the KAT /Rudy discussions have all but disappeared.
Wolves @ Heat GDT
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Coolbreeze44
- Posts: 13192
- Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2013 12:00 am
Re: Wolves @ Heat GDT
I give both of them a lot of credit. They are meshing really well and seem like they like playing with each other.
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Coolbreeze44
- Posts: 13192
- Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2013 12:00 am
Re: Wolves @ Heat GDT
C'mon guys, we're 20-5, let's talk ball
Re: Wolves @ Heat GDT
I missed the game, but just watched the second half. Glad I didn't watch the first half!
That 4th quarter had a playoff like feel to it. Love the fact we absorbed a lot of blows with Miami making some really tough shots despite great defense. We just shook it off and kept grinding. What an incredible difference in grit and resiliency from last year. These recent wins @Dallas and @Miami are freakin' impressive.
That 4th quarter had a playoff like feel to it. Love the fact we absorbed a lot of blows with Miami making some really tough shots despite great defense. We just shook it off and kept grinding. What an incredible difference in grit and resiliency from last year. These recent wins @Dallas and @Miami are freakin' impressive.
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AbeVigodaLive
- Posts: 10271
- Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2013 12:00 am
Re: Wolves @ Heat GDT
Abe's Late Night DVR Review:
- Obviously (see title), I never post here during the game. But tonight, there was a stretch in the 2nd quarter where I wanted to write about the general malaise and half-ass vibe the Wolves were playing with. Then the 2nd half begin... and there was a noticeable but slight energy/intensity boost. And then that just grew and grew until a buzz surrounded the final few minutes of the game. It's been a looooonnnnnggggg time since I felt THAT sort of electricity with a Timberwolves squad.
- Butler punked x3. (1) Towns has the ball on the baseline, a little shoulder (maybe arm) and a little flop... and Butler is shoved aside for a wide open Towns jumper. (2) Gobert blocks a shot and it bounces toward midcourt where Butler has the inside track on the ball... until Edwards just overpowers him for the ball and goes in for a dunk. (3) Towns gets Edwards' missed three right over Butler, then while still draped over Butler he throws an alley-oop to Gobert.
- Anthony Edwards does special things.
- Another gritty win. Keep em coming... there's a lot of season left.
- And we're quick to point out coaching flaws... they're usually easier to spot... but kudos to Finch. Whether it's on-court strategy, in-game stuff or just working with the players to be ready most nights...
- Most Timberwolves teams would have folded in this one, chalking it up to "not our night." This team is different. And it makes things a lot more fun.
- Obviously (see title), I never post here during the game. But tonight, there was a stretch in the 2nd quarter where I wanted to write about the general malaise and half-ass vibe the Wolves were playing with. Then the 2nd half begin... and there was a noticeable but slight energy/intensity boost. And then that just grew and grew until a buzz surrounded the final few minutes of the game. It's been a looooonnnnnggggg time since I felt THAT sort of electricity with a Timberwolves squad.
- Butler punked x3. (1) Towns has the ball on the baseline, a little shoulder (maybe arm) and a little flop... and Butler is shoved aside for a wide open Towns jumper. (2) Gobert blocks a shot and it bounces toward midcourt where Butler has the inside track on the ball... until Edwards just overpowers him for the ball and goes in for a dunk. (3) Towns gets Edwards' missed three right over Butler, then while still draped over Butler he throws an alley-oop to Gobert.
- Anthony Edwards does special things.
- Another gritty win. Keep em coming... there's a lot of season left.
- And we're quick to point out coaching flaws... they're usually easier to spot... but kudos to Finch. Whether it's on-court strategy, in-game stuff or just working with the players to be ready most nights...
- Most Timberwolves teams would have folded in this one, chalking it up to "not our night." This team is different. And it makes things a lot more fun.
Re: Wolves @ Heat GDT
Will Finchy be coaching 2 or 3 of his players all-star weekend? I think a great case can be made for Ant Karl and Rudy. They are all contributing at a high level to these winning ways. It's not unprecedented for the best record to have 3 representatives. I don't care much for all star weekend anyway but feel they are each deserving.
Re: Wolves @ Heat GDT
I just finished watching the first half on DVD. Yuck! I’m looking forward to watching the second half tomorrow. But one thing I’ll say is that the Wolves probably would have lost if not for KAT and Ant coming through with big buckets late in the first half. KAT hit a three coming out of a timeout and Ant hit a three on the Wolves’ next possession. Shortly thereafter, Ant penetrated and drew a fouls, resulting in two made free throws. Those three buckets plays - one by KAT and two by Ant - kept Miami from completely burying the Wolves before halftime. It will be fun to watch the second half knowing what I’m going to see. 
This is a special team we have here. But I will note that the first half against the Heat highlighted several areas of improvement needed to solidify this team’s place as a championship contender:
1. The team needs to significantly reduce their turnovers.
2. The team needs to continue fine tuning and ramping up their offense, which is getting better but still not where it needs to be.
3. Jaden needs to reign in his fouls. This is his fourth season and his tendency to commit stupid fouls is no longer acceptable. To be fair, one of the calls against him in the first was one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen. He was called for a foul when it was clear that Herro should have been called for the offensive foul.
The good news is that all three of these things can improve with time and attention. I love that the grit is already there and that’s something your team either has or it doesn’t have with the players on your rooster and coaches on your bench. So the things that need to improve can improve. Meanwhile, the team already has the things that generally don’t improve without significant personnel and/or coaching changes.
I would also feel more confident if we had a backup PG who could step in effectively if Conley goes down for an extended period. He’s proven to be really important to this team’s success so far this season. Neither Milton nor Nix can be that guy. Maybe JMac can fill that role effectively, but I’d like to see the Wolves add a reliable higher level PG to the roster.
This is a special team we have here. But I will note that the first half against the Heat highlighted several areas of improvement needed to solidify this team’s place as a championship contender:
1. The team needs to significantly reduce their turnovers.
2. The team needs to continue fine tuning and ramping up their offense, which is getting better but still not where it needs to be.
3. Jaden needs to reign in his fouls. This is his fourth season and his tendency to commit stupid fouls is no longer acceptable. To be fair, one of the calls against him in the first was one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen. He was called for a foul when it was clear that Herro should have been called for the offensive foul.
The good news is that all three of these things can improve with time and attention. I love that the grit is already there and that’s something your team either has or it doesn’t have with the players on your rooster and coaches on your bench. So the things that need to improve can improve. Meanwhile, the team already has the things that generally don’t improve without significant personnel and/or coaching changes.
I would also feel more confident if we had a backup PG who could step in effectively if Conley goes down for an extended period. He’s proven to be really important to this team’s success so far this season. Neither Milton nor Nix can be that guy. Maybe JMac can fill that role effectively, but I’d like to see the Wolves add a reliable higher level PG to the roster.
Re: Wolves @ Heat GDT
it's always a good feeling when the Lakers lose! 
Re: Wolves @ Heat GDT
Great game. Wolves really ground them down, but Herro in his first game back was killing us. Miami is a tough team and I can see them making another run (although with the way the Celtics, Bucks, and 76ers have been playing it's gonna much tougher than last year).
Also, another game where we get called for a 24 second violation after an offensive rebound where the ball clearly hit the net. Like how do we get these obviously bad calls so often (I think this one is even the scorer, not the refs that make the call)? Overall I think it was fairly evenly officiated - KAT was getting mugged most of the game, but they weren't calling a ton of ticky tack fouls (some of Jaden's notwithstanding) on us.
Also, another game where we get called for a 24 second violation after an offensive rebound where the ball clearly hit the net. Like how do we get these obviously bad calls so often (I think this one is even the scorer, not the refs that make the call)? Overall I think it was fairly evenly officiated - KAT was getting mugged most of the game, but they weren't calling a ton of ticky tack fouls (some of Jaden's notwithstanding) on us.
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Carlos Danger
- Posts: 2402
- Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:00 am
Re: Wolves @ Heat GDT
Yup. And the "Rudy is a terrible fit/lane clogger for Edwards" talk has certainly died down too
Still a lot of season to be played. But this defense...it's hard to think it won't hold up. For the first time in Wolve's history - it seems like everyone is buying into playing defense. What a complete culture change.