Game Report - Wolves v. Grizzlies

[bleedspeed]

Now we have 2 part time players in KG and Pek. Great!!

Pretty much.

[SameOldNudityDrew]

I've been watching a bunch of Okafor video lately. The dude is boring to watch, but so insanely effective. He doesn't have the range Duncan had, so I don't see him being that good (at least at this point), but I think he's going to be really good. Better than the Al Jefferson comparisons suggest. He's deceptively mobile, although he only shows it when necessary. Wow, if we got the first pick this year I'd feel really good about moving forward with Wiggins and Okafor on this team.

I wouldn't call him boring. His low post moves are outstanding. He doesn't have one or two go to moves, he has a billion of them and is almost impossible to stop down in the post. My problem with him is the lack of defense. I want a big man who can control the paint. Okafor hasn't shown that ability.

I actually mean boring as kind of a compliment. He's very patient and methodical with the way he works, efficient and effective too, like Tim Duncan. I think people tend to underrate guys like that and overrate uber athletic players (think Tyrus Thomas, etc). We've already got Wiggins and LaVine who are super exciting players. I don't necessarily think we need a super athletic big, especially if he can't play. And one thing we know about Okafor is he can play. I'm not sold that Towns can yet.

Agreed though, a good defensive big like Tyson Chandler would obviously be awesome to have. Could Towns become a guy like that? I'm not sure. But I am pretty sure that Okafor is going to be a very good offensive big (Big Al, Gasol, Z-Bo come to mind) although I haven't studied his defense that much, he has great size so how bad can he be defensively?

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

I don't know if anyone answered Drew's question about what happened to Pek. Yes, he did have a bruise under his eye from a shot he took in a previous game, but that wasn't the reason he was sitting. He was hurting so much before the Chicago game that he didn't participate in the pre-game workout, and then had to play more minutes than he should have because Flip only had three guys to rotate through C and PF. I was actually surprised he was able to play at all against Memphis, but you could tell right away that he was hobbled. AB hasn't been the answer this year at PF, but Flip needs him back to give him another big man. Unfortunately, they said today that he is still 2 weeks away from playing.

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

I've been watching a bunch of Okafor video lately. The dude is boring to watch, but so insanely effective. He doesn't have the range Duncan had, so I don't see him being that good (at least at this point), but I think he's going to be really good. Better than the Al Jefferson comparisons suggest. He's deceptively mobile, although he only shows it when necessary. Wow, if we got the first pick this year I'd feel really good about moving forward with Wiggins and Okafor on this team.

I wouldn't call him boring. His low post moves are outstanding. He doesn't have one or two go to moves, he has a billion of them and is almost impossible to stop down in the post. My problem with him is the lack of defense. I want a big man who can control the paint. Okafor hasn't shown that ability.

I actually mean boring as kind of a compliment. He's very patient and methodical with the way he works, efficient and effective too, like Tim Duncan. I think people tend to underrate guys like that and overrate uber athletic players (think Tyrus Thomas, etc). We've already got Wiggins and LaVine who are super exciting players. I don't necessarily think we need a super athletic big, especially if he can't play. And one thing we know about Okafor is he can play. I'm not sold that Towns can yet.

Agreed though, a good defensive big like Tyson Chandler would obviously be awesome to have. Could Towns become a guy like that? I'm not sure. But I am pretty sure that Okafor is going to be a very good offensive big (Big Al, Gasol, Z-Bo come to mind) although I haven't studied his defense that much, he has great size so how bad can he be defensively?

I'm different. I love the small details of fun fundamental basketball over an athlete who plays basketball. I enjoy watching bank shots. I'm odd I know.

Okafor has the size and length to be a great defender, he just doesn't show great tenacity and awareness to be great. Towns is the athletic guy who is a great rebounder and defender, who isn't polished on offense. I think he is probably a Dwight Howard type. Athletic, but not going to be a true dominating force on offense. Okafor is a guy who will be dominating on offense and if he can develop into a solid defender he will be one of the best C in the league. I think Embiid, if healthy will end up being the best C, but health will be a major hurtle for him.

[SameOldNudityDrew]

I don't know if anyone answered Drew's question about what happened to Pek. Yes, he did have a bruise under his eye from a shot he took in a previous game, but that wasn't the reason he was sitting. He was hurting so much before the Chicago game that he didn't participate in the pre-game workout, and then had to play more minutes than he should have because Flip only had three guys to rotate through C and PF. I was actually surprised he was able to play at all against Memphis, but you could tell right away that he was hobbled. AB hasn't been the answer this year at PF, but Flip needs him back to give him another big man. Unfortunately, they said today that he is still 2 weeks away from playing.

Man, injuries have just killed us this year. This is where having a guy like Turiaf on the bench is so much more valuable than a guy like Bud. If you are thin at the 2, 3, or 4 you can get exploited a bit, but you can usually shift somebody down or up to cover. You have two other positions you can shift guys from to fill that spot, a smaller guy or a bigger guy. If you are missing a PG, it's harder to replace, and generally your offense gets hurt more than your defense, but it's possible to make do for stretches with a 2 who can handle the ball. But if you are short on centers, you are really in trouble defensively because you can really only shift a 4 up, and that's usually a significant weight disadvantage. Against a team like Memphis, forget it.

[zigzag22 [enjin:6591633]]

Current standings have us at 18.5 games back of the 8-seed with 24 games left. Barring a miracle (sarcastic font), it would be nice if the President of Basketball Ops consulted with the Coach and decided to decrease the minutes of the important players (Martin, Rubio, Pek, Wiggins) and dial up the minutes for the guys who NEED the development (Lavine, Dieng, Payne).

You know, plan for the long-term of the franchise rather than milk a win or two in March. As the last place team in the West.

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

Current standings have us at 18.5 games back of the 8-seed with 24 games left. Barring a miracle (sarcastic font), it would be nice if the President of Basketball Ops consulted with the Coach and decided to decrease the minutes of the important players (Martin, Rubio, Pek, Wiggins) and dial up the minutes for the guys who NEED the development (Lavine, Dieng, Payne).

You know, plan for the long-term of the franchise rather than milk a win or two in March. As the last place team in the West.

That's the problem when your coach is the President of Basketball Operation. The coach is always focused on the next game, the President has to look at the big picture. That's why trading Martin, who is a very good player, made sense. It's about building this team for the future, which is very bright with a superstar in the making in Wiggins.

[bleedspeed]

TRKO - I am with you. I was expecting more of this once past the trade deadline. It actually makes sense to have some of the vets finish healthy. Like resting Pek on back to backs. He value looks a lot better if he is not missing multiple games at a time. I also think LaVine has really started to earn more minutes and it is certainly worth it to see if Neal should be resigned.

[TRKO [enjin:12664595]]

TRKO - I am with you. I was expecting more of this once past the trade deadline. It actually makes sense to have some of the vets finish healthy. Like resting Pek on back to backs. He value looks a lot better if he is not missing multiple games at a time. I also think LaVine has really started to earn more minutes and it is certainly worth it to see if Neal should be resigned.

For what it's worth, I'm fine with tanking. I know others aren't, but to me getting another a young elite player is better than winning a handful of games. My personal opinion.

I would rather get the whole roster long hard looks. See what we have in game situations with guys. We shouldn't wear anybody's bodies down. We need to start next year healthy.

[Coolbreeze44]

TRKO - I am with you. I was expecting more of this once past the trade deadline. It actually makes sense to have some of the vets finish healthy. Like resting Pek on back to backs. He value looks a lot better if he is not missing multiple games at a time. I also think LaVine has really started to earn more minutes and it is certainly worth it to see if Neal should be resigned.

For what it's worth, I'm fine with tanking. I know others aren't, but to me getting another a young elite player is better than winning a handful of games. My personal opinion.

I would rather get the whole roster long hard looks. See what we have in game situations with guys. We shouldn't wear anybody's bodies down. We need to start next year healthy.

So tanking guarantees you get an elite player? Thankfully it doesn't. It doesn't even guarantee a draft position. It's not where you draft, it's who you pick.