Maybe We Should Just Watch The Wild Instead (Wolves vs. Nuggets GT2)

[thedoper]

KAT is wired to think he’s the best. Great players should have confidence. With all of his deficiencies there should have been more sober reflection about legit improvements he needed to make on his game particularly on the defensive end. Couple that bad D with multiple examples of complete offensive duds in must win situations and it just wears thin. I dont think he could ever be coachable in this environment, it would be too much to ask him to change his mindset from the focal point to a side piece with a very specific role. Everything is extra with KAT and this is no different.

[Q-is-here]

KAT is wired to think he’s the best. Great players should have confidence. With all of his deficiencies there should have been more sober reflection about legit improvements he needed to make on his game particularly on the defensive end. Couple that bad D with multiple examples of complete offensive duds in must win situations and it just wears thin. I dont think he could ever be coachable in this environment, it would be too much to ask him to change his mindset from the focal point to a side piece with a very specific role. Everything is extra with KAT and this is no different.

He may end up having to be what Kevin Love was for Cleveland, which is the third best player on a title team and someone that never really replicated the success he had in his best season in Minnesota (the season right before he was traded).

I believe we've seen KAT's best days. Still, even if we think of him as a #3 and not a #1A or B, he hasn't even performed at that level! He's literally been a below average player in these last two games. Might as well have Nate Knight out there!

I expect him to play better the rest of the series, but we have a slim chance now.

[FNG]

The only thing worse than KAT's game last night is his ebonic command of the mother tongue.


More KAT: "I trust my ability. I work too hard, so I’m not losing no confidence. I ain’t losing anything like that. I’m going to take my shot every time."

[Monster]

It wasn’t looking good there for a stretch in the first half and this group playing without a good starter and a important bench piece clawed it’s way back and sorta had a chance to win this game but they couldn’t make enough plays and shots.

Nowell is getting a chance to show what he can do in the playoffs and in the last 2 games has struggled to do what he does best finishing in the paint. I have confidence in him about that skill and he might also be rusty still from a long layoff. They kinda need him to give them some buckets if they want to have a chance to keep this series going.

NAW’s defense continues to look legit especially when it’s in games that matter more. One thing he has on offense is being able to make those one handed passes to the wings of drives. He had one drive from the wing in this game where he whipped an on target pass to. The corner to someone who swung the ball and it resulted in an open made 3. I haven’t seen enough of NAW’s D over time to compare it to Okogie but if NAW was that type of defender while being able to make some plays for others and despite his streaky 3 point shooting he is simply more likely to hit a 3 than Josh has ever been able to…well if the price is right that’s a guy that can have value and there is probably a little potential for NAW to improve on the things he is good at.

It was good to see Edwards get back on track.

Towns is struggling but I felt like this game was better than last.

Foul trouble was a big issue for the Wolves in this game. It limited Prince too and he is a guy capable of helps by play competent minutes and also helping score points.

I’m hoping to see a Wolves team come out and play well at home. I don’t feel super confident but I do have some believe in this team and Towns can be a part of that.

[FNG]

Unless, of course, ANT elevates to the clear #1 so KAT can be the #2, which is kind of what we are witnessing. Let this series continue to unfold…

KAT because of his salary and tenure will have trouble accepting and fitting into that role here I think. If he starts over where a clear cut number one superstar exists like a Lillard or Doncic then he has no choice but to fall in line. Which I think helps him play a role that fits him better, trading KAT helps us recoup value for him and letting Ant grow into what he needs to be for us.

I don't know...I think KAT wants to win, and if him becoming a #2 is key to that goal, I don't think he would have any problem with that at all. Let's not lose sight of the fact that KAT may be the best shooting 7 footer in the game, and also a decent rebounder. But the key to success for this team is acknowledging that Ant has to be our #1. But Ant needs to be better if he is going to succeed in this role. He is going to see a lot of double and triple teams, and he needs to get much better at finding the open man when this happens. Finding KAT, Jaden or Conley for an open three, or Rudy for a dunk, is cash money. But right now I give Ant a D- for his ability to make the right play when he is doubled. But he's only 21, and he will get better. I'm convinced we can have an elite offense once Ant establishes himself as a clear #1, and learns to find the open man when doubled.

I went back and read some of the GDTs from last year's Denver series...this is Game 2. I'm wrong about things as often as anyone here, but after a bad game by Ant and KAT, this was a hopeful take by me that has actually come true. Ant has become the clear #1, KAT has gracefully accepted being second fiddle, and Ant has taken a giant step forward in the past month in terms of finding the open man when doubled. Those three factors, as well as the availability of Jaden and Naz this year, are why almost all of us are picking the Wolves to come up with an upset in this series. Well, maybe some homerism too . Anyway, this will be a tough series, but there are some real reasons for optimism.

[rapsuperstar31]

I'm just happy that we wont be seeing 21 minutes for Prince, 16 minutes for Austin Rivers, 22 minutes for Jaylen Nowell, while missing Naz and Jaden in game one this year.

[FNG]

I'm just happy that we wont be seeing 21 minutes for Prince, 16 minutes for Austin Rivers, 22 minutes for Jaylen Nowell, while missing Naz and Jaden in game one this year.

I had the exact same thought as I re-read these GDTs, Cypress. The Wolves don't miss at all the bench players they had last year, while the Nuggets really miss Bruce Brown and Jeff Green. The two respective benches are quite different than they were last year.