Game Report: my first home game of the season

[Mstermisty [enjin:6864008]]

Let me preface this by saying I am a previous season ticket holder, in fact, about 4 years ago I had seats 8 rows up from center court in the lower bowl. They were amazing seats, and the arena was alive most nights. Of course the team still didn't amount to much. And also I spent way too much money on those seats but...no regrets.

So to continue, this is sad, but tonight is the FIRST home game I've attended this year, and I sat in much worse seats than the ones I alluded to above.

Observations (and let me also make note that I have not read a single comment in the game thread tonight):

--Target Center is dead. I'm telling you it's absolutely DEAD. During the introductions tonight barely anyone was on their feet clapping. The apathy in the building at this point is insane. Then during the game I could hear the Bucks fans around me screaming like banshees, but the Wolves fans barely even made a peep. This was actually shocking to me. Saturday night, sort of a rivalry game, and the fans were dead. Even up 20-5 it was like...ho-hum.

-During a timeout (or halftime) they honored a military guy. OK great, I'm all for honoring our troops, they are underappreciated, but when all of a sudden this loud cheer went up out of nowhere I couldn't believe it. The team people paid to see can barely garner a golf clap, and then this random guy gets a standing O. Again, I'm all for honoring the people protecting us, but hearing this loud roar just reminded me the level of apathy that exists for this franchise.

--At this point, we have 3 ballers: Towns, although he was off tonight, is the sure thing. Wiggins is close to a sure thing. Both KAT and Wiggs have warts in their games, but at age 20, I can live with that. They will continue to improve on their weaknesses. The third player is Rubio. He's a dynamic player with one big wart (shooting) in his game that at this point I'm not sure he can improve, but I can live with that considering what else he brings: there is simply a calming affect when he's on the court, both offensively and defensively. I mean if he could play 48 minutes a game the rest of the way I realistically think we could be the 8th seed.

Beyond those three players this team seems to be a clusterfuck yet again. We don't find any 3 point shots in rhythm, we give up way too many 3's, we have guys that play good for stretches and then disappear for others. We have guys like KG who sadly are important cogs to the success of the team, yet can't play more than 20 minutes a night much less a back to back. Lavine is a future star one week, the next he is worthless. Bazz breaks out for a bit then regresses to dogshit. Bjelica looks like a starter in the league, the next week he barely sees the court. And sadly even Wiggins has regressed quite a bit from his stretch of looking like the closer all of us hoped he would become. Now he can't make a free throw much less hit a 3 pointer.

This isn't what you want to see from a young team.

Spitballing here but this is the BIGGEST weakness I see right now: we simply don't have a 3 point shooter on the court with our best squad! This should be our biggest priority, whoever moves into the starting lineup either at the 4 or 2 should be able to bomb 3's. Either that or we need some more specialists off the bench. This is the area of the game Lavine should be concentrating on, but more often than not he's taking off balance shots that look like they have no chance going in. Bjelica? He barely even shoots anymore. We literally have no 3 point shooters on the entire team!!!!!!! This is the NBA!!!!!

Just a rough experience tonight, even though it was still fun because I love basketball. But I really think some big changes need to be made before a big step forward is taken. Here's my suggestions:

--Mitchell, gone. This is obvious.
--Target Center: Renovate. Needs it bad.
--Uniforms: Get something new, these ones have sucked for wins and losses, and I never liked the look of them in the first place.
--Music/In game sounds: Please change this up. Everything has gotten soooo old. The "clap clap clap clap your hands" is like elevator music at this point. Do something different.
--Find some 3 point shooting. Especially with Rubio running the point. We need this in the worst way. I like what else we have going, but no team in today's modern NBA is going to be successful without using the 3-point line as a weapon.

I honestly don't know if I will attend another game this year. Just keepin' it real. We're not developing. We're getting our ass kicked.

[kekgeek]

I know the feeling my first home game this year was against the pacers a week ago and I was in a suite (my buddy won tthem on draft kings) and I had fun but I think it was because I was in a suite and not because of the wolves. I was bored with the product, we play this slow down boring long 2 offense and I could live with that if the wolves were good but they are not.

I could of had third row tickets to the game tonight but I passed because I am a little sick and I didn't want to drive a hour each way and that is because the wolves are boring. I love the wolves but I am getting sick of them and this has been the worst because they shouldn't be this bad.

Also the wolves especially this year have turned me into a crybaby angry fan who blames refs and I hate people like what I am starting to act like while watching.

Thanks for the writeup

[m4gor [enjin:6667447]]

I mean, wolves are this bad or worse for most of those 13 consecutive seasons without playoffs, it is taxing as fk and that is why energy has gone. It definitely has its role in why we suck so badly at home, we do not have any home floor advantage any more.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I know the feeling my first home game this year was against the pacers a week ago and I was in a suite (my buddy won tthem on draft kings) and I had fun but I think it was because I was in a suite and not because of the wolves. I was bored with the product, we play this slow down boring long 2 offense and I could live with that if the wolves were good but they are not.

I could of had third row tickets to the game tonight but I passed because I am a little sick and I didn't want to drive a hour each way and that is because the wolves are boring. I love the wolves but I am getting sick of them and this has been the worst because they shouldn't be this bad.

Also the wolves especially this year have turned me into a crybaby angry fan who blames refs and I hate people like what I am starting to act like while watching.

Thanks for the writeup

Heh, I was at the Indiana game too in a suite, although I'm pretty sure it was a different one since mine was with a bunch of my family! I agree with Mstermisty by the way on renovations. While it's always nice to be in a suite, ours definitely had a dated feel to it, with a 1990s boxy TV showing the in house feed and some pretty crappy food being served.

I actually think the Indiana game had quite a lively crowd, but keep in mind most folks showed up for the KAT bobbleheads and it was a Saturday night holiday weekend. Folks were in a convivial mood.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Thanks for the write-up Mstermisty. When it comes to our "future", I really think there is only one guy that is an absolute untouchable and that's Towns. This franchise simply CANNOT allow him to be surrounded by a bunch of mediocrity like KG and Love were for the better portion of their tenures with us. KAT may actually be better than either one and the last thing we need is for him to spend the next 4-5 years here as a loser. He's a smart guy and knows the history of the franchise. He won't be nearly as patient as the other two, especially KG.

[Papalrep]

--Mitchell, gone. This is obvious.
--Target Center: Renovate. Needs it bad.

Glen wont sign a real coach for long term as he is selling. Target Center's lower bowl is shallow, unlike XCel Energy center. The problem with Target Center is architecture. So neither problem is fixable. I fear the team will move. Not that I can complain, I haven't been to a game since Marbury was point guard.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Lip!

Make Rubio's Bobos happen, dammit.

So, the Wolves have a super young, promising team with the league's best dunker one one wing and one of the league's most athletic players (both 20 years old) on the other wing, one of the most creative passers in the NBA, and a possible superstar big man (20 years old) who is better than expected and can hit 3 pointers...

... and the Wolves are one of the most boring and predictable teams in the league?

I'm totally cool with losing with this group this season. They're just too young. But I would like to see them develop a style, or an identity. More importantly, I'd like to see them improve. Thus far, the team has regressed from the first quarter of the season to the second quarter.

[Monster]

Lip!

Make Rubio's Bobos happen, dammit.

So, the Wolves have a super young, promising team with the league's best dunker one one wing and one of the league's most athletic players (both 20 years old) on the other wing, one of the most creative passers in the NBA, and a possible superstar big man (20 years old) who is better than expected and can hit 3 pointers...

... and the Wolves are one of the most boring and predictable teams in the league?

I'm totally cool with losing with this group this season. They're just too young. But I would like to see them develop a style, or an identity. More importantly, I'd like to see them improve. Thus far, the team has regressed from the first quarter of the season to the second quarter.

Good post. Earlier in the season the identity was a scrappy team that played with confidence sorta like Sam. I think this team still keeps playing but like you said they don't have enough of identity now especially on offense. It's an odd but somewhat understandable bad combo of lack of passing the ball or sets that seem to set up some sort of ISO opportunities.

Which brings us back to an earlier point in this thread that hit me watching the Detroit game this team needs a 3 point shooter. Wiggins needs a 3 point shooter teams can load up on him when he drives. Rubio needs a guy he can just throw it to and that guy let's it fly. It would help the bigs also obviously. Towns can be part of the solution but this team really needs a 3 point shooting wing that is a decent defender. Maybe Zach can be that guy at SG or MAYBE it's Bazz. Maybe one of the PFs become legit volume 3pt stretch 4's. Bottom line is whether it's development of current players adding personnel or coaching or whatever this team is gonna struggle offensively until something improves in that regard. its really difficult to play good offense without the 3 point threat I think we all know that regardless of what level of basketball you play.