Zach Attack

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

Well, I hope Sam starts the shooting guard and center who play the best in training camp, rather than starting one just because he was the #1 pick...our starters need to earn the honor. If a 19 year old rookie that played about 20 minutes a game for 39 games in college clearly outplays a 25-year-old guy with 2 years of NBA and international experience, then more power to him...we will be a very good team, I think, if Karl can beat out Gorgui. My sense is, though, that Gorgui will look a lot more NBA-ready by the opener than Towns. I'm hoping and even expecting Towns will be the stronger player by the end of the season, but I'll be surprised if he looks better than G three weeks from next Wednesday in LA.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upoqt7zDlc0

This is a terrific short video of a Wolves practice. Gotta love the energy in Sam and KG, but I also like the vocals and intensity of Towns. Karl seems to be a smart guy, and communicating on defense and going all out in practice is the key to getting on Sam and KG's good side. While I'm still predicting Gorgui is our starting center on opening day, intensity like this is the kind of thing that could put Karl in the starting lineup.

[worldK]

I agree that wiggins-kg-towns-rubio-lavine should be the starting 5. Wiggins, lavine and towns are the future of the team. Rubio and kg are the two best guys on the team to play with as they make their team mates better.

We are a year or two away from the playoffs and wiggins and lavine has played significant nba minutes last season already. Might as well start building chemistry and develop the future guys when there is no expectations of making the playoffs this season.

[Carlos Danger]

Well, I hope Sam starts the shooting guard and center who play the best in training camp, rather than starting one just because he was the #1 pick...our starters need to earn the honor. If a 19 year old rookie that played about 20 minutes a game for 39 games in college clearly outplays a 25-year-old guy with 2 years of NBA and international experience, then more power to him...we will be a very good team, I think, if Karl can beat out Gorgui. My sense is, though, that Gorgui will look a lot more NBA-ready by the opener than Towns. I'm hoping and even expecting Towns will be the stronger player by the end of the season, but I'll be surprised if he looks better than G three weeks from next Wednesday in LA.

LST, while I agree with your point that G would logically the NBA ready guy, I'm assuming Towns will start. I think that's what Flip wanted and I believe Sam is going to continue with Flip's vision - at least for the short term. I'm hoping Towns can be a defensive guy first and not worry about trying to score 20 points a game.

Regarding Martin/LaVine, I might be the only one on here, but I believe Martin will start ahead of LaVine - at least to start the year. I think a line up of: Rubio, Martin, Wiggins, KG and Towns would be pretty solid and a nice balance of vets/young guys. And with Martin/Wiggins - I feel there will be enough scoring on the floor that we wouldn't need much out of Towns.

It's all just guessing at this point. I guess we'll find out next week!

[Lipoli390]

The Timberwolves actually making sense? What a refreshing change. Here's the 5 I think you will see start:

9-8-22-21-32

Of course I had to look them up because I only knew 21, but your 5 would be my second guess. I went with Gorgui because I think KG convinces his buddy Sam that Towns isn't quite ready to go up against the top NBA centers, and would be better served learning the game with consistent minutes against back up centers. But if Karl really steps up and proves to be a better center right away than 3rd-year Gorgui, that will be a really good thing for the Wolves.

I think we all saw that Gorgui isn't ready to go against top NBA centers either. Karl-Anthony will start, and I'm pretty sure Flip already stated that, or at least hinted it, a little while back. Flip may never be the head coach ever again, but Mitchell is going to put Towns next to Garnett on the floor as much as he can, and that includes the starting lineup.

I agree, Cam. Sam has said that development is his top priority. Given that perspective, Towns would have to look really bad in practice for Sam to not start the top pick in the draft.

[khans2k5 [enjin:6608728]]

Dieng's offensive play style is too similar to KG's to play the two together a bunch. Towns can be put on the block while KG works from the elbow and high post. Dieng doesn't have much of a low post game and KG's game doesn't really go down in the trenches much anymore. Towns is the guy moving forward. It doesn't make much sense to me to start Dieng when Towns is the C of the future for this team. I think people are just over thinking the starting 5. The sooner our long-term starting unit can play together the better because that's what's gonna build continuity and develop consistency with that unit. If Towns struggles, he struggles. There's no way to skip the growing pains with young players. They just have to play through it and playing with Ricky and KG will make his life a lot easier than playing with Miller and NB/AP.

[BizarroJerry [enjin:6592520]]

Bleed, I thought we were going with a Saved by the Bell thread here, i know it's not reddit, but nobody else made a reference? I'm disappointed fellow nerds.

[Monster]

Bleed, I thought we were going with a Saved by the Bell thread here, i know it's not reddit, but nobody else made a reference? I'm disappointed fellow nerds.

My first thought when I saw the thread title was guitarist Zakk Wylde.