Denver wants to win more. The Wolves are weak and pathetic

[Wolvesfan21]

That is my summary of what I saw these last 3 games. Energy, hustle to loose balls, intensity. I hate to say it, the Wolves have embarrassed themselves. Great start to the playoffs. Embarrassing finish.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Not really seeing much in the way of lack of hustle from the Timberwolves.

[kekgeek]

Idk man. Outside of game 3 (7 of the remaining 8 teams have been blown out), I think the effort has been there and we are just getting beat by an all time great player.

Also we are not getting an above average performance from any of our other guys. I think Kat has been great besides in game 4, I think Ant has been great besides in game 5. And when one of Kat/Ant are not great it is hard to win even we gave gotten nothing offensively from Naz, Naw, Jaden, Slow Mo and Rudy is Rudy.


While the nuggets extras in Gordon, Braun, Holiday, Jackson have all been fantastic.


Series not over but I don’t think it’s an effort issue for the wolves. I still think this is a top 3 team in the league.

[Wolvesfan21]

Not really seeing much in the way of lack of hustle from the Timberwolves.

I see it. The contrast between the first 6 games of the playoffs to the last 3. Sure Denver stepped up a bunch for sure, But I do think the Wolves have come out flat. They even admitted it. They did all the interviews, got all the flowers and trophies (DPOY and 6th man of the year). So, yeah, I think that is embarrassing. They should have stepped on their necks and beat them down at home in game 3, they didn't. Now the sleeping giant is awake and you are in deep shit.

[Wolvesfan21]

Idk man. Outside of game 3 (7 of the remaining 8 teams have been blown out), I think the effort has been there and we are just getting beat by an all time great player.

Also we are not getting an above average performance from any of our other guys. I think Kat has been great besides in game 4, I think Ant has been great besides in game 5. And when one of Kat/Ant are not great it is hard to win even we gave gotten nothing offensively from Naz, Naw, Jaden, Slow Mo and Rudy is Rudy.


While the nuggets extras in Gordon, Braun, Holiday, Jackson have all been fantastic.


Series not over but I don’t think it’s an effort issue for the wolves. I still think this is a top 3 team in the league.

You're right, The Nuggets others have been fantastic. I think it's simply the want and desire. I see them hustling down the court for easy layups and dunks (at times). We are not. Nothing is easy for the Wolves because Denver wants to win more. It's that little bit extra energy and hustle difference. It's small but it matters.

[Coolbreeze44]

I can at least picture a game 6 win. But game 7 success is too blurry to see right now. That is unless one thing happens. And that is Ant goes full Michael Jordan for 48 minutes and doesn't let us lose.

Right now I feel like it's 50/50 as to whether the series goes 7

[rapsuperstar31]

Game 3 might have been weak and pathetic. The way Denver is playing right now they would beat every team in this league. They way Denver played the Lakers, Denver tried to play that way the first two games and got stomped by our defense. Unfortunately Denver got 3 full days off in-between games 2/3 to work out a new gameplan and practice it to perfection making Gordon play point forward. We've only had one day off in-between games to try and workout and practice our response to that. We have no answer for Gordon when he's playing like this. Joker scoring 40 doesn't matter, Murray hasn't hurt us, Porter hasn't hurt us, Pope didn't hurt us until this past game. Denver as a team has hurt us, and they don't miss their wide open 3's. We miss far too many wide open 3's. The only way we are beating Denver these next two games is if all of our role players have their best games the year offensively, we need Jaden hitting 3-4 threes, Naw hitting 3-4 threes, Naz to hit 3-4 threes, Conley to hit 3-4 threes if he plays, and Kat hitting 5+ threes. We need to crash the glass, we need more offensive rebounds, how many times does the ball hit Rudy's hands but Denver gets it and is off to the races. We need more defensive rebounds, when we get Denver to miss, no one boxes out Gordon and they get the rebound.

[FNG]

Yeah, I also don't have a problem with the effort our guys are putting in for the most part. I agree that none of the other 5 games have looked like Game 2, but that was an absurdly high bar. Many called it the greatest defensive game they have ever seen. I saw a lot of stupidity last night and I've seen way to many missed shots, but I didn't see a lack of effort.

[Wolvesfan21]

Yeah, I also don't have a problem with the effort our guys are putting in for the most part. I agree that none of the other 5 games have looked like Game 2, but that was an absurdly high bar. Many called it the greatest defensive game they have ever seen. I saw a lot of stupidity last night and I've seen way to many missed shots, but I didn't see a lack of effort.

Effort maybe the wrong word. Intensity might be better term I see the lacking. Denver has been much more intense and physical. More aggressive to loose balls. Finishing stronger.

If game two was the Wolves at near 100%, I'd say we are seeing 75-90% of that level, better then a regular season game but not high enough to compete and win these last 3.

Denver brought the will to win these last 3 games. We haven't matched up.

[FNG]

Yeah, I also don't have a problem with the effort our guys are putting in for the most part. I agree that none of the other 5 games have looked like Game 2, but that was an absurdly high bar. Many called it the greatest defensive game they have ever seen. I saw a lot of stupidity last night and I've seen way to many missed shots, but I didn't see a lack of effort.

Effort maybe the wrong word. Intensity might be better term I see the lacking. Denver has been much more intense and physical. More aggressive to loose balls. Finishing stronger.

If game two was the Wolves at near 100%, I'd say we are seeing 75-90% of that level, better then a regular season game but not high enough to compete and win these last 3.

Denver brought the will to win these last 3 games. We haven't matched up.

WF, I will say Denver did a much better job than we did corralling loose balls. Was it intensity or just the way the ball was bouncing...I don't know. You may be right.