Game Report - Wolves v Pistons

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

Guys like kat, wiggins saric etc.. dont get the ball as much late in games, is it by design or are they just not demanding the ball enough. Listening to guys like shaq, kat needs to demand the ball to get touches. People have commented on wiggs going straight to the corner and standing there. Rubio had that job to stay in the corner before the exbulls came aboard.

This has been going on for a couple of years now game after game, so wondering what others thought.

I think especially in close games, Thibs priority is to ensure we get a shot off. The more you pass it around and run motion sets, the more likely something goes wrong with an errant pass or deflection. That might be fine early in halves, but as things get tight near the end the worst thing that can happen is turning the ball over. The more you clear everyone out and go one-on-one with your best ball handler, the less likely you are to turn it over. I think that's a big part of his logic.

My biggest beef is that he NEVER runs action from the elbows extended with KAT or Saric. Give these guys the ball and run some stuff around them - handoffs, cuts, high-low, etc. Remember the triangle offense? One of the big tenets was a big getting the ball around the elbow and then running action from there. I'm not suggesting we go 100% triangle, but there is so much more Thibs could do to diversify our sets and stop relying so much on third tier PGs like Rose and Teague to make every decision.

I agree, Q. You nailed it. Not running elbow action down the stretch with KAT, the Wolves best offensive player, is ridiculous. Now we have Saric as another big who the offensive could be run through, but of course Thibs won't.

My point was kat and wiggs are getting paid max dollars to basically be bystanders during winning time. But at the same time they take alot of the heat for not being able to help the team win.

I like our team. I like the fit and depth of the players. Ive mentioned that thibs has a trust issue with our players outside of his ex bulls. 2 years ago, yes, we struggled to close games, but that was with 2 20 yr olds carrying the bulk of the offense. You expect some rough patches but hope for some growth with experience. However, in the past 2 years, theyve basically had the ball taken out of their hands.

Well, I don't really have a problem with Wigs being a bystander. He has bad handles and is a mediocre shot maker. Until he proves he can efficiently put points on the board, we're better off with him not involved late in games except as a floor spacer. I'm fine with trying to engage him early in halves.

KAT is a different story. Not that he's the most clutch player either, but we gotta find ways to get him touches and put him in spots to make plays late in games. And it just isn't a straight up post up or pick and pop 3. More can be done.

Yeah, but you cant just tell wiggs to stand in the corner and get out of the way either.

Teams aren't even covering him.

Against the suns wiggs got zero touches in the 4th with jamal crawford covering him.
Against the pistons, he had 1 shot attempt in the 4th and ot. They had galloway covering him.
Wiggs doesnt need to shoot, but to completely ignore the biggest mismatch on the floor is crazy.

Opposing teams have figured out our offense and its really easy to defend.

For kat its either him setting screens up top or forced to go 1:1 while the other 4 watch.

Id rather watch us lose with kat and wiggs missing shots than watching rose, teague, or taj miss those shots.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

If teams aren't covering Wigs, then yes, we need to swing the ball to him for the open shot. I'm not suggesting they ignore him in the sense that they don't even look his way. I'm just suggesting that he should not be the primary ball handler or play maker in crunch time. He's just not good in these situations.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Speaking of Wiggins being ignored, I think I know why Thibs was so pissed on that play that KAT stepped out of bounds late in the 4th. KAT had Wigs wide open on the wing for an open 3. But KAT faked the pass to Wigs and tried to put the ball on the floor. That's when he stepped OB. If he had just made the simple swing pass, we would have had an open shot as opposed to a turnover.

[crazy-canuck [enjin:18955461]]

Speaking of Wiggins being ignored, I think I know why Thibs was so pissed on that play that KAT stepped out of bounds late in the 4th. KAT had Wigs wide open on the wing for an open 3. But KAT faked the pass to Wigs and tried to put the ball on the floor. That's when he stepped OB. If he had just made the simple swing pass, we would have had an open shot as opposed to a turnover.

I think everyone in the arena knew kat was gunning for that streak.

Thats the typical double standard i talk about with thibs regarding kat and wiggs. Rose and teague (butler when he was here) do the exact same things with no repercussions.

[Monster]

Guys like kat, wiggins saric etc.. dont get the ball as much late in games, is it by design or are they just not demanding the ball enough. Listening to guys like shaq, kat needs to demand the ball to get touches. People have commented on wiggs going straight to the corner and standing there. Rubio had that job to stay in the corner before the exbulls came aboard.

This has been going on for a couple of years now game after game, so wondering what others thought.

I think especially in close games, Thibs priority is to ensure we get a shot off. The more you pass it around and run motion sets, the more likely something goes wrong with an errant pass or deflection. That might be fine early in halves, but as things get tight near the end the worst thing that can happen is turning the ball over. The more you clear everyone out and go one-on-one with your best ball handler, the less likely you are to turn it over. I think that's a big part of his logic.

My biggest beef is that he NEVER runs action from the elbows extended with KAT or Saric. Give these guys the ball and run some stuff around them - handoffs, cuts, high-low, etc. Remember the triangle offense? One of the big tenets was a big getting the ball around the elbow and then running action from there. I'm not suggesting we go 100% triangle, but there is so much more Thibs could do to diversify our sets and stop relying so much on third tier PGs like Rose and Teague to make every decision.

I agree, Q. You nailed it. Not running elbow action down the stretch with KAT, the Wolves best offensive player, is ridiculous. Now we have Saric as another big who the offensive could be run through, but of course Thibs won't.

I can't remember who posted it but there there was an article written about Thibs used triangle type sets about as much as any coach while he was in Chicago.

https://youtu.be/W_3hjMoP6LQ

Great ball movement in some of those thib sets.

Thats it. I watched this when thibs was hired and thought he could do some things with kat, wiggs, and rubio. We ran double horns with those 3 efficiently in their last year. I was aldo hoping thibs would use kat like he did noah in the offense. But i was wrong about everything thibs related.

That's just it. Noah led the team in assists one year, so Thibs is perfectly capable of running offensive sets through a big man. I think he is so obsessed with KAT as a floor spacer and how that theoretically opens things up for our PGs.

You might be onto something there Q. Towns is literally the Wolves best shooter and has been the whole time Thibs has been here.

It's also worth noting that while every team has some turnover Thibs in his 3 season has had a pretty significant change in his roster. Sure he is responsible for that but it's still there. The guys that are a constant are still quite young. I'm not saying it's a complete excuse but it's woethwhile context as well as the league changing too on both ends of the floor.

[thedoper]

I really don't care how it happens, Towns needs a minimum of 20 shots a game. Elbow, post, 3s. At this point we need Mike Tice coaching to give the Towns ratio. If we can't find a way to force feed him we're making a mistake. If he can't maintain his efficiency at 20 shots then spread the wealth, otherwise hand the team over. Rose has been a great story, but our future is not in Rose taking 15 shots a game. Not winning and not developing has been the Timberwolves way for too long. I loved what Flip was trying 4 years ago, but that was really the only time in 20 years where I felt our coaching staff was legitimately trying to develop players. It's sad.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

KAT is 33rd in the NBA in shot attempts per game. As Thibs himself would say...."C'MON MAN!!!".

[thedoper]

KAT is 33rd in the NBA in shot attempts per game. As Thibs himself would say...."C'MON MAN!!!".

There is no reason with his efficiency that he shouldn't be top 10 or even top 5. This should be obvious to all of the players and coaches on our team. I have no idea why it isn't happening organically but it's time for force-feeding the obvious.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

KAT is 33rd in the NBA in shot attempts per game. As Thibs himself would say...."C'MON MAN!!!".

It's because he wasnt a Bull before. That's important to Thibs.