Beat the Heat! - Wolves at Heat GDT

[FNG]

Good to get the win, but this was probably the weirdest game of the year. I have to admit that it felt like a loss to me the entire night until Jaden's bucket put us up five with a minute left. And then we still almost blew it!

WTF was up with Ant tonight? And what was up with Finchie? How do you let a guy play 19 consecutive minutes after he is not feeling good enough to answer the bell for the first 5 minutes of the second half? And how does Ant get 13 rebounds, many of them contested, if he's not feeling 100%? My thoughts? Ant had no idea how to operate on offense against that 2-3 zone, and his teammates knew it. Several times my honey asked why they weren't getting the ball to Ant when he was wide open 10 feet outside the arc, and I told her it was because his teammates recognized he was going to be completely ineffective against the zone. This was the worst I've seen our offense look all season...I think we will see a lot of zone the rest of the season, and Finchie better find a way to help Ant be more effective against it. Miami is a good team, so I'm frankly surprised we won, even if I was thinking negative thoughts the entire game.

Randle flirts with a triple double for the second game in a row, but also turns the ball over 5 times. Ant gets 13 rebounds and plays effective defense at times, but is invisible on offense. Mike shoots well and at times is our best defender tonight, but only has 2 assists against 2 TOs. Naz works his ass off against a bigger Bam and has by far our best +/- at +19 (Jaden was second at +9, and nobody else was better than +1), but ends up with only 4 rebounds playing center. It was definitely a "yeah, but" kind of game.

So we win a game we had to win and remain tied with GS, and we get a struggling Spurs team next with a good chance of having Rudy back. But really nothing changed last night...we're still destined to finish 7th unless we can win a couple games in which I think we will be at least 5 point dogs. I like our roster still, but trying to stay optimistic after a poor offensive showing last night.

[Sundog]

I agree with all of that FNG. However this morning, I remembered the concern that a lot of us expressed a while ago that this team lacks heart and grit. But last night was the kind of “find a way to win” game that seems to indicate they do have heart and grit. Nothing was cooking, everything was ugly, but they ended up on the right side of the W-L.

[FNG]

I agree with all of that FNG. Though this morning, I remembered the concern that a lot of us expressed a while ago that this team lacks heart and grit. But last night was the kind of “find a way to win” game that seems to indicate they do have heart and grit. Nothing was cooking, everything was ugly, but they ended up on the right side of the W-L.

So well said, Sundog. Yeah, while we have struggled in late game situations, I wouldn't say that this team lacks heart and grit...and last night was a good example. Despite being totally handcuffed by an effective Heat defense, they did indeed (in the words of kekgeek) "find a way". I went to bed not feeling great about this win, but I feel a little better this morning.

[60WinTim]

I disagree with you, FNG, about the Wolves being destined for 7th seed. Their main competition is the Warriors with Butler, who have been one of the hottest teams in the league. And while the majority of their wins have been on the road, most of those games were against bottom feeders. They now return for a nice 7-game homestand. And while they will be favored in the majority of those games, almost every one of those opponents are tougher matchups than they saw during their "hot streak". I foresee a couple of klunkers coming their way!

[FNG]

I disagree with you, FNG, about the Wolves being destined for 7th seed. Their main competition is the Warriors with Butler, who have been one of the hottest teams in the league. And while the majority of their wins have been on the road, most of those games were against bottom feeders. They now return for a nice 7-game homestand. And while they will be favored in the majority of those games, almost every one of those opponents are tougher matchups than they saw during their "hot streak". I foresee a couple of klunkers coming their way!

Yeah, I see you have the Warriors at 45 wins and I have them at 49...big difference. I wonder if you're underestimating how well Butler plays at the start of a new stint with a team...you know...before he inevitably becomes a dick again. I have them winning the next 8 games (almost all of them at home), which would give them an 11 game win streak. And they even could win the next three after that against Miami, NO and SA, giving them 14 in a row. But yeah, lots of opportunities for anti-klunkers in my model during this stretch too. Gotta hope KAT comes up big against them next week as well as Jokic. I still think they win both games though.

But there's always the Butler variable...

[Q-is-here]

The Heat use zone defense as much or more than anyone in the NBA and it's been like that for years. They are especially good at it.

As for our seeding in the West, it's just ridiculous....the top 9 teams in the West have all won their last game and most of them, including the Wolves, are on a multi-game winning streak. And both the Lakers and Golden State - the darlings of ESPN and the NBA glitterati - were the beneficiaries of one-sided trades that handed them a major piece at a discount. So frustrating!

We are going to probably need some injury luck (meaning we stay healthy and someone like Golden State loses Curry for example) to get to the 6th seed.

[FNG]

Yeah, Miami's zone was as good as I've seen. Very discouraging though that Ant seemed entirely bewildered by it.

It's going to be fun watching how Tim's and my predictions shake out, Q. On one hand he's more opTIMistic by having them 6th rather than 7th where I have them. But on the other hand he has them far behind 5th place with no chance of getting there, while I have then only a game behind both Golden State and Houston for 5th. Injuries are certainly going to shake things up a little. I predict the healthiest team among GS, Houston and us end up in 5th.

[60WinTim]

Welp, I see the Warriors facing a big test against the Pistons tonight. Both have identical records. Both are 8-2 in their last 10.

I guess the Wolves win no matter what - a Warrior loss would be a klunker and further secure the 6th seed for the Wolves. A Warrior win could improve that Detroit 1st round pick!

Go Basketball!

[FNG]

Welp, I see the Warriors facing a big test against the Pistons tonight. Both have identical records. Both are 8-2 in their last 10.

I guess the Wolves win no matter what - a Warrior loss would be a klunker and further secure the 6th seed for the Wolves. A Warrior win could improve that Detroit 1st round pick!

Go Basketball!

Ha, yeah! GS is favored by 5 1/2 and still in Butler Euphoria Land, so I think they win this one. It's getting to the part of the season though where sometimes it's difficult to decide who to cheer for...in this one we win no matter what, and also lose no matter what! I will be cheering for a Pistons win though (and maybe a Butler ankle tweak?)...I'm more focused on improving our playoff positioning than moving up a spot in the draft.

[Q-is-here]

The thing I'm both amazed and selfishly (as a Wolves fan) jealous and pissed about is that LeBron James and Steph Curry are both still top 10 NBA players at the age of 40 and 36 respectively. I know neither are at the peak of their powers, but the diminished version of themselves is still 2nd team all-NBA caliber players. And of course they play in the West. Can't these guys just fade away!?! I thought that's what happens once players get past 34 or 35!