Game Report - Wolves v. Nets

[Lipoli390]

Hard to get revved up these days for a game report, but what the heck. I'm going to all these games so I might as well report on some of them. So I'll offer a few observations from tonight.

1. The KG effect is obviously waning. He's not on the court so he can't help the team through his play. The crowds are getting thinner and quieter as the excitement over our heroes return subsides and we realize that the 38- year old KG is simply a future hall-of-famer headed towards retirement, not someone who will substantially and permanently alter the trajectory of this team over the long haul.

2. The Wolves astoundingly poor defense continued tonight. Watching the Nets on the offensive end tonight was like watching a baseball team go through batting practice. Nothing new about that. With rare exceptions this season, the Wolves have essentially served up their own basket on a silver platter for opposing teams to get one easy bucket after another. You could blame the youth of our team for a lot of our defensive ineptitude early in the season, but that explanation doesn't hold up so much anymore. This coaching staff needs to take a long look in that mirror Flip mentioned in his talk to a bunch of us several weeks ago. And Flip needs to seriously consider firing himself from the head coaching position. I had high hopes for Flip as head coach and have defended him a number of times until very recently. But I can't defend him anymore...

3. Zach had another really nice game. After scoring 18 points on better than 50% shooting last night, Zach scored 20 tonight on better than 50% shooting. He also made some nice passes. Again the fly in the ointment was his turnovers. He had 6 tonight. But keep in mind that the savvy vet, Kevin Martin, had 4 turnovers at the SG position. So compared to K-Mart, I can't get too down on a 19/20-year- old playing PG after never playing that position in college. Zach is a really good ballhandler and is incredibly fast with the ball. He has a beautiful looking shot with a very quick release. I have no doubt he's going to be very good.

4. Wiggins continued his downward trend tonight -- missing open jump shots, missing layups and dunks, ballhandling woes, and a disturbing level of passivity.

5. Hamilton continued to impress tonight. He's been compared to Hummel. Truth is, he's significantly better than Hummel and I honestly think he could be part of this team's regular rotation next season and not just a 12th man in the mold of a Robbie.

6. Flip continues to brow beat Zach repeatedly. It has to stop. Wiggins made a lot of boneheaded plays tonight, but Flip never barked at him and never pulled him abruptly the way he did with Zach. Martin turned the ball over 4 times and Flip never got on his case. The list goes on.

7. KG still talks to players on the bench and in huddles, but he has clearly settled down and seems a much calmer (though still intense) presence on the bench. He seems to direct most of his attention to Hamilton, Dieng and Zach. Those appear to be the three guys KG has taken under his wing, although he talks quite a bit to Payne. He doesn't seem to have as much interaction with Wiggns.

8. Finally, heck of a game from Chase tonight. He seems to have the bounce back in his step. He was definitely our best player out there tonight. It was the pre-injury Chase tonight, moving and cutting crisply without the ball and then getting to the bucket and finishing at the rim as well as hitting his jump shots. If he continues to stay healthy and plays the rest of the season the way he has the past couple games, then I definitely want him on next season's roster for that final year of his contract at $5 million.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Thanks Lip. Good observations and comments and I agree with the large majority of them.

Fuck Chase, though. I'm over watching him play for this team. I'm certainly not getting my hopes up for the guy nor do I want him on the team next year. I wouldn't wish that on us. Nice game tonight, but where have you [chase] been the past couple years? Oh, right, collecting checks while hurt.

[fiddlestyx [enjin:12735839]]

One other observation from tonight ...

Gary Neal was involved on the bench. A couple of times after Zach was pulled by Flip, Neal was one of the first guys talking to Zach. During one timeout, I think near the end of the 2nd quarter, Neal was walking Zach through the last play in which he turned the ball over and giving him pointers. Its good to see that Neal is engaged with the young guys while on the bench. Hopefully they're (Zach) is listening as he made some boneheaded plays (turnovers). He's still trying to make passes that aren't there, jumping in the air before he knows what he's going to do and only going one speed.

Its nice to see his shot starting to fall, lets hope that continues along with his learning of the point guard position. He definitely has the potential to be a great player.

[bleedspeed]

I really like Zach. I think he is going to be great. I think he has a shot to be better then Wiggins and the face of the franchise in 5 years.

I really feel Flip needs to step down as coach. I think his efforts are better scouting college players and focusing on building the team then trying to coach too. We need a young coach to grow with this team. I would throw the bank at Hoiberg.

[Papalrep]

Bleed---I really feel Flip needs to step down as coach. I think his efforts are better scouting college players and focusing on building the team then trying to coach too. We need a young coach to grow with this team. I would throw the bank at Hoiberg.

THERE YOU GO!!!

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

I really like Zach. I think he is going to be great. I think he has a shot to be better then Wiggins and the face of the franchise in 5 years.

I really feel Flip needs to step down as coach. I think his efforts are better scouting college players and focusing on building the team then trying to coach too. We need a young coach to grow with this team. I would throw the bank at Hoiberg.

I'm completely on board with this sentiment. I'm part of a Tuesday morning breakfast group, and one of the guys there is one of the two primary minority owners. I wanted to tee up the Flip/Hoiberg discussion with him, but he was out of town this week. I'll keep you guys informed if I learn something. It's another reason losses are more important than wins the rest of the season...a complete collapse might be what Glen needs to force a coaching move.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Agree with others on getting rid of Flip as coach. I don't like how he manages this team on the court. However I'm afraid that Sam Mitchell is the coach in waiting

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Thanks for the game report Lip. You're a trooper.

Your point #6 really irks me. The whole LaVine-at-PG experiment has been a disaster and it's ridiculous that Flip feels the need to pull Zach and brow-beat him for mistakes. Flip, you're the idiot that thought he could play PG to begin with! This is 100% on you Coach!

If Zach finds success in this league, it will be as a shot maker, not a play maker. He can get his shot up anytime, anyplace. I think it was fine to experiment a bit with Zach at PG in summer league and pre-season. But once it became apparent that he had no clue what he was doing at that position, Flip should have scrapped his plans.

[bleedspeed]

I am fine with LaVine playing PG, but would like to see him be more aggressive looking for his shot. I think starting games is fien to distribute for him but Flip should encourage him to look for his. He has really looked good since KG has come on board and I notice they communicate much better.

I really think Flip needs to step down immediately and focus on the draft. Hand the team over the Mitchell and let him coach it for the rest of the season. Then offer Hoiberg the bank and move forward with him.

[kekgeek]

I am sticking with my call this offseason the wolves will trade, 1st pick, dieng (hopefully pek) and Bennett to sac for cousins and Stauskas. Then Malone becomes the new head coach