Christmas GDT Wolves at Mavs, Edwards lament

[AbeVigodaLive]

Your 10000th post is a good one, Abe. It's so frustrating that a team can move the ball and play so well. and then completely crap the bed at the end of the game. I'm sympathetic to WF's post above where he is is wary of Finchie getting tough with Ant's ball stopping which almost single-handedly resulted in us dropping from 9 assists in a quarter to 1. I agree there's a chance that yanking Ant out of the game for a minute while publicly getting in his face about not passing could blow up, but I still think it has to be done. One of the reasons I was so high on Ant in the draft was a 45 minute video I shared of him watching some game action he was in at Georgia with an analyst and agreeing with the analyst about things he could have done better. He wasn't defensive at all, and even pointed out passes he could have made in a situation before the analyst did. I want Finch to do the same thing: sit down with Ant and review video of the 1st and 4th quarters, and ask Ant what is different. And then tell Ant he is going to pull him out of a game if he repeats the behavior he showed in the 4th quarter. I have a problem with some aspects of Ant's character, but defensiveness if not one of them...I think he would respond favorably to Finchie treating him like this. Ant should be able to figure things out on his own, but I think we know he can't. So Finchie needs to get tough and hold him accountable. Otherwise we will be stuck watching (or choosing not to watch) several more 1-assist quarters.

I'm absolutely positive that Finch and his staff have reviewed 4th quarter meltdowns with Ant along with the rest of the team. In fact, a few games ago, Finch mentioned that they went back and looked at every Ant crunch-time possession and calculated that he made the right play (in their eyes) 80% of the time versus 50% of the time last year. Sometimes that right play is a pass that Rudy fumbles or the corner 3 that Jaden misses.

Personally, I think a max player like Ant "co-owns" the game plan and execution along with the head coach of an NBA team. I can understand why Finch doesn't sit Ant when he takes a couple of bad shots and the ball gets sticky. Basically the punishment, if you will, is that Ant's team loses and it's largely on him.

Q, I agree that the coaching staff must be sitting down with Ant (and others) reviewing what went wrong, and right. What's missing though in my opinion is the accountability. Ant showed us in the Dallas game (and in many others...the 12/8 Warriors loss, for example) that he just doesn't understand how a 4th quarter offense is supposed to work. That's how we end up with only 1 assist in the 4th quarter, after enjoying some beautiful ball movement earlier! Q, you say that a loss is enough punishment for Ant, but I disagree...he doesn't seem too unhappy when I see him gleefully hugging Draymond Green after a loss. Ant doesn't get it, and will continue to repeat his 4th quarter hero ball behaviors if Finchie doesn't hold him accountable. And I get that Ant eventually won the Dallas game by beating his man and scoring in the last minute...he can do that. But when he tries to do it EVERY TIME in the 4th quarter, we're going to continue to blow big leads. I'd like to blame Ant for this, but he is who he is. This in on Finchie. If he can't channel Pop and make Ant move the ball late in the game, we are destined as Wolves fans to continue to have to watch 4th quarter collapses like we just saw.

How can any coach hold a guy like Edwards accountable? Or even a guy like Randle?

In the end, it comes down to having an uber-talented player... who "gets it." The NBA is loaded with talent. But the separation between the most talented guys is often what's between the ears. Are they willing to keep working harder than most? Are they willing to listen? Lead? Empower teammates? Push themselves and others? Et al.

Anthony Edwards has the talent. His three-point shooting improvement is remarkable. But before he was drafted, there were concerns beyond his talent. I don't think those are entirely dismissed.

Edwards has shown tremendous growth... and ridiculous immaturity. His career resume isn't even close to being written yet. But he'll get to a crossroads at the current pace sooner than later.

Will he be one of those super talented players that never got over the proverbial hump (C. Anthony) or a super talented player who transcends the normal all-star type to become one of the game's very best?

We're all here for the ride... fingers and toes crossed.

[Q-is-here]

I'm absolutely positive that Finch and his staff have reviewed 4th quarter meltdowns with Ant along with the rest of the team. In fact, a few games ago, Finch mentioned that they went back and looked at every Ant crunch-time possession and calculated that he made the right play (in their eyes) 80% of the time versus 50% of the time last year. Sometimes that right play is a pass that Rudy fumbles or the corner 3 that Jaden misses.

Personally, I think a max player like Ant "co-owns" the game plan and execution along with the head coach of an NBA team. I can understand why Finch doesn't sit Ant when he takes a couple of bad shots and the ball gets sticky. Basically the punishment, if you will, is that Ant's team loses and it's largely on him.

Q, I agree that the coaching staff must be sitting down with Ant (and others) reviewing what went wrong, and right. What's missing though in my opinion is the accountability. Ant showed us in the Dallas game (and in many others...the 12/8 Warriors loss, for example) that he just doesn't understand how a 4th quarter offense is supposed to work. That's how we end up with only 1 assist in the 4th quarter, after enjoying some beautiful ball movement earlier! Q, you say that a loss is enough punishment for Ant, but I disagree...he doesn't seem too unhappy when I see him gleefully hugging Draymond Green after a loss. Ant doesn't get it, and will continue to repeat his 4th quarter hero ball behaviors if Finchie doesn't hold him accountable. And I get that Ant eventually won the Dallas game by beating his man and scoring in the last minute...he can do that. But when he tries to do it EVERY TIME in the 4th quarter, we're going to continue to blow big leads. I'd like to blame Ant for this, but he is who he is. This in on Finchie. If he can't channel Pop and make Ant move the ball late in the game, we are destined as Wolves fans to continue to have to watch 4th quarter collapses like we just saw.

How can any coach hold a guy like Edwards accountable? Or even a guy like Randle?

In the end, it comes down to having an uber-talented player... who "gets it." The NBA is loaded with talent. But the separation between the most talented guys is often what's between the ears. Are they willing to keep working harder than most? Are they willing to listen? Lead? Empower teammates? Push themselves and others? Et al.

Anthony Edwards has the talent. His three-point shooting improvement is remarkable. But before he was drafted, there were concerns beyond his talent. I don't think those are entirely dismissed.

Edwards has shown tremendous growth... and ridiculous immaturity. His career resume isn't even close to being written yet. But he'll get to a crossroads at the current pace sooner than later.

Will he be one of those super talented players that never got over the proverbial hump (C. Anthony) or a super talented player who transcends the normal all-star type to become one of the game's very best?

We're all here for the ride... fingers and toes crossed.

Agreed Abe. It's why the best thing that the front office and Finch can do is to surround Ant with players that compliment his weaknesses and enhance his strengths. The roster construction right now is far from ideal in maximizing Ant's potential offensively.

In the end, it still not be enough if Ant doesn't overcome his immaturity as a closer, but we can't give up on Ant without first trying to get the right pieces around him.

[thedoper]

Ill take an immature player leading a team to the WCF at 22. The fact that we are talking about him being a championship level star now at his point in his career proves how lucky we are. All great players improve throughout their careers. I would love to see him get more calls, it is sad that he will have to learn to embellish contact and make unnatural moves to get there since it seems like he already gets mugged on drives. This year has been frustrating so far and this recent slump seems to have coincided with less efficient offense from Ant. His biggest issue is still trying to play hero ball when the game is close. I personally think the only way around that is a roster overhaul. At present we have one shooter on the roster that Ant could even theoretically trust (NAW) who doesnt even play in crunch time. Dante may be there by the end of the year but the complimentary offensive cupboard is bare right now as it pertains to shooters.

[Q-is-here]

Ill take an immature player leading a team to the WCF at 22. The fact that we are talking about him being a championship level star now at his point in his career proves how lucky we are. All great players improve throughout their careers. I would love to see him get more calls, it is sad that he will have to learn to embellish contact and make unnatural moves to get there since it seems like he already gets mugged on drives. This year has been frustrating so far and this recent slump seems to have coincided with less efficient offense from Ant. His biggest issue is still trying to play hero ball when the game is close. I personally think the only way around that is a roster overhaul. At present we have one shooter on the roster that Ant could even theoretically trust (NAW) who doesnt even play in crunch time. Dante may be there by the end of the year but the complimentary offensive cupboard is bare right now as it pertains to shooters.

Yup. It's sort of ironic that what Ant needs more than anything on offense are floor spacers that must be guarded closely outside of the arc, yet he himself is the most dangerous shooter! Obviously this is where we really miss KAT.