordan Hill. I don't expect anything significant or really any moves but something smaller could happen. I wouldn't be shocked if they added draft picks if they could as the return of any deal. Those can come in handy.
60WinTim wrote:This exact topic is covered in Doogie's "Scoop" with Coach Thorpe. I HIGHLY recommend listening to that portion of the podcast, which starts early on. Great stuff!
I just listened to this Tim. There was alot of interesting stuff from Thorpe. I hadn't heard anything about Kevin Martin announcing his retirement. It was interesting to hear about Thorpe's life experience with Martin and how Martin's year was last year and why he was walking away. I also make more sense why he has so many thoughts on Sam. Anyway I think there was alot fo really good stuff here actually it was a worthwhile listen I thought Thorpe had some really insightful stuff here on the team coaching and individual players.
