Wolves VS Bullets - A Rose by any other name GDT

[AbeVigodaLive]

Hyperbole doesn't play well here, Cool.

Nor should it.

Even the biggest Wiggins detractors are just as likely to say positive things about Wiggins when deserved. I don't think anybody rips him all the time. Every time. If you wanna go that route... prove it. Name those posters. I'm pretty certain they'll be able to QUICKLY provide examples of praise they gave Wiggins... just like you provided an example where you ripped him.

I hope this doesn't take us down that same, tired rabbit hole... let's just celebrate a solid win.

[Lipoli390]

Just finished watching the replay. I'll offer my thoughts. KAT was great all game and his clutch 3 down the stretch was huge. But a number of guys stepped up. Teague and Tyus were terrific all game. Belly was cold shooting until the 4th, but he did other things all 4 quarter to help us win. Taj was solid all game and Jamaal hit some big shots.

The big turning point in my view was the run we had early in the 4th when we came back from 10 down to take the lead. It was Tyus and Belly who led us in that stretch. They were both terrific on both ends and what can about Belly's three 3-pointers in a row during athat stretch.

I wasn't as impressed as some by Wiggins' play in the 4th. Don't get me wrong, he played some terrific defense in the final quarter. He was also more aggressive and efficient offensively than he had been earlier. But he almost cost us the game when he dribbled the ball into a trap and picked up his dribble rather than taking it to the center of the court. Thankfully, Thibs had the presence of mind to immediately call a time out. If not, I'm sure Wiggins would have turned the ball over. But he did come through for the most part in the 4th, although I wouldn't call him K. Leonard on steroids.

So I'll give my main game ball to KAT. But honorable mention game balls go to Teague, Tyus and Belly. Those three were great and keys to our win tonight. And credit Thibs for some excellent coaching, including that timeout he called before Wiggins turned it over. I also liked the way he used Tyus and Teague -- alternating them at the right times. A great win tonight.

Belly wasn't great, he finished well but he was brutal for most of the game. In fact he was the worst player on the floor in the first half. And you're overly dramatic about Wiggins dribbling into the double team. You make some good points too, but your agenda is showing.

Lol, cool if you think Belly was terrible the first half, what can you possibly think watching Wiggins play 90% of the time. He missed shots, had a couple bad plays, but the eye test says he was doing other things out there. It's not hard to see.

Again, I'm the one who commented on how lazy Wig was for 3 quarters. I don't know how i can be more objective than that. He gets routinely criticized by the same posters after every game, win or lose. I come on here once in three weeks and make some balanced comments on the guy, and I'm called hypersensitive.

And yes, Belly was the biggest reason we trailed going into halftime.

Sorry Cool or the hypersensitive comment. We both agree that Wiggins was bad for 3 quarters and good defensively in the 4th. We just disagree on how good he was in the 4th. It doesn't mean you're hypersensitive, but it doesn't mean I "have an agenda" either. So I apologize for that comment. But I hope you see my point about your comment. Part of my problem with Wiggins is that my expectations are still so high given his talent. That's not an agenda, it's a legitimate expectation shared by many that he should be far better and far more consistent than he's been. I'm guessing you agree. Yes, Wiggins played really well defensively in the 4th and he get more aggressive and hit shots that quarter too. I mentioned that in my original post. If he hadn't, the Wolves would have lost. So kudos to Wiggins for that.

I continue to disagree with you on Belly. He was rebounding and making plays for teammates all night before he finally got his shot to fall. And his three 3-pointers early in the 4th were game-changers that were instrumental in the Wolves erasing the 10-point deficit.

[Duke13]

Just finished watching the replay. I'll offer my thoughts. KAT was great all game and his clutch 3 down the stretch was huge. But a number of guys stepped up. Teague and Tyus were terrific all game. Belly was cold shooting until the 4th, but he did other things all 4 quarter to help us win. Taj was solid all game and Jamaal hit some big shots.

The big turning point in my view was the run we had early in the 4th when we came back from 10 down to take the lead. It was Tyus and Belly who led us in that stretch. They were both terrific on both ends and what can about Belly's three 3-pointers in a row during athat stretch.

I wasn't as impressed as some by Wiggins' play in the 4th. Don't get me wrong, he played some terrific defense in the final quarter. He was also more aggressive and efficient offensively than he had been earlier. But he almost cost us the game when he dribbled the ball into a trap and picked up his dribble rather than taking it to the center of the court. Thankfully, Thibs had the presence of mind to immediately call a time out. If not, I'm sure Wiggins would have turned the ball over. But he did come through for the most part in the 4th, although I wouldn't call him K. Leonard on steroids.

So I'll give my main game ball to KAT. But honorable mention game balls go to Teague, Tyus and Belly. Those three were great and keys to our win tonight. And credit Thibs for some excellent coaching, including that timeout he called before Wiggins turned it over. I also liked the way he used Tyus and Teague -- alternating them at the right times. A great win tonight.

Belly wasn't great, he finished well but he was brutal for most of the game. In fact he was the worst player on the floor in the first half. And you're overly dramatic about Wiggins dribbling into the double team. You make some good points too, but your agenda is showing.

Lol, cool if you think Belly was terrible the first half, what can you possibly think watching Wiggins play 90% of the time. He missed shots, had a couple bad plays, but the eye test says he was doing other things out there. It's not hard to see.

Again, I'm the one who commented on how lazy Wig was for 3 quarters. I don't know how i can be more objective than that. He gets routinely criticized by the same posters after every game, win or lose. I come on here once in three weeks and make some balanced comments on the guy, and I'm called hypersensitive.

And yes, Belly was the biggest reason we trailed going into halftime.

I'll take Belly's first half everyday of the week over Wigs

[Logo [enjin:17474297]]

On Wiggins ball handling mistake in the 4th quarter. As a youth, basketball coach one of the first things I teach for both offense and defensive purposes is when dribbling across half court line you MUST advance far into the front court. And NEVER into a corner just over the line.

That is where you want to direct the player you are guarding because once you cross half court there is a wall closing behind you and even worse if you are near the sideline. How is it a player at this level never learned that?

A good defensive player will ease up on the ball handler near half court line to allow him to cross, then jamb him right there using the "wall" as a help defender. Having the sideline is even better. It is like a one man trap.

[Coolbreeze44]

Hyperbole doesn't play well here, Cool.

Nor should it.

Even the biggest Wiggins detractors are just as likely to say positive things about Wiggins when deserved. I don't think anybody rips him all the time. Every time. If you wanna go that route... prove it. Name those posters. I'm pretty certain they'll be able to QUICKLY provide examples of praise they gave Wiggins... just like you provided an example where you ripped him.

I hope this doesn't take us down that same, tired rabbit hole... let's just celebrate a solid win.

I'm confused, do you want me to name names or do you not want to go down that rabbit hole? I'm not going to spend a lot of time researching, but i'll name some names if you like.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I don't think Bjelly is great, but he isn't terrible either. His willingness to launch the 3-ball (and make his fair share of them) is a nice fit in a starting unit that desperately needs more spacing, plus he rebounds and passes his position quite well. Defensively he's up and down, but overall I like his game. In some ways, he is a better natural pairing with either Wiggins or Butler.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Since Bjelly stepped into the starting lineup:

13.9 PPG
48.7% FG
44% 3PT
8.3 Rebs
3.0 Assts
1.4 Stls
1.6 Tovs
+7.3 Net Rating, best on the team

That's a really solid role playing starter right there. He can't create a bunch of offense or shut anyone down, but put him out there with some other studs and he can fit in, just like Tyus did when he started for Teague.

[Monster]

Since Bjelly stepped into the starting lineup:

13.9 PPG
48.7% FG
44% 3PT
8.3 Rebs
3.0 Assts
1.4 Stls
1.6 Tovs
+7.3 Net Rating, best on the team

That's a really solid role playing starter right there. He can't create a bunch of offense or shut anyone down, but put him out there with some other studs and he can fit in, just like Tyus did when he started for Teague.

Belly can do a bit of anything. He can be a floor spacer. He can set guys up. Sure he will throw one bad pass or sometimes 2 but he also set up some really nice plays including throwing a good entry pass. He can take his off the dribble as well. He can help your defense. He is looking like a really nice complimentary player right now and eventually Tyus is gonna have more to his game like Belly is showing right now and Tyus upside is likely higher.